Buyer's Guide WITH JANET LEAP
Finding Your Home. It's My Priority! Thank you for contacting me. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work together. In today’s market it’s essential to work with a seasoned Real Estate professional who knows the local housing market. As a Boulder resident for 25 years, I know this community. As a Realtor for over 20 years, I bring market insights, a vast network, and skills honed through the years to support my clients in accomplishing their Real Estate goals. I am proud to be consistently ranked in the Top 1% of Real Estate Agents in Boulder County and to work with RE/MAX of Boulder, the nation's #1 RE/MAX office, Of course I don’t work alone and my entire team of professionals are excited to put our expertise to work for you! Whether you are a seasoned investor or first time home buyer, or anywhere in between, I will be with you throughout the entire home buying process, ensuring you are heard and you achieve your Real Estate goals. My team works collaboratively to ensure you know what to expect when you are buying a home. Thank you for trusting me and my team with this important milestone. I look forward to working together!
MEET MY TEAM Janet Leap, GRI, CRS Real Estate Broker RE/MAX of Boulder
Lisa Kaplan Transaction Coordinator
Amanda Wember Operations + Marketing Director
Stephanie Wickstrom Office Manager Todd Ulrich Owner, PG Rentals
Amanda Sessa VP/Senior Loan Office SWBC Mortgage
AS YOUR REALTOR I'm here for you!
Hiring the right Real Estate Agent is a vital part of the home buying journey. As your Buyer's Agent this is how I support you in the home purchasing process: Work & negotiate for YOU, not the seller's best interests Have access to available properties not syndicated to sites like Zillow and Trulia, including the RE/MAX of Boulder VAULT where I find pre-MLS listings from over 115 agents Schedule properties tours on days and times that work for you Navigate legal contracts to ensure you are being taken care of, not taken advantage of, when purchasing a home Aware of ever-changing local and federal laws that are pertinent to home buying Help you negotiate the best price and terms, so you aren't overpaying for a home As your Buyer's Agents I don't collect commission from you - that is already negotiated with the seller's agent and seller. There are no out-of-pocket costs to working together.
Your Realtor For Life! I will be here for you after you purchase your home, for any needs you have down the road. If you need a contractor - call me! If you are considering a new home - call me! You want to invest in Real Estate - call me! My current clients don't hesitate to call me and I hope you won't either!
See What CLIENTS ARE SAYING Janet helped us buy our first home (December 2020) and was great to work with! She was very knowledgeable about all of the areas we were looking into and was patient with us when we weren't completely sure what we were looking for. Throughout the whole process, from house hunting to closing, it really felt like Janet had our back and was doing everything she could in our best interest. We love our home and I honestly believe we would not have gotten it without her! I definitely recommend her to anyone hoping to buy or sell a home! T. Bister | Buyer Janet is amazing at her job! We have worked with Janet on several real estate transactions over the years and she ALWAYS comes through for us with her expertise, knowledge of the real estate market and helping us sort through all the decisions needed for a successful home purchase or sale. V. Benson | Buyer & Seller Janet was exceptional during a challenging 2020 early Covid home search...She was extremely competent at each stage and we discussed a variety of strategies as we successfully moved through the process...She checks in frequently and helped me through what could have been a disaster with the aggressive Louisville fire in the end of 2021. I have recommended her and hope to work with her again. P. Dinsmore | Buyer When you put together years of experience in the Boulder market, the willingness to speak truth, an adoption of the latest technology, and an insane work ethic, you get a realtor like Janet...We would most definitely recommend her to all of our friends and have and I'm confident they'd say the same things. R. Rogers | Buyer
The Path to #FINDINGHOME 01
02
Meet & Identify Home Criteria
Get Loan Pre-Approval
03
04
Tour Homes
Make An Offer
05
06
Negotiations & Due Diligence
Closing
Welcome Home!
BUYING YOUR HOME Let's do this! My team is with you at every step along the way to #findinghome. We provide complete transaction management.
01. Meet with Janet to discuss your wish list for your new home. The DISCUSS YOUR PERFECT HOME CRITERIA
team will start your search & send you plenty of options!
