Scroll horizontally to see more

Legend for the 118 Steps

Key Phases in the Home Buying Process

<aside>

Search & Preparation Phase

Group Color: Green

</aside>

<aside>

💼 Pr (Pre-approval) Getting pre-approved for a mortgage.

🏠 Ho (Home search) Searching for homes.

👥 Ag (Agent) Hiring a real estate agent.

🔍 In (Inspection) Conducting a home inspection.

📝 Of (Offer) Submitting an offer on the home.

💰 Ap (Appraisal) Getting the home appraised.

📄 Ld (Loan Disclosure) Reviewing loan terms.

✅ Ln (Loan Approval) Getting final loan approval.

👀 Fi (Final Walkthrough) Walking through the property before closing.

🛡️ Pp (Property Insurance) Securing homeowners insurance.

⚖️ Li (Lien Check) Verifying no liens exist on the property.

🏘️ Cm (Community Fees) Handling any HOA or community fees.

🏙️ Ci (City Registration) Registering the property with the local city.

💸 Dw (Down Payment) Paying the down payment.

📊 Cr (Credit Check) Credit check before final loan approval.

🏡 Ho2 (Home Insurance) Securing home insurance.

✍️ Cl (Closing) Signing the closing paperwork and finalizing the deal.

🏦 Mt (Mortgage) Securing mortgage terms.

</aside>

<aside>

Financial & Contractual Steps

Group Color: Blue

</aside>

<aside>

💲 De (Deposit) Making an earnest money deposit.

📜 Ti (Title) Verifying title is clear.

🔐 Ex (Escrow) Managing escrow accounts.

🔄 Ow (Ownership Transfer) Legal transfer of ownership.

🔒 Rr (Rate Lock) Locking in the mortgage rate.

🔢 Ck (Credit Check) Checking credit score.

🔑 Po (Possession) Taking possession after closing.

📦 Mo (Move-in) Planning and executing the move.

🚚 Mi (Move-In Process) Moving into the home.

</aside>

<aside>

Move-in & Post-Purchase Tasks

Group Color: Pink

</aside>

<aside>

🔨 Wk (Work on Property) Making any necessary repairs or renovations.

🔌 Sp (Service Providers) Setting up utilities and services.

💵 Mc (Maintenance Costs) Ongoing maintenance of the property.

💰 Ct (Closing Taxes) Paying closing taxes.

📊 Pa (Property Assessment) Verifying any property taxes.

🔧 Tr (Transfer Utilities) Transferring utilities into your name.

🏷️ Ev (Eviction Check) Ensuring there are no eviction records.

🤝 Re (Realtor Finalization) Completing the real estate agent process.

📈 Va (Valuation Check) Verifying property valuation.

</aside>

<aside>

Ongoing Ownership Responsibilities

Group Color: Brown

</aside>

<aside>

✉️ Ad (Address Change) Updating your address with relevant services.

📃 Ds (Disclosures) Reviewing seller disclosures.

🚫 Ev (Eviction Waiver) Handling any eviction waiver issues.

📏 Su (Survey) Conducting a property boundary survey.

🎁 Gi (Gifted Funds) Handling gifted funds for the down payment.

🏛️ Gp (Government Fees) Paying any government fees.

🔧 Ro (Renovation Options) Exploring renovation or upgrade options.

💳 Mp (Mortgage Payments) Making mortgage payments.

🔒 Wa (Warranty) Purchasing a home warranty for added protection.

✅ Tv (Title Verification) Verifying title ownership.

🚫 Iw (Inspection Waiver) Waiving inspection (if applicable).

⚠️ No (Notice of Default) Managing default penalties.

📊 Fp (Financial Planning) Post-purchase financial management.

🔐 Ec (Escrow Close) Finalizing escrow.

🔍 Dr (Due Diligence) Continuing research on the property.

</aside>

<aside>

Post-Move-in Legal & Ownership Tasks

Group Color: Orange

</aside>

<aside>

📁 Le (Legal Documents) Storing important legal documents.

📄 Sl (Seller Agreement) Reviewing the seller’s final agreement.

🏗️ Hr (Home Renovation) Planning home renovations.

💰 Fl (Final Tax Review) Reviewing tax liabilities after the purchase.

🏫 Sc (School District Check) Checking local school quality.

📑 Fs (Final Sale Documents) Keeping the sale documents.

🏁 Fi (Final Move-in) Completing all final move-in steps.

🐜 Pl (Pest Control) Arranging for pest control services.

💡 Ut (Utility Setup) Setting up all utilities.

🏢 Pm (Property Management) Arranging property management (if renting).

📍 Zt (Zoning Check) Verifying zoning regulations.

🔐 Sm (Security Measures) Installing security systems.

🧹 Ch (Cleaning Service) Arranging cleaning services before move-in.

🐛 Pe (Pest Inspection) Ongoing pest inspection.

💰 Te (Tax Payments) Paying property taxes.

📋 Cd (Code Compliance) Ensuring the property complies with local codes.

🔨 Ad (Additions/Upgrades) Planning home improvements.

🏚️ Vc (Vacancy Considerations) Managing vacant property.

🏗️ Ft (Foundation Check) Inspecting foundation.

🚽 St (Septic Maintenance) Maintaining septic systems.

</aside>