Home Buyer's Checklist

Pull Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion via annualcreditreport.com or the lender's soft-pull tool. Mid-score drives pricing on conventional, FHA, and VA loans. Dispute collections, mis-reported lates, and zombie accounts now — disputes can take 30-45 days and a contested tradeline mid-underwriting will stall the loan.

Work back from a comfortable PITI plus HOA, not just the lender's max DTI. Cash-to-close = down payment + estimated closing costs (2-5% of price) + reserves. If funds include a gift, flag the gift letter and seasoning requirements now — donor statements and 60-day bank trails surprise buyers at underwriting.

Pre-approval is conditional underwriter review of income, assets, and credit — distinct from a pre-qualification letter. Track pre-approval, conditional commitment, and clear-to-close as separate milestones; sellers' agents will scrutinize the letter language. Confirm the LE will arrive within 3 business days of formal application per TRID.

Separate non-negotiables (bedroom count, school zone, accessibility, garage) from preferences (finishes, yard size). Avoid framing neighborhoods as "good" or "bad" — discuss factual data (school ratings, commute time, walk score) on request only to stay clear of steering under the Fair Housing Act.

Configure the buyer's portal in your MLS (Bright, Stellar, etc.) with price, beds, baths, zip, and status filters. Saved searches push new and back-on-market listings within hours — much faster than Zillow's syndication delay. Confirm the buyer prefers email vs. portal-only notifications.

Block tour routes in geographic clusters to respect listing-agent showing windows. Capture buyer reactions in your CRM after each property — pace, traffic noise, layout objections — so you can refine the search rather than re-touring similar inventory.

Use Cloud CMA or RPR with closed sales from the last 90 days within a half-mile, adjusted for square footage, condition, and lot. In a fast-moving market, weight pendings and active competition heavily — six-month-old comps mislead. Note days-on-market and list-to-sale ratio to frame the offer strategy.

Post-NAR settlement, buyer-agent compensation is no longer published in MLS. Request the listing brokerage's written compensation offer before drafting; if it falls short of the buyer agreement, negotiate seller concessions in the offer to close the gap. Get this in writing — verbal commitments are unenforceable at closing.

Standard contingencies: inspection, financing, appraisal, title, and (where applicable) sale of buyer's home. Set realistic deadlines — a 7-day inspection period is tight in most markets; 10-14 is safer. For pre-1978 homes, attach the lead-based paint disclosure and 10-day inspection rider per EPA rules.

Package: state purchase contract, pre-approval letter, proof of funds for down payment and EMD, agency disclosures, and any addenda (escalation, lead-based paint, HOA). Send to the listing agent with a clear offer summary email — terms beyond price (close date, possession, seller concessions) often win multiple-offer situations.

Most state license laws require deposit to broker trust or escrow within 3 business days of contract execution — late deposit is a license violation. Verify wire instructions verbally with a known phone number; never trust emailed PDFs. Train the buyer on wire-fraud risk before they initiate the transfer.

Book within the first half of the inspection period to leave room for specialty inspections (sewer scope, radon, mold, WDO/termite, pool). Confirm inspector carries E&O and is licensed where required by state. Encourage buyer attendance for the walk-and-talk at the end.

Calendar the contractual objection deadline with a 48-hour buffer reminder. Submit on day 11 of a 10-day period and the buyer waives the right entirely — seller can refuse all repairs or credits. Prioritize health, safety, and major systems over cosmetic items.

Lender orders the appraisal through an AMC. If the appraisal lands below contract price, decide quickly: appraisal-gap funds from the buyer, seller price reduction, renegotiation, or termination under the appraisal contingency. The contingency expiration is a hard date — don't let it lapse without an extension.

TRID requires the CD at least 3 business days before consummation. Compare line-by-line against the most recent Loan Estimate; tolerance violations on lender-controlled fees may require a corrected CD and reset the 3-day clock. Catch transposed names, wrong loan amount, missing seller credits now, not at the table.

Wire fraud is the single largest financial risk to a residential buyer — the FBI's IC3 logs billions in real estate wire losses annually. Buyer calls the title company at a number from the original engagement (not from any email) and reads back the routing and account numbers before sending funds.

Walk within 24 hours of closing. Verify negotiated repairs were completed (with receipts), included personal property remains, all systems function (HVAC, water heater, appliances), and the property is in broom-clean condition. Document discrepancies with photos and address before signing — leverage drops to zero after funding.