Your First Time Home Buyer's Guide: A Step-by-Step Journey

A Step-by-Step First Time Buyer's Guide

Buying a home is one of the most exciting milestones of your life. To prepare yourself for this moment, you need to know what to expect during the process. This step-by-step first time buyer’s guide created by our team will help reduce the stress of buying a home and help you enjoy the journey as much as possible.

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Step 1: Hire a Realtor

Step 1 to buying a home is hiring the right realtor, and yes, one from The Cedeno Group. A great realtor does not just open doors, we guide you through every step of the process, from understanding what you qualify for to connecting you with the right lenders and making sure you do not miss out on the best opportunities. Can you shop for homes and make an offer without an agent? Technically yes, but why would you when it costs you nothing to work with a professional who will find homes that actually fit your goals, schedule and guide you through showings, negotiate on your behalf, and protect you throughout the entire process while helping you avoid costly mistakes. Buying a home can feel overwhelming, but it does not have to be. That is where we come in. Let us take the stress off your shoulders and guide you home. Send me a message and let us start your home search today.

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Step 2: Get Pre-Qualified

Get prequalified so you know exactly how much you can afford. You should never start home shopping without first getting approved and understanding your numbers, including your estimated monthly payment and closing costs. Speaking with one of the preferred lenders at The Cedeno Group will not only give you clarity but can also open the door to programs such as 100 percent financing, where many of our clients have been able to purchase with ZERO DOWN. And if you are concerned about your credit, do not let that stop you from starting, our lenders can connect you with a FREE credit improvement plan to help you get where you need to be.

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Step 3: Find the Right Home

This should be the most enjoyable step of the entire process (other than moving in!). We will arrange showings of homes you’re interested in that are within your price range. Take notes about what you like and don’t like, and make sure to pay attention to details. Turn light switches on and off, open and close doors, and run the faucets in various rooms. Don’t limit your inspection to the home itself. Make sure to take time to explore the neighborhood and keep an eye on traffic at certain times of the day, the parking situation, and how close it is to necessities like schools and grocery stores.

Our goal is to provide you with the most personalized service that is designed to help you buy your dream home

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Step 4: Make an Offer

Once you have selected the perfect home, work with your agent to craft a fair offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Depending on what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market, your offer may be below, at, or even above the asking price. We will be able to help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go into escrow.

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Step 5: Have the Home Inspected

In most cases, your offer will be contingent on having the home inspected to ensure there is no major structural damage or large repairs needed. We can help you arrange this, and you can schedule it within days of making an offer. If there are no major issues, the process goes to step eight. If there is, you can renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed, or you can withdraw it.

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Step 6: Get a Home Appraisal

Your lender will have your new home appraised so they have their independent value of it. The appraisal is to ensure that all parties involved are paying a fair price for the house.

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Step 7: Finish Paperwork

No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.

Congratulations!

After signing the final paperwork to complete the purchase, you are now the owner of a new house. It may take a few days for your loan to be funded once the paperwork has been returned to the lender, but once that check is delivered to the seller, you’ll be all set to move into the home of your dreams.

Arlette Mars
Imani Collins
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Thanks to Patricia's remarkable guidance throughout every step of the way, I highly recommend anyone seeking homeownership to contact her without hesitation.

— Juan C.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

My experience with Karla has been very positive, she’s very professional, patient, knowledgeable, kind and helpful!!! She’s always is open to suggestions and to respond to any questions or concerns about all the process buying or selling a house !!! Thank you for your support, time and effort to make the most of the deals work on time!!!!

— Jenny Vasquez

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Karla was extremely helpful throughout the entire process. I had expectations of the house buying process to be difficult, demanding and stressful. Karla facilitated every aspect and made it digestible and simple. I’d recommend her to anyone.

— Santos Espinosa

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Highly recommend Realtor in North Carolina, works very close with home buyers and facilitates all what customer needs; gives you good advices on home when viewings days. She was available to talk 24/7.

