April 21, 2025 • 7 mins
In this episode of Jim Sells the Suncoast, Jim outlines the crucial steps every buyer should tackle after their offer is accepted. From home inspections to the final walkthrough, follow this checklist to avoid last-minute surprises and ensure a smoother journey to homeownership.
Key Highlights
- Home Inspection
- Book a Licensed Inspector: Check for roof, electrical, plumbing, or structural issues before moving in.
- Optional Extra Inspections: Termite, mold, radon, and lead paint tests may be required depending on the property’s age or your lender’s requirements.
- Appraisal & Property Value
- What Happens: Lenders send an appraiser to confirm the home is worth the agreed price.
- Low Appraisal Options: Negotiate the price, cover the gap, or cancel if the seller won’t budge.
- Finalizing Your Mortgage
- Stay Financially Steady: Avoid major purchases or opening new credit lines until after closing.
- Prompt Paperwork: Respond to lender requests for any additional documentation (tax returns, pay stubs, etc.).
- Survey & Title Work
- Survey: Ensures accurate boundary lines, preventing future disputes.
- Title Search & Insurance: Detects unpaid liens or claims on the property and protects you from hidden legal issues.
- Seller Disclosures
- Legal Obligations: Sellers must share known issues (e.g., flood damage, termites, or even hauntings!).
- Verify: Cross-check disclosures with your inspection report to spot any discrepancies.
- Final Walkthrough
- Check Repairs & Condition: Confirm agreed-upon repairs are done and appliances/fixtures remain.
- Time Matters: Speak up before signing if anything is missing or unresolved.
- Closing Day & Beyond
- Bring ID & Funds: Review the closing documents carefully and wire any down payment or closing costs.
- Utilities & Address Change: Transfer electric, water, internet, etc., and update banks or subscriptions.
- Celebrate!: You’ve officially become a homeowner—take a moment to savor your new beginning.
What’s Next?
Need help navigating Florida’s homebuying process or ensuring each step goes smoothly? Reach out to Jim at jim.ahearn@gmail.com or visit Jim Sells the Suncoast. From negotiations to neighborhood insights, Jim’s here to keep it stress-free—and maybe even fun. Happy home hunting!
A Personal Note from Jim:
Hey there, I’m Jim Ahearn, your go-to real estate guide and host of Jim Sells The Suncoast podcast! 🎙️✨ Dreaming of Florida life? I’ve got you covered! As your dedicated buyer's agent, I’ll handle everything from walk-throughs to closing, making your home-buying journey as smooth as a Florida breeze.
Whether you're local or tuning in from afar, I’ll bring the Suncoast to you with virtual tours and expert advice. Let’s chat about your dream home and I'll connect you with all the right people to make it happen.
Ready to move to paradise? Drop me a line – I can’t wait to help! 🌴🏡
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jim (00:00):
Welcome back to Jim sells the Suncoast, the podcast, where
we take the stress out of homebuying at a sprinkle of humor
and keep things moving fasterthan a Florida's afternoon
thunderstorm.
I'm agent Jim, your real estateguru, podcaster, and unofficial
guide to survive in the wildworld of home buying.
Today we're tackling the bigquestion of my offer got
(00:22):
accepted.
Now what?
If you think it's time to popthe champagne and start
measuring for furniture, holdthat thought.
We've got some serious businessto take care of first.
So grab a pen, a coffee, amargarita.
I won't judge.
And let's break down yourFlorida home buyers post
acceptance checklist.
Step one inspections AKA theproperty checkup.
(00:43):
First things first, book a homeinspection.
A licensed inspector is going topoke around the place like a
detective looking for clues.
And trust me, you want them tofind everything before you move
in.
This means checking for roofissues, electrical problems,
plumbing leaks, basically allthe things you don't want to
discover after you've unpacked.
Think of a home inspection likea first date.
(01:04):
If there are too many red flags,you might want to reconsider
your choices.
Some extra inspections you mightneed.
Termite, mold, radon, or leadbased paint.
Florida loves humidity andhumidity loves mold.
So if the place smells like agym locker, get it checked out.
Depending on your funding, youmay need some of these as a
(01:27):
requirement from your lender.
So make sure that you'rechecking with your lender and
your realtor and making surethat you get everything ordered.
Review those inspectionfindings.
Your inspector will give you areport detailing everything they
found.
And now's the time to talk witha real estate agent about what's
a deal breaker and what's justcosmetic.
(01:47):
Some fixes are simple.
Others like a crumblingfoundation or a whole different
ballgame.
If repairs are needed, you haveoptions negotiate repairs with
the sellers, ask for credits, orwalk away.
