Buying or selling a house can be a stressful process. It does not matter if you are a seasoned real estate veteran or a first time home buyer. The process of buying a home can feel overwhelming. You also need to be aware of how to protect yourself from shady sellers that are just out there to get a quick dollar. If you aren’t careful when buying a home, you may end up with massive repair bills or even a lawsuit from other people that had an undisclosed interest in the property.

So how does the home buying process work in Virginia and what should you do to protect yourself?

Working with a real estate agent. One of the best ways to protect yourself when buying a home is to find a reputable, licensed real estate agent and to avoid for sale by owner situations. A licensed real estate agent has been authorized by the Commonwealth of Virginia to help walk you through the homebuying process. They can offer advice about how to make an offer on a property, how to protect yourself with contingencies in your agreement, and how to get through the financing process.

When trying to find a licensed real estate agent, it may be tempting to ask for recommendations from friends or family members. While this is a good idea to get an initial list, you should also check on what agency the real estate agent works for and confirm there are no issues with their licensure. You can look up a real estate agent and their license status by going to the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation’s website here. You also want to look at your regional association of realtors to see if the real estate agent works with them. A good resource to check on a real estate agent is found here.

Get financed and have your down payment ready. Given interest rates and inflation, it is getting increasingly difficult to be a cash buyer. If you are looking for a home, you are likely going to need financing. It is important that you get financing before you start looking at houses. The housing market moves quickly due to lack of inventory and you do not want to lose out on a house because you did not have your financing ready. You should reach out to a reputable, local bank to discuss lending options. Your real estate agent can also point you in the right direction if you qualify for a VA loan as a military member. Either way, make sure you get your financing ready before looking at houses.

How to find the perfect house. If you chose a good real estate agent then they will likely provide you with access to a resource known as the multiple listing service (MLS). Listings that are found through the MLS are typically listed through a brokerage firm or real estate agent that is representing the seller’s side of things. It is a good resource because it avoids houses that are for sale by owner, which is something you want to avoid at all costs unless you are a real estate veteran. Those kinds of sales can have potential hidden problems. After you have selected a few listings through the MLS, your real estate agent will schedule you a viewing of the property.

What should you look out at the viewing? The next step in the process is the fun part, looking at houses. You can start to narrow down the types of houses that you are interested in by location, amenities and style. Your real estate agent will be invaluable for providing ideas about how best to utilize the space. The initial viewing should be focused on getting a feel for if you are interested in the house.

How do I make sure the house I want is safe? After you have viewed several houses and narrow the houses down to one or two that you are interested in you may start to consider putting in an offer. This can be the scariest time, as if your offer is accepted then you will be heading into closing and moving into your new home. That new home may come with problems that you want to avoid such as radon gas, hidden repairs, or potential lawsuits. Your real estate agent can prepare an offer on the house with contingencies that allow you to make sure that the house is safe and you can back out of the purchase if something comes up. That stage in the process is known as “due diligence.”

During the due diligence period there are a few things you will want to look at and your real estate agent can help you with. You will want to look at;

1) Getting a home inspector into the house. A good home inspector can give you a general idea as to the last time the roof was replaced, if there are any obvious structural issues with the house, whether there are any signs of water or pest intrusion, or if there are any major electrical problems. If you chose a good real estate agent by going through the right channels, your real estate agent will have home inspectors to recommend you. As with the real estate agent, check the home inspector’s license status and reviews online.

2) Checking the title. You want to make sure there is not anyone who is going to file a lawsuit a few months down the road claiming that your purchase was not valid. You will want to have a “prior owner” title search conducted to make sure that there are no hidden problems. Your real estate agent can recommend you a title search company to do that work. They will go down to the courthouse and make sure there are no hidden issues. If they ask you if you want title insurance, the answer is yes. Absolutely. Just in case something comes up.

3) Talking to the neighbors. Location is an important part of any home purchase. You want to make sure the neighborhood is one that you feel like you belong in. If you are outgoing, consider talking to the neighbors and get a feel for the neighborhood. The last thing you want is a bad neighbor.

4) Look at the local zoning laws. The city you want to live in probably has rules for what the house can be used for and what the buildings around you can be used for. This is known as “zoning.” There are different types of zoning from residential to commercial. Residential zoning can be split up based upon the population density allowed. If you are looking to live in an area that only has single family homes you need to make sure it is not in a medium or high density residential zoning area.

Either way, after you have checked the title and confirmed whether there are any repairs needed, you may need to amend the offer to reflect the cost of any of the issues that came up during this process. It is okay to stick up for your rights. If something comes up and you don’t feel comfortable buying the house, don’t.

What happens at closing? So you got through the inspections and still want to buy the house. The final step in the process is the closing. Closing is where you sign all the necessary documents and get the keys. The closing can happen pretty quickly if you agree to that with the previous owner. Either way, congratulations on your new house and hopefully this basic guide helps you through the process.