First-Time Buyer Checklist | Jesse Oñate Realtor

1

PHASE ONE

Get Your Money Right

Pull your credit report from all 3 bureaus

Free at annualcreditreport.com — make sure there are no errors before applying for a loan.

Check your credit score

Aim for 620+ for FHA, 740+ for the best conventional rates.

Pay down credit card debt below 30% utilization

This alone can boost your score 20-40 points in a month.

Save your down payment + 3-5% for closing costs

On a $650K home, that's $22-152K total saved up.

Don't open new credit cards or take new loans

Even a Best Buy financing offer can hurt your mortgage approval.

Talk to Jesse about your loan options

FHA, VA, conventional, jumbo — different loans for different situations. We figure out which is right for you.

Get pre-approved (not just pre-qualified) by a real lender

Pre-approval is a hard credit pull and a real document. Pre-qualification is just an estimate.

2

PHASE TWO

Find Your Home

Define your must-haves vs nice-to-haves

Bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, garage, yard. Be honest about what's a must vs a wish.

Pick your target neighborhoods

Within a 25-min commute? Near schools? Walking distance to coffee? List 3-5 areas.

Set up MLS alerts (I do this for you for free)

You'll get new listings within minutes of them going live.

Tour at least 5-10 homes in person

Photos lie. Walk the floors, check the storage, stand in the backyard.

Drive the neighborhood at different times of day

Weekday morning, Friday night, Sunday afternoon. Get a real feel.

Check the local school ratings

Even if you don't have kids, it affects resale value. Use greatschools.org.

Check the commute on Google Maps at rush hour

Your dream home is a nightmare if it doubles your daily drive.

3

PHASE THREE

Make the Offer

Run comps with Jesse before offering

We pull recent sales of similar homes — your offer should be data-backed, not guesswork.

Calculate your max walk-away price

The number you'd never pay above. Decide BEFORE you fall in love.

Know your contingencies (inspection, appraisal, loan)

Standard in CA: 17 days inspection/appraisal, 21 days loan. These are your safety nets.

Decide on your offer strategy

Lowball? At list? Above asking? Cash-equivalent? Each market is different.

Submit a clean, professional offer letter

Include pre-approval, earnest money, contingencies, and a personal note if it's competitive.

Be ready to negotiate or counter quickly

In a hot market, every hour matters. Have your phone on you.

Don't get emotionally attached before contracts are signed

10% of deals fall through. Stay calm until you have a signed contract in hand.

4

PHASE FOUR

Close the Deal

Schedule the home inspection within 17 days

Hire an independent inspector. Don't use the seller's recommendation. $400-600 and worth every penny.

Negotiate any repairs or credits from inspection

Big issues = ask for repairs or a credit. Small stuff = let it go.

Lock in your interest rate at the right time

Too early = miss a drop. Too late = miss the lock window. Talk to Jesse about timing.

Get the appraisal back from your lender

If it appraises low, we negotiate. If it appraises high, you have instant equity.

Final walkthrough 24 hours before closing

Make sure the home is in the same condition. Make sure the seller's stuff is OUT.

Wire your down payment + closing costs (verify wire instructions twice)

Wire fraud is real. Always call the title company to verify the wire info.

Sign your closing docs and get your keys 🎉

You did it. Welcome home. Tag Jesse on Instagram so he can celebrate with you.

The First-Time Buyer
Checklist.

Get Your Money Right

Find Your Home

Make the Offer

Close the Deal

I'd love to hear
what you're looking for.

The First-Time BuyerChecklist.

Get Your Money Right

Find Your Home

Make the Offer

Close the Deal

I'd love to hearwhat you're looking for.

The First-Time Buyer
Checklist.

I'd love to hear
what you're looking for.