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Welcome to Our

Buyer's Guide

Homebuyer's Guide

Buying a home should be one of the most exciting milestones of your life. To prepare yourself for this moment, you need to know what to expect during the process. This step-by-step first-time homebuyer’s guide created by our team will reduce the stress of buying a home and help you enjoy the journey.

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Step 1: Compile Your Wish List

Decide which communities, home features, and property types you and your family prefer. Have candid conversations about which of these characteristics are required, and which are “nice to have” in your next home.

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Step 2: Decide on Your Budget

Examine your current expenses and determine how they might change if you purchase a home. Create a comprehensive household budget so you can factor in any new ongoing expenses that might come with a home purchase, such as garbage and recycling, water, or homeowner’s association fees. Once you decide how these expenses will change, you’ll be better equipped to leverage the information you get in step three.

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Step 3: Get Prequalified

Prequalification is a great start for understanding your purchasing power, but it’s not the only factor. A lender may pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending, which is why the budget you compiled in step two is so important. The opposite can also happen, where you believe you can afford a certain payment every month, but the bank doesn’t agree. This often happens when you’re new to your job, have insufficient credit, or have bankruptcies or other financial issues in your history.

You’re not required to stick with this lender when you ultimately finance your purchase, but this process is a great way to vet mortgage providers. Also, a prequalification letter can make you a more competitive candidate in multiple-offer situations.

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Step 4: Choose Your Real Estate Experts

Now it’s time to find your dedicated real estate representative! Regulations enacted in 2024 require real estate agents to obtain a signed buyer’s agreement before showing consumers homes. Of course, we do a great deal more than opening up listings; we can help you understand your local market, identify areas and properties that fit your specific criteria, help you create competitive offers that match your financial and logistical needs, and much more.

Dedicated Service, Real Results

Finding the perfect home and navigating the purchase process can be daunting. Leverage our knowledge and expertise and enjoy your personalized real estate journey.

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Step 5: Find the Right Home

Your agent will arrange showings of properties that meet your specific criteria and price range, taking note of your likes and dislikes to further refine their search parameters. They’ll help you explore the details — from storage to light switches to the flow of a home — and understand the pros and cons of the options in front of you. They’ll also help you make time to explore the neighborhood and examine elements like local traffic at different times of the day, parking options, and proximity to neighborhood amenities like schools and grocery stores.

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Step 6: Finalize Your Financing

Once you’ve narrowed down your home search, it’s time to go back to the mortgage provider who prequalified you in step three and obtain preapproval. With a property and purchase price in mind, your lender can get much more specific about your interest rate, monthly payments, the term of the loan, and special programs such as first-time homebuyer grants and loans through the VA and FHA. While you will primarily work with your bank to select the right options for you, we’re here to offer support and recommend mortgage providers we’ve worked with in the past if you get stuck.

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Step 7: Make an Offer

Once you have selected the perfect home and have your finances in order, your agent will help you craft a fair offer price based on the value of comparable homes on the market. You’ll also work through details such as timing, contingencies, and fees. After your agent submits the offer on your behalf, they will help you negotiate counteroffers and reach an agreement with the seller. At this point, the house will go into escrow.

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Step 8: Have the Home Inspected

In most cases, your offer will be contingent on the home passing inspection. This protects you from purchasing a property that has serious structural issues or requires major repairs. We have a list of trusted local providers, but you can hire any licensed home inspector you like. If the inspection uncovers major issues, you can withdraw from the sale or renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed.

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Step 9: Obtain a Home Appraisal

The appraisal ensures that you are paying a fair price for the house. Your mortgage provider will hire an appraiser to inspect the property and offer an independent opinion of its value. Sometimes, appraisals may come in too low, which can impact the amount of money the bank is willing to lend. In this case, your agent can help you determine next steps and navigate the appeal process.

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Step 10: Complete the Paperwork

No one looks forward to all the paperwork stacked up on the closing table, 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 be the legal owner of your new home.

