Buying Homes in Northern Virginia

This is our abbreviated process for helping you find and purchase the right home. We represent buyers purchasing new construction directly from builders, as well as those buying through traditional resale contracts. The links included below outline the full home-buying process in more detail.

Step 1: Contact a Mortgage Loan Officer

As with any profession, experience and industry knowledge make a difference. We recommend our clients work with lenders we know and trust—experts in conventional loans, FHA loans, and VA loans. These professionals eliminate guesswork, identify the best loan programs for your needs, and help you navigate one of the biggest investments of your life.

We’re proud of the outcomes our clients have experienced through our lender referrals—but the final decision is always yours. You are free to work with any lender you prefer throughout the home-buying process.

Step 2: Finding Your Home of Choice

Once your loan officer determines your qualification range and helps resolve any credit-related issues that could impact your mortgage rate, you're ready to begin your home search. Knowing your financing limits ahead of time allows you to focus on realistic options from the start.

We provide our clients with a direct connection to our Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This allows you to customize your home search, track available listings, and identify properties that fit your needs. You simply mark the homes you want to visit, and we’re automatically notified. We’ll then coordinate with sellers to schedule showings at your convenience.

Step 3: Contract Offers and Contingencies

Once you find a home, we work with you to determine a competitive offer based on local appraisals, market conditions, property condition, and active inventory.

We always recommend that offers be contingent upon a home inspection. Repairs identified in the inspection should be completed by licensed contractors. Additional common contingencies include the appraisal and final loan approval.

Note for new home construction:

Builder contracts often require buyers to waive the appraisal clause typically found in regional contracts. If the appraised value comes in lower than the purchase price, the buyer is responsible for making up the difference—or may risk default and loss of deposits.

Step 4: Final Inspection

Once your loan is finalized, we’ll conduct a walk-through inspection to ensure all agreed-upon home inspection items have been completed and the home is ready to transfer title. This inspection should happen after the home is vacant.

If damage occurs while the seller is moving out, they’re responsible for repairs. If the damage is significant, we will negotiate repair credits or escrow with the seller prior to settlement.

Step 5: Closing

After the final walk-through, we meet at the settlement table with the title attorney to sign documents and transfer ownership.

In builder transactions, the process is different. Instead of a single inspection, buyers are expected to attend multiple walkthroughs during construction. These typically include:

• Site inspections

• Framing checks

• Pre-drywall inspections (for outlet placement, wiring, etc.)

• Trade inspections

Final walkthrough

If you hire us to represent you during a new construction purchase, we’ll attend these inspections with you. Dwayne Moyers, who has residential construction experience, will personally walk your home weekly while it’s under construction. This ensures contract compliance and allows us to catch and correct issues early.

We know regional and builder-specific contracts. Our industry experience, deep understanding of negotiation strategies, and strong relationships with top professionals (lenders, contractors, home inspectors, and title attorneys) help make your home-buying experience as smooth as possible.

Don’t buy a home without a buyer’s agent—it could cost you.

Our services as a buyer’s representative are offered at no cost to you.

We also provide listing discounts for clients who hire us to sell their current home while purchasing a new one. Brochures for new home subdivisions are available upon request.