— Leonardo Martinez

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Excellent service, organized, very polite, disciplined, detailed when explaining, very honest and responsible. He held our hand throughout the entire process and earned our trust. We were happy with his good work, we found the house of our dreams 😍 aaahhh he also speaks English & Spanish 😀 10/10.

— Fabby Maradiaga

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Working with Melisa Hernandez was an absolute pleasure! From start to finish, she was professional, knowledgeable, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire process. Melisa’s attention to detail, excellent communication, and genuine care made what could have been a stressful experience dealing since we were dealing with a builder, she was there with me at every step of the build process. Couldn’t b...

— Juan Moncada

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Melisa is amazing! She went out of her way to help us look for a house at anytime. She made the process simple and guided us throughout. She was very responsive and professional, I would highly recommend her for anyone who is looking to buy a home for the first time.

— Andrea

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Melisa was great! She was very helpful throughout the whole process. she was honest and helped us find our first home. Every question or concern she was able to answer without hesitation. I highly recommend Melisa to help you find your home! Thanks Melisa!

— Diana Orellana

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Hello, Me and my brother just bought our home a month ago and we wouldn’t have done it without the help of our real estate agent, Melissa. She is honest, professional, very very responsive and very knowledgeable about the area. Not only with answering our millions of questions we had as first time buyers but in also being bilingual she helped our mom better understand the whole process along the way as ...

— Rashel Campanur

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Melisa is awesome. Very down to earth, great communicator, and will answer any questions you have throughout the process.

— James

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

she was very professional and also guided us through out the whole process

— Edisson

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Great people and great realtor love my cousin for all the help

— Jose Figueroa

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Thank you Melissa for your great work, congratulations

— Onis Alvarado

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Working with Karla has been the best experience my family and I have had while searching for a home. She Always be assured us of any doubts we may have, but it was also a friend throughout the whole process. She really surpassed all expectations that we had and went above and beyond for us.

— Rodrigo Cubias

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Well It marks a year since we moved Into our own home that we purchased with Karla. To this day she still reaches out to check on us and make sure everything is well. I 1000% recommend Karla as your real estate agent!

— Ketherine Flores

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I had an incredible experience working with Karla Benito. From start to finish, they were professional, knowledgeable, and always available to answer my questions. They truly understood what I was looking for in a home and went above and beyond to find the perfect match. Their negotiation skills were top-notch, ensuring I got the best deal possible. What stood out most was their attention to detail and ...

— Traviezo Bahena

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

She is the best, she helps me to buy my house and was really good with everything. Thank you mi Karla!!!!

— Andrea Alvarez

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Absolutely 100% would recommend Karla. She listens, understands, and goes above and beyond. Her customer service is top notch best of the best! I could go on and on!

— Alondra Rivera

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I had an awesome experience working with Karla. She listens to every question you may have and does everything in her power to give you an answer. She goes above and beyond to help you get into your new home. I would highly recommend Karla as your realtor whether you want to sell or buy you're house, she is a joy to work with ☺️.

— Gaby Garcia

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

My home selling experience with Karla was absolutely wonderful. With her knowledge we were able to sell my house in record time and over asking price. Karla was very responsive and attentive. She always answered the phone or called me back in a timely manner. Would highly recommend working with her!

— Merari Coronel

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

My name is Suzanne Martinez, I wanted to share with you about Karla Benito. She was our real estate agent that helped us yet what my family calls our forever home. From before the beginning she made you feel like being a home owner is Possible for everyone and that she will do everything to find you that perfect forever home. She was there at every step of the way. If you needed anything all you had to d...

— Suzanne Martinez

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Wow what can I say. Karla was a big help. She listen to you and look out for your best interests. She was always there to pick up the phone day or night. We knew she had a lot more clients but she made it feel like we was the only client she had. She speak Good English and Spanish and truly understands your needs. The part I like the most I had to go out of town for my job my wife came with me. We seen ...

— Jhonny Dove

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Start to finish, our experience with Karla was superb. We spotted a home in Burlington right after it had been posted. It was at the right price point, and our past experience had taught us that we needed to act fast. Karla was friendly and very responsive to our communications (the latter of which is a trait that, in our experience, many realtors don't have). She facilitated and negotiated where needed,...

