Tips for Buying a Home in Hawaii

Choosing the Right Real Estate Agent

Of all the decisions you'll face when buying a home, there's none more important than the person you choose to represent you.

Our job at Captain Cook Real Estate is to support you in finding the right home with the best possible terms, and to aid you through the entire process. Your Real Estate Agent will explain the process of buying a home, and familiarize you with the various activities, documents and procedures that you will experience throughout the transaction.

Tips For Selecting a Real Estate Agent

Your Real Estate Agent should be:
  • Knowledgeable about the communities of interest to you.
  • Aware of the complicated local and state requirements affecting your transaction.
  • Effective in multi-party, face-to-face negotiations.
  • Highly-trained, with access to programs for continued learning and additional certifications.
  • Technology-focused.
  • Supported by professional legal counsel.

Financing

Most real estate professionals and mortgage lenders recommend pre-qualifying for a loan before selecting a home to purchase. This process will help you:
  • Determine the price range you can afford.
  • Understand the types of loans you qualify for.
  • Determine what your monthly payment will be.
  • Estimate the down payment and closing costs.

The Loan Process

Your Real Estate Agent can help you to select a mortgage lender. Once you have made your decision, these are the steps of the process:

Application - All pertinent documentation is obtained. Fees and down payments are discussed, and the borrower will receive a Good Faith Estimate (GFE) and a Truth-in-lending statement (TIL), itemizing the rates and associated costs for the loan.

You will be asked to provide certain documents to your lender in order that your loan can be processed in a timely manner.

Loan Submission - Once all the necessary documentation is in, your completed file is submitted to a lender for approval.

Loan Approval (Underwriting) - Loan approval, or underwriting, generally takes 24 to 72 hours. All parties are notified of the approval and any loan conditions that must be received before the loan can close.

Closing - Once all parties have signed the loan documents, they are returned to the lender. If all the forms have been properly executed, the lender sends the loan funds by wire transfer. At this point, the borrower finishes the loan process and actually buys the house.

Finding and Choosing the Right Home

Based on criteria that you and your Real Estate Agent establish together, your Associate will help you find the perfect home. There are many factors to consider in selecting a property, including location, bedroom and bath count, schools and amenities.

Your Real Estate Agent will apply their extensive community knowledge and professional resources to research available properties, and show you the homes that best meet your needs. If you find a property that interests you through the Internet or your own research, let your Sales Associate know so that a showing can be arranged.

As you view different properties, your criteria may change. Open and direct communication with your Sales Associate is a key element of a successful property search.

You can Always Search for Properties on our Website 24/7