Kolt Christopher Homes

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full-service real estate firm specializing in residential and commercial properties. We can help you buy a home, while providing expert advice.

320 W Lanier Avenue Ste. 229 Fayetteville, GA 30214
1-770-285-8400

info@KoltChristopherHomes

© 2021-2023 Kolt Christopher Homes Inc | Residential and Commercial Properties

Buyer's Guide

A Buyer's Guide to Purchasing a Home

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A Buyer’s Guide

A Brief Guide to purchasing a home
Kolt Christopher Homes Inc

Setting Goals for Buying a home

At Kolt Christopher Homes, we recommend keeping things simple when setting your goals. When you understand what you want in a home, you will realize that the perfect home is the ideal neighborhood that fits your budget.
The first step to buying a house is setting your goals. If you do not know your goals, finding that dream home you’re looking for might be challenging. It is essential to be specific and measurable so that when your goals are achieved, you know what phase of the buying process you are in.
A goal might be that you want a house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. On the other hand, setting a goal for less than you need could mean the house itself does not fit your criteria.
At Kolt Christopher Homes, we recommend including neighborhood preferences, price range, and other vital areas to make your search for the perfect house easier. These essential goals would help you narrow down the homes you should be looking at and save yourself time, effort, and money in the long run.
A few tips on setting goals should include the thing you need in a home instead of what you want. For example, is a must-have a gigantic gourmet kitchen, or will it be unused?

Preparing & Understanding your Credit Report

Your credit score reflects your credit history, and it is one of the principal measures to determine our interest rate. A higher credit score will give you a low-interest rate and better lending terms. Therefore, your credit score affects how much money you can borrow.
We recommend obtaining a copy of your credit report from the three leading credit report agencies and clearing up anything that may cause your score to drop. Also, do not make any significant purchases, and remember this is not the time to change jobs.
Payment history, the current ratio of debt to income, and signs of responsibility and stability are three main factors that affect your credit report. Before you start improving your credit, it is important to understand how each of these factors can affect your report. Your payment history is the most influential factor in your credit report. It shows how you have handled previous loans, including house payments, car payments, credit card bills, and more.
buyers and sellers Guide

Finding the Right Realtor

A realtor acts as a middleman between those selling homes and those looking to buy them. They can also help people find homes that match their criteria and ultimately close the deal. When you're ready to buy a home, finding a realtor that's right for you is essential.
A good Realtor will be able to provide information about the neighborhood and the market, while providing you with an idea of what types of homes are available and their prices. They can also help you navigate the home buying process, including everything from writing an offer to negotiating with the seller and getting financing.
Kolt Christopher Homes Inc. is a full-service real estate firm specializing in residential and commercial properties. We can help you buy a home, provide expert advice about finding the best mortgage, and even offer free loan qualifications, so you know how much you can afford before looking at homes in the market

Applying for a Mortgage

Mortgages are different across the board, but not all are the same. Lenders offer Fixed Rate loans, Adjustable-Rate loans, Federal Housing Admin Loans, and Veterans Admin Guaranteed Loans. These loans are available to buyers from commercial banks, mortgage companies, credit unions, and mortgage brokers. Therefore, it's important to hire a mortgage company to explain each loan.
Mortgage loans have additional fees included in the amount you are borrowing. In addition, the lender can charge fees that are sometimes linked to the interest rate. Other fees included Loan Origination fees, underwriting fees, broker fees, and closing costs. We recommend asking as many questions as possible to understand what you are paying.
Your qualifications as the borrower and the market will determine your interest rate and fees. The interest rate and fees will form the lengths of the loan (30, 20, or 15) years). We recommend requesting quotes from different institutions and different terms. Quotes from various institutions give you options before making a final decision.
Money saved is the first and most crucial step in getting a home mortgage. Savings assure that you can make the monthly payments on the loan for at least six months. After that, the bank will calculate how much money is required based on specific criteria. You'll need to provide documents and information about your current financial situation.
buyers and sellers Guide

