After your offer has been accepted, the property
will need a thorough examination. Working with your lender, you
may need to have a formal appraisal and a survey done for the
property designated in the contract. A property inspection, a
foundation inspection, and an environmental inspection may also
need to be completed to make sure that the property is up to
the standards set forth in your written agreement. If there are
issues or inconsistencies brought to light during this time,
it may delay or even nullify the contract depending on the contingencies
set forth in the contract. Having these procedures done in a
timely and professional manner is a must. Investigate each vendor
to make sure that they are reputable and have a clean operational
history.
Homeowner insurance is another very important item that will
need to be taken care of at this point. Insurance experts recommend
that you obtain insurance equal to the full replacement value
of the home. Unless you have insurance coverage on the home,
the closing can not proceed.
Your agent can save you time and money by supervising the coordination
of all necessary vendors and serving as your advocate when working
with each vendor. They will make sure that the vendors have access
to the property at the appropriate times to perform their procedures
and oversee the execution of those procedures on your behalf.
Your agent's experience in this area will be invaluable in making
sure that everything is completed on time and in a professional
and legal manner.