PRE-APPROVAL 02. LENDER Get Lender Pre-Approval [Janet can suggest lender options] MARKET & TOUR HOMES 03. SEARCH Search the Market for Real Estate Availability Search the RE/MAX of Boulder Vault for Off-Market Homes
AN OFFER 04. MAKE Look at comparable homes and discuss the market to determine the offer price and additional details.
& DUE DILLIGENCE 05. NEGOTIATIONS Our team provides complete transaction management Home Inspection Appraisal Ordered by Lender Post Inspection Negotiations Final Commitment Letter by Lender
06. CLOSING We make sure you have everything ready to sit at the closing table.
FINDING THE RIGHT MORTGAGE Before you officially begin your home seach, we always recommend speaking with a lender about getting pre-approved. A lender is a great resource for answering financial quesitons and providing a clear understanding of the loan range you are likely to be approved for. This is an essential step so you can set a price range for your home search!
Pre-approval increases the chances that a seller will accept your offer, since it shows you are serious about buying. These are some documents you may need to provide for your pre-approval:
Tax Returns W2 Forms Pay Stubs Bank Statements Monthly Debt
Question to ask when interviewing potential lenders:
What is the best type of loan for me? Do I qualify for any special discounts or loan programs? What interest rate can you offer? When can you lock in my rate? What fees can I expect? What are my estimaged closing costs?
Looking for a Lender? Janet can provide suggestions of local lenders you can contact to discuss your loan options. It's usually good to speak to a few different lenders.
COSTS TO CONSIDER I want you to be prepared!
What Sellers & Buyers Pay SELLERS PAY* Payoff of any liens agains property Recording fees to clear all documents of record against seller Tax proration for any unpaid taxes at time of trasfer of title Any unpaid homeowner association dues Owner's title insurance premiums Half of document preparation fees Realtor commissions Seller's portion of title insurance
BUYERS PAY* Lender's title policy premium Recording charges for all documents in buyer's name All expenses related to the home loan product Hazard insurance premium for the first year
Home inspection Escrow for taxes and insurance
OTHER COSTS TO CONSIDER Earnest Money | This is the deposit made to the seller representing a buyer's good faith. Down Payment | Your minimum down payment depends on the type of mortgage. Closing Costs | These are fees and expenses you pay when you close on your home.
*The fees stated above are usual, but not absolute. Additional costs may arise as each property is individual and unique.
RE/MAX NOBODY IN THE WORLD CLOSES MORE REAL ESTATE THAN RE/MAX With a presence in over 100 countries and territories, the RE/MAX network’s global footprint is unmatched by any other real estate brand. RE/MAX has helped millions of families buy or sell a home. RE/MAX is the most recognized real estate name on the planet. From Switzerland to St. Croix and New York to New Zealand, distinguished customers associate RE/MAX with the best agents in the business. RE/MAX is also the most advertised brand in real estate.
RE/MAX STANDS OUT ABOVE THE REST. THE NUMBERS TELL THE STORY.
50 Leading real estate company for nearly 50 years
110 Operating in over 110 countries and territories
63,121 Real estate agents in the U.S. alone
RE/MAX of BOULDER I am proud to be a Realtor with the award winning RE/MAX of Boulder team! With 45 years serving the Boulder Valley, RE/MAX of Boulder has earned its place as Boulder Valley’s leading Real Estate company. The company has over 100 award-winning Realtors averaging over 15 years of experience. As trusted local experts who live, work, and raise their families in our community, these Realtors have made RE/MAX of Boulder the 2022 Outstanding RE/MAX Brokerage of the Year and the No. 1 RE/MAX office in the U.S. eight times. RE/MAX of Boulder has been voted Best Real Estate Group in the Boulder Weekly’s Best of Boulder County and in Colorado Daily’s CU & Boulder’s Best. It has also been named a Top 10 Best Residential Real Estate Brokerage by Denver Business Journal.
THE DIFFERENCE IS DRAMATIC
THE RE/MAX The Vault is RE/MAX of Boulder’s exclusive online searchable VAULT database of homes that are not yet on the market. For buyers, this means additional opportunities to find a home before it hits the market. 1 in 4 homes are sold in-house at RE/MAX of Boulder.
