Steps to Buy

Buying Your Home With Heather

Contact Heather

I am always available to answer any questions about the buying process and to hold your hand throughout the process and to be there with you every step of the way. 

Modern apartment buildings with curved glass windows overlooking a lush landscaped courtyard.

Meet Me

I set a face to face meeting or zoom meeting with prospective buyers to go over the nuances of purchasing a home in today's market and ensure the client of my professionalism. Even if it is not your first time, our meeting is an important part of the process, it helps to determine ones needs, wants and expectations. 

Attached brick and white townhouses behind a glowing streetlamp and leafy branches.

Get Preapproved

A Pre-approval letter is needed for winning an offer. Getting preapproved helps you to determine what can you afford to buy and what you are comfortable paying. 

Riverside promenade with a lamppost, bridge, and city skyline in warm evening light.

Complete REBNY Financial Statement

You will need to complete this for purchase to show your assets and liabilities (mostly for Co-op boards)

Brick building with dark green storefronts, outdoor café seating, and autumn leaves overhead.

Decide Your Needs and Wants

If you have a partner, be on the same page and/or have realistic expectations.

Tree-lined park avenue with benches and lampposts beneath a leafy canopy.

Pick the Neighborhood

It has been proven time and time again that the more focused you "hone" in on where you want to live and consider all factors, ie, shopping, proximity to train/transportation, museums, and/or grocery stores. The more focused you are the better. Home buying is a process of elimination.

Manhattan street lined with mid-rise buildings beneath a clear blue sky.

Coaching

Coaching, educating and helping you understand that what you are buying is a good investment for now and in the long term. 

Elevated city walkway lined with autumn grasses and trees, framed by modern buildings.

The Offer

I have a strategy to help you win your "bid" in every kind of market.

Ornate city buildings with decorative columns and façades in pale blue, cream, yellow, and red brick.

Attorney Due Diligence

Review Co-op/Condo financials, Board Minutes and Offering avPlan to make sure it is a "good investment" for you .

Brooklyn Bridge spans the East River in front of Lower Manhattan’s sunlit skyline.

Contract

Signed usually within 10 - 14 days from date of accepted offer. Once you sign the contract, then you give the attorney the 10% deposit where holds in his escrow account.

New York City buildings and trees frame the clock tower of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company building.

Mortgage Commitment

When the bank will confirm that they have received all the necessary paperwork to complete the process of your loan, they will also confirm that your financial status will remain the same as it did when you began the process. So please do not buy a new car or open any new credit card accounts until this is done.

Red-brick apartment buildings rise behind white flowering shrubs in a lush garden.

Board Package

This is prepared with financial information, reference letters, taxes, employment letters and anything else that the Managing Agent asks for. This is submitted within 7 days after receiving the commitment letter from the Bank.

New York City street framed by brick buildings, with rooftop water towers and fire escapes.

Board Interview

For Co-ops once the credit has been checked (within 3 days of receiving the board package), the Board Members will receive the package and review and once reviewed the buyer will be called for a Board Interview which will usually consist of 3 or 5 members of the Board.

Apartment buildings with ornate façades and metal fire escapes, with modern high-rises in the distance.

Board Approved (Co-Ops)

When I get a call from the Managing agent saying you are approved. This is the last part of the process and now you can breathe a sigh of relief and its on to closing time!

Landscaped city garden framed by brick apartment buildings.

Final Walkthrough

As a skilled agent I help you evaluate that the home is in the "promised" condition.

New York apartment buildings with metal fire escapes and a rooftop water tower

The Closing

This happens typically around 45-60 days after the signing of the contract Today your remaining funds will be due, and there will a lot of signing, if a co-op, you will be given a stock certificate. If it is a condo, then you will be given a deed. Then congratulations you are a homeowner! 

New York City building facades with fire escapes and contrasting white, teal, and red brick exteriors.

For More Information on How to Buy an Apartment in New York City

Download my buyer's guide below.

Work With Heather

Heather is an expert in staging, marketing and pricing while buyers benefit from her patience, thoroughness and the kind of neighborhood knowledge only a native New Yorker can deliver. Want to know how to buy in NYC? Connect with Heather now.

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