How Is Portland Home Buying Like A Plane Ride
As I recently sat on a plane looking out the window, the layer of white fluffy clouds called to me. They give that false impression that you could just jump into them and be cradled by the softness..float in comfort and ease. I sat there thinking of the many common things there are between a plane ride and a real estate transaction.
Before you even get on the plane, you need to get your ticket and go through security. This is so similar to getting pre-approved for a loan. Without that plane ticket you'd be walking around from gate to gate not knowing where your plane will take off. Without that lender pre-approval, you're going around looking at homes without actually knowing if you can even afford them.
As the plane rises into the air, you can look down and see lots of homes..but as you rise higher, they start getting smaller and smaller. Same as when you first start looking at homes. That first week or two you can go through and see almost all the homes that meet your criteria and if you haven't seen anything by then that you want to offer on, you're then waiting for those new homes to come on the market..or needing to change up your criteria. Perhaps you really don't have to have that third car garage...or large lot.
Before you can get to that fuffly cloud smooth flying, often times you need to go through that little bit of turbulence getting through that lower layer of clouds. As a Portland Home Buyer, this is often when you do find that home and go through negotiations with the seller. 
Aaah..there is nothing like that feeling of flying over those fluffy clouds..you have that sense that all is good. The captain has turned off that seat belt sign and you're free to move around the cabin. You still have that feeling that you're in the air..but can take a deep breath. As a Portland home buyer, this is often when everything is in it place as much as it can be. Your offer has been accepted, you've looked over and signed off on the pre-liminary title reports and disclosures. Your agent and the Escrow officer have done all they can at this point..you're now just waiting for the lender and underwriters to do their thing.
Oh..there it goes, the captain has now put seat belt light back on and tells the flight attendents to prepare for landing. You're sitting there in the hands of captain and crew..trusting that they are all doing what's needed to keep you safe, and land the plane smoothly. As a Portland home buyer, there is always that bit of turbulence/excitement just before close.
Often times the loan documents get to the Title company at the last minute so you are scrambling around your schedule to get in and sign..often on quick notice. You're getting last minute documentation needed for the underwriters and hopefully you listened to everyone and didn't go out in your excitement and buy anything! This is where you agent, the Escrow officer and the lender are working very closely together to make sure all is being done to make sure you have a smooth closing.
Your plane floats once again over those homes...you can see them clearly in view and know that one of them is yours. The wheels of the plane touch down on the runway, you breath in that sigh of relief. As a Portland home buyer, you've gone in and signed (preferably two days before the actual close..or funding day), the underwriters have approved everything, your agent has worked out how you'll get the keys. You've landed and are ready to go HOME!! WHOOEEEEE!!
As with any flight, some can be a bit bumpy and some can go smoothly. As a Portland home buyer, being as prepared as possible and listening to all those that are working with you to get you into your home can be key to a smooth real estate transaction. When flying, we can't see what the captain is doing but one needs to trust that they are keeping you safe. Your real estate team...agent, escrow officer and lender are often doing lots of things behind the scenes that you never see to keep your transaction safe. We all have one common goal..to get you safely home.
How Is Portland Home Buying Like A Plane Ride?
- Buying a house 101..the initial first steps you need to take to buy a home in Portland Oregon
- What to know when making an offer contingent on selling your home
- We made an offer on a home....now what happens?
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