Success Stories

Testimonials

"Denise and Eddie were fantastic. They had great knowledge of the community. Made the purchasing of our new home easy. They were always ready to assist at a moments notice. Even after we had closed they still checked in on us to make sure all is going well. "
"Denise and Eddie were fantastic. They had great knowledge of the community. Made the purchasing of our new home easy. They were always ready to assist at a moments notice. Even after we had closed they still checked in on us to make sure all is going well. "
Delbert M
"Corolla Real Estate sold our Outer Banks home in minimal time and at close to the asking price. We had excellent interest in the home from the day it was listed and received multiple offers. Denise and Eddie have an encyclopedic knowledge of the real estate market in northern OBX and are hard-working, honest, and professional. We highly recommend them."
"Corolla Real Estate sold our Outer Banks home in minimal time and at close to the asking price. We had excellent interest in the home from the day it was listed and received multiple offers. Denise and Eddie have an encyclopedic knowledge of the real estate market in northern OBX and are hard-working, honest, and professional. We highly recommend them."
Rich L.
"Eddie was absolutely amazing! He went far beyond what other realtors I have worked with provided. He never hesitated to help, even while we were 400 miles away in PA with remodeling questions and concerns. I still check in with Eddie nearly three years later, as he truly is one of the good guys in Corolla. Well done is an understatement!"
"Eddie was absolutely amazing! He went far beyond what other realtors I have worked with provided. He never hesitated to help, even while we were 400 miles away in PA with remodeling questions and concerns. I still check in with Eddie nearly three years later, as he truly is one of the good guys in Corolla. Well done is an understatement!"
Craig W.
"My family and I couldn't thank Eddie and Denise enough for all that they did to help us with our home purchase. They went above and beyond during the purchasing process. They were always available and willing to help in any way without even being asked. It was always a pleasure to work with such kind and friendly people. We highly recommend these two if you're in need of a home. Thanks, Eddie and Denise, we hope to see you at the beach!"
"My family and I couldn't thank Eddie and Denise enough for all that they did to help us with our home purchase. They went above and beyond during the purchasing process. They were always available and willing to help in any way without even being asked. It was always a pleasure to work with such kind and friendly people. We highly recommend these two if you're in need of a home. Thanks, Eddie and Denise, we hope to see you at the beach!"
Jason B.
"Within a few short periods of time, Denise and Eddie helped us to find, negotiate, and close on our dream home. They were very professional, knowledgeable, and responsive (even during a hurricane). They were able to recommend vendors for us to move forward with. The whole experience was seamless, and they were a pleasure to work with!"
"Within a few short periods of time, Denise and Eddie helped us to find, negotiate, and close on our dream home. They were very professional, knowledgeable, and responsive (even during a hurricane). They were able to recommend vendors for us to move forward with. The whole experience was seamless, and they were a pleasure to work with!"
Daria
"It was a pleasure to work with Denise and Eddie at Corolla Real Estate. The transaction was completed as scheduled, and they kept us up to date every step of the way. We live out of state, but felt as if we were right there with them negotiating our deal. Thank you both."
"It was a pleasure to work with Denise and Eddie at Corolla Real Estate. The transaction was completed as scheduled, and they kept us up to date every step of the way. We live out of state, but felt as if we were right there with them negotiating our deal. Thank you both."
M. Marshall
"My husband and I have worked with Eddie Kavanaugh and Denise Graham on numerous occasions, with both selling and buying homes in the Outer Banks Area. You will not find any realtors with better knowledge of the area, homes, and people. They will do everything in their power to make a deal work. We have always appreciated their knowledge, honesty, integrity, and loyalty. They truly know how to “sell” the Outer Banks."
"My husband and I have worked with Eddie Kavanaugh and Denise Graham on numerous occasions, with both selling and buying homes in the Outer Banks Area. You will not find any realtors with better knowledge of the area, homes, and people. They will do everything in their power to make a deal work. We have always appreciated their knowledge, honesty, integrity, and loyalty. They truly know how to “sell” the Outer Banks."
Kathe & David T.
