Buyer Guide

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Step 1: Research

Do you already know where you want to buy? If you want a condo, townhome, or single-family home? Which features do you like and dislike? What’s available on the market now? If you answered no to any of these questions, now is the time to start researching. In addition to looking for homes that interest you, also take note of any changes in asking prices. This could give you valuable insight into housing trends in specific neighborhoods and help you when the time comes to make an offer.

Step 2: Decide on Your Budget

Notice I said to decide on your budget—not determine how much the mortgage company will give you. In many cases, a mortgage company will pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending, which is why you need to determine the monthly payment you feel comfortable with before talking to a lender. This likely includes doing a full household budget and taking into consideration what changes other than a mortgage payment will occur once you move into your new home. If you’ve lived in an apartment or with roommates, you may overlook new expenses like garbage, water, or HOA fees that could easily blow your budget.

Step 3: Get Prequalified

Just because you think you can afford a certain payment every month doesn’t mean the mortgage company will agree. Just as they may approve you for too large of an amount, they may also approve you for a lesser amount or deny you a mortgage altogether. Lack of time at a job, insufficient credit, past bankruptcies, or other financial issues can cause major problems when trying to secure a mortgage. Before you get your heart set on a home, talk to a mortgage professional to find out what amount you can qualify for. This will also be an advantage when you make an offer on a home, as some sellers won’t entertain offers from those who aren’t already prequalified for a loan.

Step 4: Choose a Real Estate Agent

Can you shop for, look at, and ultimately make an offer on a home without a real estate agent? Technically yes, but why would you when it costs you nothing for an agent like me to take much of the stress off your shoulders? Not only will I help identify properties you might be interested in, arrange showings, and ultimately handle the offer process, but I also have a knowledge of the market that you don’t possess. Finding the perfect home can be a daunting task, this is where my expertise and wealth of knowledge come into play. Let me show you around some homes that meet your dream home criteria so you can find the one that's right for you.

Step 5: Find the Right Home

This should be the most enjoyable step of the entire process (other than moving in!). I will arrange showings of homes you’re interested in that are within your price range. Take notes about what you like and don’t like, and make sure to pay attention to details. Turn light switches on and off, open and close doors, and run the faucets in various rooms. Don’t limit your inspection to the home itself. Make sure to take time to explore the neighborhood and keep an eye on traffic at certain times of the day, the parking situation, and how close it is to necessities like schools and grocery stores.

Step 6: Make an Offer

Once you have selected the perfect home, work with your agent to craft a fair offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Depending on what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market, your offer may be below, at, or even above the asking price. I will be able to help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go into escrow.

Step 7: Have the Home Inspected

In most cases, your offer will be contingent on having the home inspected to ensure there is no major structural damage or large repairs needed. I can help you arrange this, and you can schedule it within days of making an offer. If there are no major issues, the process goes to step eight. If there is, you can renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed, or you can withdraw it.

Step 8: Select Your Loan

Now is the time to go back to the mortgage lender who pre-approved or pre-qualified you and choose your mortgage. You will be presented with various options based on your unique financial situation, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, 15-year, 30-year, or special programs such as VA loans or FHA loans. Work with your mortgage lender to select the option you feel the most comfortable with.

Step 9: Get a Home Appraisal

Your lender will have your new home appraised so they have their independent value of it. The appraisal is to ensure that all parties involved are paying a fair price for the house.

Step 10: Finish Paperwork

No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.

My Testimonials

See why my clients love working with me.

Lynn M.

Wesley was an AWESOME agent! He always answered his phone and replied to emails swiftly. He had a really good understanding of the local Manhattan market and we’d use him again the next time we buy a home.

Risa V.

Jordan and Wesley were more than helpful in finding us an apartment in Chelsea. They were both extremely honest, upfront, and were able to find us a great apartment that fit our price range!

Linda P.

Despite the pandemic, Wesley worked tirelessly to help us sell our apartment in just a few weeks from our initial contact to closing. We highly recommend you give him a call if you need to buy or sell your home!

Alan F.

The Stanton Hoch Team has made us realize what high quality brokers are supposed to be like. Over the past 2 years, they seamlessly and effortlessly found 2 buyers for each of our Manhattan properties. We will certainly be work...

Melissa R.

I'm hard pressed to come up with the right words to describe what an incredibly great experience I had working with The Stanton Hoch Team. I was seeking out help and professional guidance as I was tasked with the sale of my mot...

Ryan A.

I would have no hesitation recommending the Stanton Hoch Team to others. This was the best experience I've ever had in finding a place to live in NYC. I would recommend them to my closest friends and family.

Alyssa W.

Thank you Stanton Hoch Team for selling our apartment!!! We really appreciate all of their effort that went into getting the apartment ready and most certainly the outcome – the service we received from them was stellar. Everyt...

Brian C.

Wesley is amazing. I was really nervous about the process of selling my first home, considering I was on the West Coast for the entire process. Wesley walked me through step-by-step, made sure I knew what to expect, and offered...

Christopher R.

I recently sold a house with Jordan and I felt 110% confident in partnering with him. He was candid, provided great feedback, helped explain all details and managed the actual sale negotiation brilliantly. In addition, he was e...

Gwendolyn W.

The Stanton Hoch Team is the best team of brokers I’ve ever dealt with. Very professional, experienced and helpful. I highly recommend them!

Christine C.

The Stanton Hoch Team have knowledge of the New York City market from their own lifetime experiences in the city where they were both born and raised. The team is willing to go the extra mile to get the deal done professionally...

Maria S.

Catherine Slotnick was incredibly knowledgeable about the complexities of New York real estate and communicated all the requirements and steps clearly. She answered every question I had thoroughly and promptly, no matter how sm...

Jeff L.

We can’t say enough about Jordan and his amazing team. Not only did they help us sell our UWS apartment during an unprecedented exodus from NYC with Covid, but they also found us a needle in a haystack with our new purchase on...

David C.

Catherine was outstanding as our agent in searching for our first NYC co-op apartment! She is extremely knowledgeable, professional and was an invaluable resource throughout the journey of selecting, securing and closing on th...

Paola B.

Working with Stanton Hoch team was the best experience! I knew from the second met Annie I could trust her. This could not have been a more true statement. Her team helped us achieve the goal of the price we wanted on our apart...

Crista B.

Annie O is an incredible real estate agent! I completely trust her and wouldn’t have been able to get through the sale process without her. She found me the perfect home in Soho and I’m forever grateful for her hard work. I rec...

Lindsay L.

The Stanton-Hoch team is the gold standard. My husband and I worked with Jordan and his team on both the buy & sell side and I cannot say enough. Not only are they professional, data-driven and well-informed, but they are good ...

Jamie J.

I had an incredible experience with the Stanton Hoch Team. I've used them for several transactions on the Upper West Side and could not be happier with the service and team. If you're looking to buy, rent or sell an apartment, ...

Steven C.

We have bought and sold with Jordan a few times. Our daughter has also bought using him and then we recommended a friend to sell her apartment and she also was thrilled with her experience. Jordan is honest, reliable and a tr...

Dario D.

Sold our apartment at the right price very quickly. Fully recommend the team, they know the market and are great. Wesley and his team recommended great strategies and advice to market the apartment. They also have a large datab...

Work With Us

Our passionate, expert agents have decades of collective experience and come from a diverse array of professional and cultural backgrounds. We understand every real estate decision is as individual as it is important. No matter who you are or what your goals are, The Stanton Hoch Team is here for you.

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Buyer's Guide

A Step-by-Step Buyer's Guide