Buying a home in Northern Virginia, step by step.

Step by step

The eight steps to buying a home

1. Get your finances ready

   Before looking at homes, find out what you can comfortably afford — not just what a lender will approve.

   • Talk to a lender and get a pre-approval letter. Sellers in Northern Virginia usually expect one with every offer.
   • Plan for the down payment and closing costs, plus a cushion for moving and repairs.
   • Ask about first-time buyer programs — Virginia Housing and some local programs offer help for eligible buyers.

2. Choose your agent and sign a buyer agreement

   Before touring homes, you'll sign a written buyer agreement. It explains what your agent does for you and how the agent is paid. Commissions are negotiable — ask questions until you're comfortable.

3. Decide where to live

   Location decides your commute, schools, taxes and daily life. Start with our neighborhood guides, then visit your favorites at rush hour and on a weekend.

   • Check whether an address is in Fairfax County or an independent city — it changes taxes and schools.
   • Confirm school assignments for the exact address with the school district.
   • Ask about homeowner or condo association fees and rules.

4. Tour homes

   I'll set up alerts for new listings that match your needs, and we'll tour the best ones together. Good homes can move fast here, so it helps to be ready to act.

5. Make an offer

   Together we'll decide on price and terms, based on recent sales of similar homes. An offer includes more than the price:

   • Earnest money deposit — held in escrow to show you're serious.
   • Contingencies — common ones cover financing, the appraisal and the home inspection.
   • Settlement date and any items that stay with the home.

6. Inspection and due diligence

   Virginia is largely a “buyer beware” state: sellers give a disclosure statement, but it places the responsibility on buyers to investigate the property. That makes a professional home inspection important.

   • Consider radon, termite, sewer-line or well and septic inspections when they apply.
   • If the home is in an HOA or condo association, Virginia law gives you a short period to review the association's resale documents and cancel if needed.

7. Appraisal and loan approval

   Your lender orders an appraisal to confirm the home's value, then gives final loan approval. If the appraisal comes in low, we'll talk through your options.

8. Final walk-through and settlement

   In Virginia, closing is called settlement. Before it, we'll walk through the home to confirm everything is as agreed. At settlement you sign the documents, the money moves, and you get the keys.