If things look really bad,remember no home was perfect,
but you don't want to move intoa money pit.
Unless of course you enjoy rebottling nightmares, then by all
(02:07):
means go for it.
Step three, the appraisal.
What's it really worth?
Your lender is about to send anappraiser over to make sure the
home is actually worth whatyou're paying for it.
If the appraisal comes in at orabove the purchase price,
fantastic.
If the difference is low, you'vegot some decisions to make.
(02:27):
You have the right torenegotiate, cover the
difference, or even back out ifthe seller won't budge.
Florida's market can be tricky,so make sure you're working with
a savvy agent who knows how tohandle this.
Step four, secure that loan.
Time to finalize your mortgage.
Your lender might ask for morepaperwork, because why not?
(02:48):
They haven't asked for enoughtax returns, pay stubs, and DNA
samples yet, right?
Stay on top of your emails.
And don't make big financialmoves right now.
No buying a car, opening newcredit cards, or investing in a
pet flamingo.
Anything that changes yourfinancial status could mess up
your loan approval.
Step five, survey and titlework.
(03:09):
Time to dot those I's and crossthose T's.
You will need a survey toconfirm property boundaries
because you don't want to findout later that half your
backyard belongs to yourneighbor.
A title search to make surethere are no legal issues or
unpaid liens.
Title insurance to protectyourself in case any sneaky
claims pop up down the road.
(03:30):
Your title company handles allthis, but your job is to stay
informed.
If anything seems off, askquestions and it is okay to
reach out and say, Hey, have yougotten these yet?
Don't wait until the last day tofind out, Oh, we still need a
survey.
Step six, reviewing sellersdisclosures.
The seller is legally requiredto tell you about any known
(03:52):
issues with the home.
This is not the time forsurprises.
If the disclosure mentions pastflood damage, a history of
termites, or that the house wasonce haunted you need to know.
Compare disclosure with yourinspection report.
If anything doesn't add up,bring it up now.
Step seven, the finalwalkthrough.
We're almost there.
(04:13):
A day or two before closing, orright before closing, we do a
final walkthrough.
One, make sure the house is inthe condition you agreed on.
Two, double check that allnegotiated repairs were
completed.
And three, confirm appliancesand fixtures that were supposed
to stay are, in fact, stillthere.
Yeah, some sellers have beenknown to take the fridge, or
(04:35):
even ceiling fans, or evenblinds.
and take them with them.
If anything is up, speak upbefore signing that paperwork.
Step eight, closing day, thehome stretch.
You've made it.
Here's what's happening atclosing.
Bring a valid ID.
Have your funds ready to wire ordown payment, closing costs, et
(04:55):
cetera.
You'll have all that informationahead of time.
Review your closing documentscarefully.
This includes your loanarrangement deed and title
paperwork.
And this is where you officiallysign your life away.
Just kidding.
But really, once you sign thefinal papers, you're a homeowner
and the best part, you get thekeys.
Step nine, setting up your home.
(05:17):
You did it.
Now don't forget to transferutilities.
Electricity, water, gas,internet.
No, unless you prefer to liveoff the grid, of course, change
your address with the postoffice banks and other important
contacts, go out and meet theneighbors, or at least figure
out which ones we'll let youborrow a cup of sugar and
finally celebrate.
You survived the home buyingprocess.
(05:38):
And that really is no smallfeat.
So in closing, that's a wrap ontoday's episode of Jim sells the
Suncoast.
If you found this checklisthelpful, share it with a friend,
leave a review and subscribe formore real estate wisdom
delivered with just the rightamount of snark, and if you're
buying or selling a home inFlorida, give me a call, I'd
(05:59):
love to help you navigate theprocess and maybe even have a
little fun along the way untilnext time.
Happy home.
Welcome back to Jim sells the Suncoast, the podcast, where
we take the stress out of homebuying at a sprinkle of humor
and keep things moving fasterthan a Florida's afternoon
thunderstorm.
I'm agent Jim, your real estateguru, podcaster, and unofficial
guide to survive in the wildworld of home buying.
Today we're tackling the bigquestion of my offer got
(00:22):
accepted.
Now what?
If you think it's time to popthe champagne and start
measuring for furniture, holdthat thought.
We've got some serious businessto take care of first.
So grab a pen, a coffee, amargarita.
I won't judge.
And let's break down yourFlorida home buyers post
acceptance checklist.
Step one inspections AKA theproperty checkup.
(00:43):
First things first, book a homeinspection.
A licensed inspector is going topoke around the place like a
detective looking for clues.
And trust me, you want them tofind everything before you move
in.
