luminating the Path to Your First Home
At Sun Realty Solutions, we believe the journey to homeownership is like watching the sunrise — it starts with a first light of possibility, then grows brighter with each step until you’re standing in the warm glow of your very own home. For first-time buyers, the process can seem like navigating in the dark, but we’re here to be your steady light, guiding you through every stage with clarity, confidence, and care.

1. Checking Your Financial Readiness
First, we look at your financial picture. Lenders generally like to see a credit score of at least 620 for most conventional loans, though FHA loans may accept lower scores. Your score affects your interest rate, so the higher the better. We’ll also talk about your budget — not just the purchase price, but also down payment, closing costs, and monthly expenses.

2. Getting Pre-Qualified or Pre-Approved
Before we start house hunting, you’ll need a pre-qualification or pre-approval letter from a lender. Pre-approval is stronger — it means the lender has already reviewed your income, debts, and credit, and is confident you can borrow up to a certain amount. Sellers take you more seriously when you can show this.

3. Partnering With Me as Your Realtor
Once you’re ready, we’ll sign an agency agreement. This is just our official handshake — it says I’m working for you and looking out for your best interests throughout the process. Then we’ll talk about your “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves” in a home — location, size, style, features — and I’ll start sending you listings that match.

4. Touring Homes & Finding “The One”
We’ll tour properties in your budget and desired neighborhoods here in the St. Louis area. I’ll point out things you might not notice — like roof age, potential repairs, and resale value.

5. Submitting an Offer
When you find the perfect home, I’ll prepare and submit a written offer. This includes your purchase price, any contingencies (like inspection or financing), and your preferred closing date. Sometimes there’s negotiation back and forth with the seller until we agree on terms.

6. Contract Accepted — We’re Under Contract!
Once the seller accepts your offer, the home is officially “under contract.” At this stage, you’ll also provide an earnest money deposit, which shows you’re serious about buying.

7. Home Inspection & Negotiations
We’ll schedule a professional home inspection to make sure there aren’t major hidden problems. If the inspector finds issues, we can submit an inspection notice asking the seller to fix things, give you credit, or renegotiate the price.

8. Final Loan Approval & Appraisal
Your lender will order an appraisal to confirm the home’s value supports the loan. They’ll also finalize your mortgage approval during this stage.

9. Closing Day
On closing day, we meet at the title company, sign a stack of documents, and the keys are officially yours. You’ll also pay your down payment and closing costs here. Once the paperwork is recorded, you can unlock the door to your very first home!