"Denise goes far beyond the expectations of any realtor we have ever worked with. She recently helped us purchase a fabulous home in Corolla Light Resort in an extremely competitive market. We cannot thank Denise enough for making this happen! Denise was constantly previewing homes for us, sending us videos, face timing so we could walk through the houses with her, but more importantly, always looking out for our best interest. She was instrumental in helping secure our dream home at the right price. Denise is extremely detail-oriented, knowledgeable, and she made sure everything was done efficiently and correctly. She handled all aspects of this purchase for us. We have actually known Denise for a number of years, we once owned another house and used Corolla Classic Vacations for our rental company. Naturally, when we decided to sell, we contracted with Denise (and Eddie) to sell our house. Again, Denise was constantly in contact with us and let us know exactly what was happening every step of the way. We cannot begin to tell you how impressed we are with Denise (and Eddie) for OBX realtors. If you are looking for a fabulous realtor, look no further. Denise, we love you! Thank you again for all your help and hand-holding."
"Denise goes far beyond the expectations of any realtor we have ever worked with. She recently helped us purchase a fabulous home in Corolla Light Resort in an extremely competitive market. We cannot thank Denise enough for making this happen! Denise was constantly previewing homes for us, sending us videos, face timing so we could walk through the houses with her, but more importantly, always looking out for our best interest. She was instrumental in helping secure our dream home at the right price. Denise is extremely detail-oriented, knowledgeable, and she made sure everything was done efficiently and correctly. She handled all aspects of this purchase for us. We have actually known Denise for a number of years, we once owned another house and used Corolla Classic Vacations for our rental company. Naturally, when we decided to sell, we contracted with Denise (and Eddie) to sell our house. Again, Denise was constantly in contact with us and let us know exactly what was happening every step of the way. We cannot begin to tell you how impressed we are with Denise (and Eddie) for OBX realtors. If you are looking for a fabulous realtor, look no further. Denise, we love you! Thank you again for all your help and hand-holding."
Beverly Moreland
"We just sold our beach house, and I’ve got to tell you- Denise and Eddie were absolute rockstars! I can’t even begin to express how thrilled we were with the whole selling experience. These two are seriously in a league of their own. Their market know-how is spot on. Their eye for detail? Incredible. And don’t even get me started on their negotiation skills- pure magic. If you’re looking for a dynamic duo to handle your real estate needs, look no further. Denise and Eddie are the dream team. We couldn’t recommend them more highly!"
"We just sold our beach house, and I’ve got to tell you- Denise and Eddie were absolute rockstars! I can’t even begin to express how thrilled we were with the whole selling experience. These two are seriously in a league of their own. Their market know-how is spot on. Their eye for detail? Incredible. And don’t even get me started on their negotiation skills- pure magic. If you’re looking for a dynamic duo to handle your real estate needs, look no further. Denise and Eddie are the dream team. We couldn’t recommend them more highly!"
Rob & Joyce
"I would definitely recommend Denise and Eddie. They work well as a team, and I have had the pleasure of knowing them in a number of different positions over the past 30 years. They are personable, professional, well-informed, and efficient. Recently, they acted as dual agents and listed and sold our busy Corolla Light rental home within 6 weeks. Technology has changed real estate, but it is still based on people."
"I would definitely recommend Denise and Eddie. They work well as a team, and I have had the pleasure of knowing them in a number of different positions over the past 30 years. They are personable, professional, well-informed, and efficient. Recently, they acted as dual agents and listed and sold our busy Corolla Light rental home within 6 weeks. Technology has changed real estate, but it is still based on people."
R. Cameron
"Without reservation, Larry and I highly recommend Denise and Eddie for any real estate transaction in OBX. Eddie and Denise supported us through every step of the process, from locating and closing on the perfect home for our family to helping us with all of the details that come when closing on a home from miles away. We are truly grateful to Denise and Eddie and would recommend their team to anyone looking for or selling a home in OBX."
"Without reservation, Larry and I highly recommend Denise and Eddie for any real estate transaction in OBX. Eddie and Denise supported us through every step of the process, from locating and closing on the perfect home for our family to helping us with all of the details that come when closing on a home from miles away. We are truly grateful to Denise and Eddie and would recommend their team to anyone looking for or selling a home in OBX."
Elizabeth R.

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