Buying a home

It is the best first step. A pre-approval letter tells you what you can borrow, shows sellers you are serious, and in a competitive market many sellers will not consider an offer without one.

Yes. In Virginia, an agent needs a written agreement with you before working with you as a buyer, and it must be in place before you tour homes together. We walk you through it before we start, including how and how much the agent is paid.

Compensation is negotiable and is set out in your written agreement. Sometimes a seller offers to pay part or all of it, sometimes the buyer pays, and often it is negotiated as part of the offer. We explain the options before you sign anything.

It depends on the loan. Some programs allow very low down payments, and conventional loans often start at 3 to 5 percent. Closing costs are separate. Your lender will give you an estimate, and we can point you to local lenders to compare.

We recommend one on almost every purchase. Virginia sellers give limited disclosures, so an inspection, and sometimes a separate check of the septic, well, radon or roof, is how you learn the condition of the home before you commit.

That depends on your budget, commute and the kind of home you want. Start with our neighborhood pages, then tell us what matters to you in the questionnaire above and we will suggest areas to look at.