Buying a house in Charlotte can have plenty of snags that the inexperienced may find cumbersome. With the help of a trained Realtor, the home buying process can be as smooth as your new granite countertops :) Once you have found the home of your dreams and submited the offer to purchase, your nest steps are:



During the offer negotiations

• Negotiate purchase price and other terms (other terms are VERY important; often just as important as the purchase price).
• Terms other than price - Due Diligence Fee, Due Diligence Period, Earnest Money Fee, Seller-Paid Closing Costs, Settlement Date, etc.  (These will be explained in greater detail throughout process.

Days immediately following acceptance of offer:

Completing a home inspection is an important step before committing to buy any house in Charlotte, NC. Having your future home looked at by a professional home inspector can reveal either small fix's or big remodeling nightmares. Here are a few things to look for in a home inspector before committing to buying your next house.

• 33 states require home inspectors to be licensed and only a handful require the inspectors to be insured, which may leave you responsible for their actions if property damage occurs during the inspection. So make sure you shop around for a licensed home inspector and make sure they are insured.
• Look for an Inspector that is professionally affiliated. The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) requires its members to pass an exam, follow a code of ethics and standards, and complete a minimum of 250 home inspections before being affiliated.
• Review the Home Inspection Contract. This is the contract detailing the service they will provide as well as their limits on liability and the Inspector's Fee.
• Accompany your Home Inspector. The homeiInspector will go in detail through all of the major, and even minor functions, of your soon-to-be-home. It is extremely beneficial for you to be there to see what they find and listen to their suggestions along the way.
• Even in a new construction home problem areas can exist. Using a home inspector when buying a new home may feel like a waste of time and money, but they can sometimes find shortcuts the builder may have taken to get your house finished on time and on budget.

If you're in the market for buying a house, make sure you take the time to get a Home Inspection. It has the potential to save you a lot of money in unforeseen repairs and can often be very informative for tips on living in and maintaining your new home.