— Betsy Divers

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Karla is wonderful, she was a great help. She listens to you and looks out for your best interests. She was always there to answer the phone day or night. We knew she had many more clients, but she made us feel like we were the only client she had. She is very responsible and professional. I am ready to continue investing with it

— Freddy Osorio

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I highly recommend Karla, she kept me up to date on everything the whole way and was very helpful to making sure I got everything done on time. She worked well with my schedule and showed me lots of beautiful homes and help me secure the house of my dreams!

— Lauryn Fairweather

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Words can’t explain KARLA is the best she helped my family find a house quick and she a great wonderful woman ,

— Alejandra Ramirez

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I recommend anybody that wants to buy a house. Karla Benito is the best realtor to help in all process easy and trust truly.

— Hector Avila

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Was wonderful to work with. Helped us with any issues that we had and fully explained to us issues even outside of her scope of work.

— Macrina Pena

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Highly recommended Karla, I’m a first time buyer and she was a great resource! Karla was very helpful as a first time buyer. friendly and available to answer my questions along the way, I recommend calling her to start the process.

— Jovani Mendez Sandoval

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

My experience with Karla was more than beautiful, she was always aware of everything, she answered my questions, she helped me with what I needed, she never left me alone in my process, which was very, very difficult, we both fought day and night to get everything and achieve it I recommend her 100% contact her to buy yours

— Guadalupe Cruz

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I can only say that our experience with Karla has been excellent, she was always very professional, attentive, friendly, answered all our questions efficiently and always did her job with excellence from day 1 until the last day, which was when she gave us the keys to our home! 🥹🥰. We know that searching for a house can be very overwhelming and stressful, but believe me, Karla made the process easy for...

— Eileen Arita

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Choosing Karla as our realtor was the best decision we made… That dedication she gives to her work is something extraordinary, she is a very kind and patient person, and something good for us is that she speaks Spanish and English 😁👏… I recommend her and with confidence I say that she will not disappoint you 👍

— Mario Orozco

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Definitely the best realtor of all!!! The most recommended to search for your new home, investment property or any type of real estate purchase that is needed. Very dedicated, detail-oriented and always with the best predisposition to fulfill the wishes of her clients. He is 200% involved in the entire process so that everything goes perfectly and on time. Thank you very much Karla for helping us find o...

— Natalia Macias

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Grateful first of all to God 🙏🏽🙏🏽 for giving us a wonderful and one of many blessings,,, and a lot to thank Karla Benito for helping us get the house, an excellent communicative person, accomplished in her work with her clients, I recommend her to anyone who wants to purchase her home⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Gomez Velasquez family

— Mario Gomez

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Karla is the one to help you in your purchase of your home, I highly recommend her🤭 she is a very responsible woman, super kind and very patient with her clients👍🏻.. From the first moment we contacted her, it didn't take almost anything to get us the appointment with the Bank.. They approved us the same day, and she made this process satisfactory and not stressful 🤭… DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT KARLA

— Alondra Morales

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Adriana was very patient with several properties we were looking at and willing to help. I would recommend for all your real estate needs!

— Andrea Maggio

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

We had an incredible experience working with our agent to buy our home! She was absolutely amazing—her deep knowledge of the process and the market gave us so much confidence every step of the way. What really stood out was her attitude—always positive, calm, and supportive, which made a big difference during what can be a stressful time. She was consistently professional, reliable, and always available ...

— Jackie Hernandez

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Karla is the best! Always available and quick to answer any questions or concerns I had at any point of the day. Karla always made me feel comfortable and kept the experience of buying a home as stress free as possible. I couldn’t have asked for a better realtor! Highly recommend!!! 10 stars!

— Tyler Sneed

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

I had the pleasure of working with Karla Benito while buying my home, and I couldn’t be happier with the experience. From start to finish, Karla made the entire process smooth and stress-free. Her professionalism, communication, and attention to detail truly set her apart. She guided me every step of the way, answered all my questions, and made what can be an overwhelming process feel completely manageab...