Shopping for your Home

It's a good idea to take pictures or record the home on these visits. You'll want to take several photos of every home you view, as well as create short video clips for your agent to use in case you can't remember the likes and dislikes of particular homes. In addition, the photos and video clips will serve as valuable tools when comparing different properties.
There are a few things you should look for in your home when going on tours with realtors. We recommend researching these things online beforehand. Property tax records, census data, & Zillow rental rate info help show how much house you can get for your money. You can also research local or regional market reports and county recorder's office information.
When you tour a home, keep in mind that you are not buying from the current owner. Instead, you inspect their investment to see if it's right for you. You do not want to wear out your welcome by being too critical or giving away anything about your plans, so be careful about making suggestions for needed repairs or changes they have missed during their ownership.
It is important to know what comparable homes are currently selling for in that area while considering whether to make an offer. It would help to negotiate the best price possible for your dream property. Most buyers' worst mistake is not negotiating their offer before placing it on the table.

Making an Offer on a Home

It is important to know what comparable homes are currently selling for in that area while considering whether to make an offer. It would help to negotiate the best price possible for your dream property. Most buyers' worst mistake is not negotiating their offer before placing it on the table.
You should never do three things when making an offer: (1) Never make an emotional offer. (2) Never make an offer without doing your research. (3) Never lowball the homeowner.
Once you’ve decided on a home you love, Kolt Christopher Homes will create a contract that serves as your offer. The contract will include your offering price and necessary contingencies. You will also need to provide earnest money and a letter from your lender. The letter will confirm your qualification to purchase. The earnest money can range from 1% to 3% of the property’s sale price.
When making an offer on a home, there are many things that you should consider. First, you should get pre-approved for an FHA or Conventional Loan. It is essential to determine how much you can afford so you do not waste time during the negotiation process.
buyers and sellers Guide

Home Inspections

A Home inspection is a comprehensive, visual examination of readily accessible and visible components and systems in a home's major living areas (e.g., bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen). The inspector uses accepted scientific methods and tools to detect any defects with the materials or systems reviewed during the inspection.
The inspection determines whether items meet your expectations at the time of purchase/closing, not what you expect them to be down the road. For example, if you expect a roof to last 20 years and has just been replaced, your inspection is not the time to try and determine how long it will last.
During the final walk-through of the property, all of our findings from the inspection will be reviewed with you. In addition, any questions regarding what was discovered will be answered. You will learn what you already know about your house, as well as what you may want to know before purchasing or closing.

After your Offer is Accepted?

The property surveyor will do background research on the property before surveying the land. The study will include the history of the deed and a title search. In addition, the surveyor will research the land title for discrepancies beforehand and perform a detailed inspection of the property's condition. They specifically look for structural issues, unstable walls, and subsidence.
This process will ensure that the home does not have liens against it. Meaning there are no loans or mortgages on the property that belongs to the homeowner or bank. To ensure these homes are bought without risk, lenders look for an insured closing agent with bond coverage; their name is the escrow agent.
Hiring a home appraiser is important for anyone interested in selling their home. The appraisal sets the list price of your home, and homeowners will need an appraisal report before closing on a new property. If you are thinking about buying a house, check with your lender to see if they require an appraisal before financing your purchase.
Your real estate professional will give you copies of all of the various forms you'll need to sign, as well as an agreement about when and how the documents must be returned. The second meeting takes place after all parties have had a chance to review the documents requiring signatures and/or explanations. Each person attending this meeting must be present for this document to become legally binding. Once everyone is satisfied with the contents of this agreement, it will be signed and notarized.
On average, closing happens about 20 days after the initial escrow deposit. The documents required for your lender to give you the necessary funds are called "closing costs," paid at settlement. You will receive a breakdown of these fees from your agent, lender, and/or other parties involved in the closing process.
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Location

320 W. Lanier Avenue

Fayetteville, GA 30214

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Business Hours

Mon to Fri: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday:   11:00 am to 5:00 pm

Sunday:      Appointment Only

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Service Area

Counties: Henry, Fayette, Gwinnett, Rockdale, Fulton, Dekalb, Metro Atlanta, & surrounding areas