Buying a home
The Sequence for buyers: how I help you buy in South Florida
How I help you buy a home in South Florida: the money mapped before any showings, the order decided on purpose, a targeted search, and terms protected to keys.
The short version
Most home searches start with showings. You see a house you love, and only then do you find out what it would cost each month, whether you'd have to sell first, and what happens if the timing slips. By then you're deciding under pressure.
I start the other way around. We map the money first, lock the order of your move, and then search with a clear number and a clear plan. When the right home appears, you're ready to act on it the same day, and you know exactly what you're agreeing to. It's the buyer side of The Sequence, and it has five steps. Map the money first. Lock the order. Target the search. Compete and protect. Land and stay.
A question I hear often is "Will we ever find something within our price range?" Usually the answer is yes, once the range is real and the search is aimed. That's what these five steps are for. You'll work with me directly throughout, in English or Spanish, from the first conversation to the keys.
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Map the money first: an approval isn't a budget
Before we look at a single home, we sit down with the numbers. A lender's pre-approval tells you what a bank will lend. It doesn't tell you what you should spend, and the difference between those two numbers is the whole conversation.
We work out the monthly figure you're comfortable living with, including taxes, homeowners insurance, flood insurance where it applies, and any association fees. In South Florida, insurance and association costs can change the monthly picture of two similarly priced homes more than you'd expect, so we look at them early instead of at the offer stage. We also set money aside for closing costs and for the first repairs or updates you'll want to make, so the house you can afford is also a house you can live in comfortably. If you're selling a home too, we estimate what it's likely to bring and what that means for your down payment.
If you don't have a lender yet, I can introduce you to lenders I trust. You choose who you work with. What matters is that the approval is solid before you're competing for a home.
A solid approval matters more than it sounds. When I represent sellers, I verify a buyer's financing and proof of funds before an offer is accepted. So when you're the buyer, we prepare your file the way I'd want to see it from the other side: an approval based on documents the lender has reviewed, and proof of funds for your deposit and closing costs, ready to send the day you write an offer. A seller who can see that you're ready to close is more likely to take your offer seriously.
This is also when we sign a written buyer broker agreement, before I start showing you homes. It spells out what I'll do for you and how I'm paid, and we go through it together, line by line, before you sign anything. You'll know where you stand with me from day one.
The Sequence for buyers: how I help you buy in South Florida
Lock the order: decide the sequence before it decides for you
If you own a home now, the order of your move is the biggest decision you'll make, bigger than which house you buy. Sell first and you may need somewhere to live in between. Buy first and you may carry two homes for a while. Neither is wrong. Discovering which one you're doing halfway through is what goes wrong.
We choose on purpose. The options usually include selling first, buying first, a rent-back so you can stay in your current home for a short time after it sells, an offer that depends on your home selling, or a bridge loan. I'll lay out the risks and costs of each for your situation, out loud, and you decide. A rent-back, for example, can let you sell, move straight into your new home, and never live in between. But it has to be negotiated with your buyer, and it changes how your sale is priced and timed. A bridge loan can let you buy first. It also means carrying two payments for a while, so we look at how long you could hold both before we count on it. "We can't pay for two houses" is a sentence I hear from a lot of people in your position, and it's usually the start of a plan rather than the end of one.
If there's a date you're working toward, like a job start, a school year or a lease ending, tell me early. Every step after this one gets built backward from it. When your sale and your purchase run together, I plan both around each other, which is how trading up stops feeling like two moves.
Target the search: the community usually decides the outcome
Price and square footage narrow a search. They rarely decide it. What decides it is how a place fits your week: the commute you'll drive at the hours you'll drive it, how much space you need inside and out, the character of the streets, and what's nearby. That's the part most searches skip, and it's where I spend the most time with you.
The communities I work differ from one another in ways a map doesn't show. In Pinecrest, the lot often matters as much as the house. In the Redland, two parcels of the same size can allow different things. Two homes with a Homestead address can feel nothing alike. In Coral Gables, a restored 1920s home and a newer layout sit on the same streets. I'll tell you what I know about each and point you to the records that matter, like permits, flood information and association rules, so you're judging the home and not only the photos.
If you're moving to South Florida from another state or another country, we can start before you arrive. Video walkthroughs and 360 tours let you narrow the list from where you are, and I'll tell you plainly which homes are worth a trip. More on that in relocating to South Florida. For school assignments, I'll show you how to check the district's address search for any home you're considering, so you're relying on the official source rather than a listing.
Compete and protect: the terms matter as much as the number
When the right home comes up, we write a strong offer quickly. Strong doesn't always mean the highest price. A seller also weighs your financing, the deposit, the inspection period, whether you need to sell another home first, and the closing date. I've negotiated for twenty years, and much of the value I find for buyers is in those terms, not only in the number.
You decide how much earnest money deposit to put down, and I'll explain how that choice can affect how a seller reads your offer. The deposit is held in escrow by the title company, not by me and not by the seller.
Once your offer is accepted, the inspection period begins. In my contracts it's usually 15 days, and it's your window to have the home inspected and to understand what you're buying. I recommend having the inspection done within the first 5 to 10 days, depending on the property. I'll help you decide what's worth asking the seller to fix or credit, and what to let go. Then we track the appraisal, your loan approval and the title work against every deadline in the contract, so nothing slips while you're busy packing.
If the appraisal comes in below the price you agreed to, we have options: renegotiating the price, covering part of the difference, or, if your contract allows, stepping away. Your attorney can confirm your rights under the contract, and I'll walk you through the options before you decide. The same goes for anything the title search turns up. Most issues can be solved, and they're far easier to solve when they're found early.
Land and stay: the keys aren't the last step
Closing is usually handled by a title company, which the buyer typically chooses. Before closing, we do a final walkthrough so you can confirm the home is in the condition you agreed to. Then you sign, the funds move, and you get the keys.
After that, I'm still here. You'll have questions in the first months, about a contractor, a property tax notice or an insurance renewal, and you can call me with any of them. My commitment doesn't end at the closing table. A home is never just a transaction, and the people I've helped buy one usually become people I hear from for years.
A few things are worth doing in your first months as a Florida homeowner. If the home is your primary residence, ask the county property appraiser about the homestead exemption. Keep your closing documents, your inspection report and your insurance papers together, because you'll want them again when you refinance, renovate or sell. And when you're ready to think about what your home is worth, you can ask me any time.
If you're ready to start with the numbers, start the conversation, or call or text me at 786-237-9904. If you're selling at the same time, here's how the selling side works.
This describes my general process. It isn't legal, tax or lending advice, and every purchase is shaped by its own contract and circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to sign an agreement before you show me homes?
Yes. We sign a written buyer broker agreement before I start showing you homes. It spells out what I'll do for you and how I'm paid, and we go through it together before you sign.
Who holds my earnest money deposit?
The title company holds it in escrow. The amount is your decision, and I'll explain how the size of the deposit can affect how a seller reads your offer.
How long is the inspection period?
In my contracts it's usually 15 days from when your offer is accepted. It's your window to inspect the home and decide what, if anything, to ask the seller to address.
Can I buy a new home before I sell my current one?
Often, yes. Buying first, selling first, a rent-back, an offer that depends on your sale, or a bridge loan can all work. We decide which fits your situation before you start looking, with the risks of each laid out.
Can you help me buy if I'm moving from out of state?
Yes. Video walkthroughs and 360 tours let you narrow your search before you travel, and I work in English and Spanish.
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