JANET’S ACHIEVEMENTS Lifetime Achievements Janet is proud to have lived in Boulder County since 1998 and held her Real Estate license since 2004. She loves living where she works and is very involved in her community. Top 1% Boulder County Realtors | since 2015 Graduate Realtor Institute [GRI] | since 2008 Council Residential Specialists [CRS] | since 2010 Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist™ [CLHMS] | since 2023 Inducted into RE/MAX Hall of Fame | 2011 RE/MAX Platinum Club | since 2011 RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement Award | 2017 RE/MAX Chairman’s Club | since 2016 95% Repeat and Referral business
2023 Achievements $50 Million
40 Sales
Top 1%
#2
Total 2023 Sales
Total 2023 Homes Sold
Top 1% of Boulder County Realtors
#2 Top Producer of 107 agents at RE/MAX of Boulder
Janet's Circle of Gratitude Giving back to the local community - and the world at large - brings it full circle. Janet is deeply involved in the community through volunteering and donating to support a full spectrum of non-profits. A donation to one of these extraordinary non-profits is made with each real estate transaction.
A PRECIOUS CHILD supporter since 2015 DAIRY ARTS CENTER supporter since 2018 CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL COLORADO supporter since 2016 SANDY HOOK PROMISE supporter since 2017 SAVE THE CHILDREN supporter since 1999 MERCY CORPS supporter since 2011
CU CONFERENCE ON WORLD AFFAIRS supporter since 2016 "I HAVE A DREAM" FOUNDATION supporter since 2015 YMCA OF NORTHERN COLORADO supporter since 2010 ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH CENTER supporter since 1999 HEIFER INTERNATIONAL supporter since 2012
Real Estate
DEFINITIONS Appraisal | Appraiser conducts an appraisal of the value of the home. This takes 1520 mins. Closing | The final step in financing a home that involves signing all documents at the title company Closing Costs | The amount paid to close a home loan, including taxes, transfer and any other third party fees Due Dilligence Documents | Seller provides Buyer any/all documents pertaining to the home Earnest Money | Buyer provides personal check or wire to be held in escrow at the title company Inspection | Buyers hire an Inspector to provide detailed information on the systems in the home Inspection Credits | The amount a Buyer asks a Seller to pay or credit back to them at closing to fix any issues that come up during inspection Loan Application | Buyer to have loan application completed & returned to lender Loan Approval | Formal authorization for the buyer to get the loan from the lender Possession | Upon completion of closing this is the date Buyer can take possession of the property Property Taxes | Annual amount paid by a land owner to the local government or the municipal corporation. Real Estate Closing Fees | These are fees charged by the title company to complete the closing [roughly $150 per side] Success Fees | These are the fees paid to the Listing and Buying Realtor Record Title Deadline | All parties receive Title Commitment from Title Company for review Seller's Property Disclosure | Seller disclosure of items and conditions that they know about their home Title Insurance | Title insurance is a form of indemnity insurance that protects the holder from financial loss sustained from defects in a title to a property
Download My Mobile Home Search App My home search app is the most accurate available! It's free and easy to use.
Scan the QR code below to download Your Perfect Home!
or go to app.boulderco.com/janetleap
YOUR DREAM HOME I'm listening! Write everything you dream about your future home having. We'll use this as a reference point during our discussions and house tours! Location // # Bedrooms //
# Bathrooms //
Square Feet //
Garage/Storage //
Price Range // School District // When Do You Want To Purchase By // The most important home features:
Now for the fun part! Based on our meeting and your criteria, I will set you up on an automated listings search. You can reach out to me when you see a home you are interested in. I will reach out to you with off-market opportunities or when I hear of something coming up from my network.
Your Home. My Priority.
The Janet Leap Team is ready to help you reach your Real Estate goals!
Let’s get started! Janet Leap, GRI,CRS 720.938.4197 [call/text] janetleap@boulderco.com www.janetleap.com
janetleaprealestate
janetleapproperties
janetleap