This means checking for roofissues, electrical problems,
plumbing leaks, basically allthe things you don't want to
discover after you've unpacked.
Think of a home inspection likea first date.
(01:04):
If there are too many red flags,you might want to reconsider
your choices.
Some extra inspections you mightneed.
Termite, mold, radon, or leadbased paint.
Florida loves humidity andhumidity loves mold.
So if the place smells like agym locker, get it checked out.
Depending on your funding, youmay need some of these as a
(01:27):
requirement from your lender.
So make sure that you'rechecking with your lender and
your realtor and making surethat you get everything ordered.
Review those inspectionfindings.
Your inspector will give you areport detailing everything they
found.
And now's the time to talk witha real estate agent about what's
a deal breaker and what's justcosmetic.
(01:47):
Some fixes are simple.
Others like a crumblingfoundation or a whole different
ballgame.
If repairs are needed, you haveoptions negotiate repairs with
the sellers, ask for credits, orwalk away.
If things look really bad,remember no home was perfect,
but you don't want to move intoa money pit.
Unless of course you enjoy rebottling nightmares, then by all
(02:07):
means go for it.
Step three, the appraisal.
What's it really worth?
Your lender is about to send anappraiser over to make sure the
home is actually worth whatyou're paying for it.
If the appraisal comes in at orabove the purchase price,
fantastic.
If the difference is low, you'vegot some decisions to make.
(02:27):
You have the right torenegotiate, cover the
difference, or even back out ifthe seller won't budge.
Florida's market can be tricky,so make sure you're working with
a savvy agent who knows how tohandle this.
Step four, secure that loan.
Time to finalize your mortgage.
Your lender might ask for morepaperwork, because why not?
(02:48):
They haven't asked for enoughtax returns, pay stubs, and DNA
samples yet, right?
Stay on top of your emails.
And don't make big financialmoves right now.
No buying a car, opening newcredit cards, or investing in a
pet flamingo.
Anything that changes yourfinancial status could mess up
your loan approval.
Step five, survey and titlework.
(03:09):
Time to dot those I's and crossthose T's.
You will need a survey toconfirm property boundaries
because you don't want to findout later that half your
backyard belongs to yourneighbor.
A title search to make surethere are no legal issues or
unpaid liens.
Title insurance to protectyourself in case any sneaky
claims pop up down the road.
(03:30):
Your title company handles allthis, but your job is to stay
informed.
If anything seems off, askquestions and it is okay to
reach out and say, Hey, have yougotten these yet?
Don't wait until the last day tofind out, Oh, we still need a
survey.
Step six, reviewing sellersdisclosures.
The seller is legally requiredto tell you about any known
(03:52):
issues with the home.
This is not the time forsurprises.
If the disclosure mentions pastflood damage, a history of
termites, or that the house wasonce haunted you need to know.
Compare disclosure with yourinspection report.
If anything doesn't add up,bring it up now.
Step seven, the finalwalkthrough.
We're almost there.
(04:13):
A day or two before closing, orright before closing, we do a
final walkthrough.
One, make sure the house is inthe condition you agreed on.
Two, double check that allnegotiated repairs were
completed.
And three, confirm appliancesand fixtures that were supposed
to stay are, in fact, stillthere.
Yeah, some sellers have beenknown to take the fridge, or
(04:35):
even ceiling fans, or evenblinds.
and take them with them.
If anything is up, speak upbefore signing that paperwork.
Step eight, closing day, thehome stretch.
You've made it.
Here's what's happening atclosing.
Bring a valid ID.
Have your funds ready to wire ordown payment, closing costs, et
(04:55):
cetera.
You'll have all that informationahead of time.
Review your closing documentscarefully.
This includes your loanarrangement deed and title
paperwork.
And this is where you officiallysign your life away.
Just kidding.
But really, once you sign thefinal papers, you're a homeowner
and the best part, you get thekeys.
Step nine, setting up your home.
(05:17):
You did it.
Now don't forget to transferutilities.
Electricity, water, gas,internet.
No, unless you prefer to liveoff the grid, of course, change
your address with the postoffice banks and other important
contacts, go out and meet theneighbors, or at least figure
out which ones we'll let youborrow a cup of sugar and
finally celebrate.
You survived the home buyingprocess.
(05:38):
And that really is no smallfeat.
So in closing, that's a wrap ontoday's episode of Jim sells the
Suncoast.
If you found this checklisthelpful, share it with a friend,
leave a review and subscribe formore real estate wisdom
delivered with just the rightamount of snark, and if you're
buying or selling a home inFlorida, give me a call, I'd
(05:59):
love to help you navigate theprocess and maybe even have a
little fun along the way untilnext time.
Happy home.
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