— stephany Flores

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

my fiance & i had the pleasure of working with karla after being recommended by a family member. she was the absolute best throughout the whole home buying process!! she is so knowledgeable & made us feel so comfortable!! always willing to answer any questions & explain everything with detail to us!! my fiance & i would ask ourselves.. is it really that easy? & with karla as our agent it really was!!! 10...

— Galilea Chavez

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Working with Karla and her amazing team was truly the best experience we could have asked for as first-time homebuyers. From day one, they made the entire process completely stress-free. Karla and her team were not only incredibly professional and knowledgeable, but they also went above and beyond - even working on weekends and always being available to answer our questions. Buying your first home can be...

— Nataly Pedraza

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Working with Karla was amazing! She made the whole home buying process so much easier and way less intimidating. As a first time home buyers, we had a ton of questions and Karla was always super helpful and quick to respond. She really looked out for us and made sure we felt comfortable every step of the way plus she’s just a genuinely kind and fun person to work with! Highly recommend her to anyone look...

— Kenia C

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Jackie is the best at what she does. I went for a consultation to find out what I needed to buy a house 🏡 and from that conversation the next day I was already pre-approved. I couldn't believe it. And in January 2025 I was already receiving the keys to my house... I highly recommend her. Take the first step, make an appointment with her, she will help you with everything.

— Paola Membreño

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

At the very moment I was looking for a home, I knew that Jackie was the person I wanted to help me through the process. She is very attentive & thoughtful with every detail. Jackie listens and takes the time to help, she walked me and my parents through the process and explained every detail along the way. I will definitely be going back to her. Jackie, thank you so much for your endlessly support!

— Arlette Mars

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

My husband and i were first-time homebuyers, and Jackie Hernandez made the entire process incredibly smooth. She explained everything in a way that was easy to understand, and she was always available to answer our questions. She went above and beyond to help us find the perfect home for our needs, and we are so grateful for her expertise and dedication. Also a great thing about her is that she speaks Sp...

— Karla Torres

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Jackie was absolutely amazing! When I initially reached out to her, I was honestly very nervous—but from the very beginning, Jackie brought a sense of calm. She had answers to every one of my questions and gave me the peace of mind I needed to move forward. Today, I’m standing in my new home with my family, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Thank you, Jackie, for your time, your patience, and your unwave...

— Karla

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

My husband and I bought Our first home with Jackie. She was super patient & informative. She want out of her way with helping us compared prices for different homes & I honestly really appreciate that... dispite the fact that our closing date was almost getting pushed out, she did the most she could to make the final step happen! Thank you So much Jackie!🩷

— Zulema C

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Jackie was THE best! As first time buyers, she walked my husband and I through the process thoroughly and was there with us every step of the way. She was very knowledgeable and answered ALL of our questions. I am grateful for how patient she was with us and how flexible she was with her schedule, considering the short time limit we were on and the fact that my husband was only available to meet in perso...

— Imani Collins

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Adriana was a pleasure to work with! She helped us buy our home and made the process smooth and stress-free. Her organization, attention to detail, and strong communication really stood out. She’s a skilled negotiator and always had our best interests in mind. Highly recommend!

— Noe Pantaleon

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

Working with Adriana was an incredible experience from start to finish. She helped us buy our home, and we couldn’t have asked for a better realtor. What stood out most was her exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail—she kept everything on track and made sure no step was missed. Adriana’s communication was clear, timely, and always reassuring. She made the entire process feel less over...

— Sandra

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At The Cedeno Group, our agents are all fully bilingual in English and Spanish, ensuring seamless communication for our diverse clientele. With extensive experience in the real estate market, we go beyond traditional approaches, offering out-of-the-box opportunities to help clients achieve their real estate goals. Whether buying, selling, or investing, our team is dedicated to making the process smooth, successful, and tailored to each client's unique needs.

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The Cedeno Group Real Estate

[email protected]
(919)491-8171

5826 Fayetteville Rd, Suite 206 Durham, NC 27713