Signature Buyers Guide

Buy With Confidence

YOUR GUIDE TO BUYING WITH A SIGNATURE AGENT

PROPERTIES MAKES HOME BUYING

Simple, Effortless & Certain

Buying a home is a big decision. The process can be both exciting and overwhelming. Whether you are buying your first home, downsizing, moving up or buying an investment property, working with a Signature agent will ensure the process is stress-free.

This guide provides a basic overview of what to expect when buying a home and how your Signature agent can help so that you feel more confident in your real estate journey.

Reasons to Buy

1. Appreciation Value

Appreciation is an increase in the value of your home over time. This isn’t something that you can invest in through renting.

2. Tax Deductions

When owning a home, you may deduct mortgage payments and property taxes when filing tax returns.

3. No Rent Increases

4. Forced Savings

Investing in a home allows your home’s equity to increase over time, whereas paying rent goes directly to your landlord.

5. Fully Customizable

From kitchen cabinets to bathroom tile, when you buy a home, you can completely customize everything to your liking.

As a homeowner, you won’t be subject to any increases in monthly payments with a fixed-rate mortgage.

Reasons to Hire a Professional

INSTEAD OF RENT TO ACHIEVE YOUR REAL ESTATE GOALS

1. Paperwork

We help with all disclosures and paperwork necessary in today’s heavily regulated environment.

2. Experience

We are well educated in and experienced with the entire sales process.

3. Negotiations

We act as a “buffer” in negotiation with all parties throughout the entire transaction.

4. Pricing

We help you understand today’s real estate values when setting the price on a listing or on an offer to purchase.

5. Knowledge of Current Market

We simply and effectively explain today’s real estate headlines and decipher what they mean to you.

NUMBER 2 REAL ESTATE COMPANY FOR CLOSED SALES IN NYS*

$3.6 BILLION IN CLOSED SALES VOLUME

46 AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET FOR CLOSED LISTINGS

1,625+ AGENTS ACROSS LONG ISLAND

5,669 NUMBER OF CLOSED SALES

The Signature Story

Our family of professionals is committed to success – and proves it every day by providing home buyers and sellers with the highest level of personalized service and support. It’s a positive approach that moves us forward. Today, we are the fastest-growing real estate company on Long Island.

Real Estate The Way You Want It To Be

Owners Peter Morris and Kathy Viard share a visionary strategy focused on clients, community and carefully targeted expansion that has propelled us into Long Island’s fastest-growing real estate firm.

Peter and Kathy’s involved leadership is at the heart of Signature Premier Properties’ success. They’re committed to providing their agents with the guidance, tools and support to meet your needs.

They understand that for most of us, buying or selling a home is a big deal. They know that there is a real hunger for a locally owned, nonfranchised, independent real estate model. Our company is built on delivering knowledgeable, personalized guidance and professional advice throughout each stage of every real estate transaction. By fulfilling this promise, our firm has grown, and each community we move into consistently rewards us with command of its local market share.

IT’S PERSONAL

Our agents are the foundation of our firm. Our Signature team is a family of like-minded professionals — always growing while supporting each other and our clients’ success. Each Signature Premier Properties agent has demonstrated affection for and knowledge of their community, and a clear talent and enthusiasm for buying and selling real estate. For them, helping others find that special place to call home is a deep personal calling.

By working in a non-competitive environment — free of the red tape that defines large franchises, our team is able to offer individual personalized service. They are equally comfortable working with ever-evolving social media platforms and traditional marketing strategies. Their goal is always the same — help you meet your needs and objectives.

Yesterday — and Today

The Signature Story began in a little house in Huntington Village in 2007. Our team of homegrown professionals live where you live; we’re your neighbors. Our devoted attention to you and your needs has allowed us to continue to expand into communities where we live, work and play.

Today, you’ll find our offices not only in Huntington, but all over Nassau and Suffolk counties. Our signposts are proudly displayed across Long Island, and we love it when you tell us, “I see your signs everywhere.”

Signature Story is Your Story.

The

The Home Buying Process

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS FROM START TO FINISH

Pre-Approval

A pre-approval is necessary to know how much you can afford before you begin your home search. This way you will only look at homes in your specific price range.

What is a Pre-Approval?

A mortgage pre-approval occurs when a lender agrees to lend you a specific amount of money before you have found a home. To apply for a mortgage, you will first fill out an application. A complete review of your credit history is performed, and the information you have provided is validated. Based on this information, the loan can be preapproved.

How Do I Get a Pre-Approval?

Fill out a residential mortgage application with a target loan amount and sales price with your lender. These amounts may change as you continue to search for a property, but it is important to establish a starting point. Regardless of the type of mortgage you choose, your income and down payment sources will need to be verified. This entire process typically takes 7-14 days.

What Documents Do I Need?

• Your W2 from the past two years

• Your pay stubs for the past three months

• Your tax returns from the past two years

• Your checking or savings bank statements for the past three months (this will likely show your down payment funds in them as well)

• Your statements for all your other assets (stocks, bonds, retirement accounts) for the last two months

• The name & number of your landlord or your current mortgage documents

• Your divorce decree, if applicable

• If you are self-employed: Business tax returns for the past two years with your year-to-date profit and loss statement, and year-to-date balance sheet

• Credit Report and Credit Score (the lender can run this for you)

Getting a pre-approval will help you make a confident offer.

CLIENT INFO

Name

Current Address

HOME WISH LIST

Phone #

Email

PROPERTY CRITERIA

Preferred Town

Min Price Max Price

Min Beds Min Baths

Type of Home School District

HOME FEATURES

Adult Community

Cul-de-sac

Garage

In-ground Pool

MUST HAVE LIST

Basement

Docking Rights

Handicapped Access

Waterfront

Beach Rights

Eat-In Kitchen

New Construction

Waterview

Central Air

Fireplace

Pets

ADDITIONAL NOTES