Steps to purchasing Destin luxury homes on Florida’s Emerald Coast


Thinking of buying a home on Florida's Emerald Coast? Make sure you know what to expect. Whether you're a first-time Destin home buyer or a real estate aficionado, here are the steps you need to know for buying a luxury home in Rosemary Beach, Seaside, Blue Mountain beach, or anywhere else in the 30A area.

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Step 1: Figure Out What You Can Afford

Before diving into the home-buying process, it's crucial to estimate your potential monthly mortgage payments and determine what you can comfortably set aside for an initial down payment on your new property. In addition to the principal and interest, don't forget to factor in additional homeowner expenses, such as closing costs, transaction fees, homeowners insurance, and local property taxes. Regularly reviewing and improving your credit score can open up better mortgage opportunities. And remember, even if you can't put down the traditional 20% deposit, there are still many home buying options available!

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Step 2: Shop for a Loan and Get Pre-approved

Finding a trustworthy lender and determining what type of loan you'll qualify for will help you figure out how much home you can actually afford. And, with changes to interest rates it's a good idea to get recommendations, check with the Better Business Bureau, and be sure to talk to at least three or four lenders before making a decision.

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Step 3: Determine the Selling Price of Homes in Your Location

If you have a preferred location or neighborhood, find out the actual selling price of homes in that area - not just their listing price—to confirm whether you can actually afford that location.

For example, if you're interested in living in Rosemary Beach, do some research into how much the average home goes for in that community. 30A real estate varies in each neighborhood, so the home prices in Rosemary Beach may not be the same as in other communities such as Blue Mountain Beach or Seaside.

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Step 4: Find an Agent

Your agent should be someone you know you can trust, and an expert on real estate in your area and neighborhood. They should also be very proficient in working with buyers of your experience. 

If you're looking for real estate in 30A Florida, your agent should be local expert who can provide you with valuable information about the various communities along the Emerald Coast and market trends in the area. 

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 5: Find Your Home

This is the fun part, where you get to visit open houses, tour homes, make notes, and really hone in on your perfect dream home! Make sure you keep detailed records of the homes you visit, noting things you liked, didn't like, pros and cons, etc. Taking pictures can also keep your memory fresh.

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Step 6: Make an Offer

When searching for your dream home, partnering with an experienced real estate agent is essential. Once you've pinpointed the ideal property, collaborate with your agent to determine a competitive yet reasonable offer. It's crucial to select a price point that aligns with your budget and stands strong in the current market. Your local real estate expert will have the insights and data to guide you toward an offer that resonates with the seller.

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Step 7: Get an Inspection

Nothing's finalized yet, so make sure you're getting your money's worth! Ask your real estate agent to recommend a trusted home inspector to walk through the house and check for any potential defects or problems. A professional home inspector will assess the house for any problems with the structure or systems.

A home inspection will let you know if the home you are considering buying is safe and habitable. It will also make you aware of any issues that could be costly to fix down the road. If necessary, you can request that the seller repair any issues you find. 

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Step 8: Review Your Contract

Before you sign any paperwork, it's important that you carefully read over the contract with your agent or lawyer to ensure there are contingencies - that is, if something falls through with your mortgage, you aren't still obligated to buy the home. Your 30A real estate agent can walk you through the contract to make sure you have a firm grasp of what you are signing.

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Step 9: Finalize Your Mortgage Approval

Work with your chosen lender to submit your mortgage application, review predicted closing costs, and have your home appraised. Common closing costs include attorney fees, title insurance, appraisal fees, home inspection fees, courier fees, government recording fees, and taxes.

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Step 10: Close and Pay

It's time to close! Meet with your agent, lender, and the seller to finalize the paperwork, sign your contracts, and pay your down payment and closing costs. Finally, accept the keys to your new home!

Still Have Questions or Ready to Get Started?

If you're thinking of buying a home in The Emerald Coast, then it's time to contact Live Love 30A. We're your local real estate experts. Not only can we answer all your buying questions, we can help connect you with the resources you need to make an informed decision so you're sure to find your dream home at just the right price. Take a look at some of the home buying resources we have to offer.

Testimonials

See what our clients have to say about our service.

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Miller

If you've landed here, we share a common need. We needed to purchase a home from out of state in an absurdly competitive market - which means, in turn, I needed a Realto®r who was the absolute best at what they do. I wanted som...
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Buyer

Melissa was great to work with. She took the time to understand what we were looking for and then worked to find the exact property that we were interested in finding. We were able to locate the exact floor plan in the exact bu...
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Colette D.

Kerry helped us find the perfect investment condo. Buying an investment property is a lot different than a home to live in. We found Kerry helped us muddle through those new waters. She was knowledgeable and answered all of our...
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B

Buyer

Liz is everything we could have asked for in a Realtor®. Purchasing an investment home of this price from 800 miles away can be challenging and stressful. Liz was there to assist every step of the way and be our eyes in Destin!...
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Tricia R.

I was referred to Kerry by a friend and when I met her I knew she was perfect for my real estate adventure. She was professional, classy, and on her game. She worked with me and found a beautiful investment property to accommod...
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Mike F.

A very impressive young man that was always proactive in finding me an investment property on the Gulf! What a great future you have Payton! I know who to call the next time I'm in the market to find a place. When I bought my h...
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Angel V.

Elizabeth Boswell and her team are phenomenal. I have bought multiple properties including our dream home, and commercial building, and sold three properties with them. It has been a great experience and stress-free. very profe...
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Buyer

Elizabeth was so easy to work with! She was not pushy, and she was always honest. Any time I messaged, she always answered in a more than timely manner. Elizabeth will work to get you the best deal! I highly recommend her. You ...
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Seller

Elizabeth provided excellent and transparent advice to prepare our condo for listing. She had her team connect us with the right resources in a timely fashion. Elizabeth predicted perfectly what would happen with the property i...
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Seller

Elizabeth provided excellent and transparent advice to prepare our condo for listing. She and her team connected us with the right resources in a timely fashion. Elizabeth predicted perfectly what would happen with the property...
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Robert

I and Elizabeth have bought and sold 4 properties together now. Without her I have no doubt in my mind it they would not have happened as smoothly and nonfavor of me as they did. She is absolutely amazing as an agent and a pers...
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Bill R.

Elizabeth was an awesome Realtor® to work with. She listened carefully to what we wanted and worked tirelessly until she found exactly what we were looking for. We would recommend using Elizabeth to help you find your next home...
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Buyer

We have bought 4 properties with Elizabeth. She has always been timely and honest. We had problems with a bathroom faucet, she made sure it was repaired even after we purchased the property. We wouldn't use anyone else. She is ...
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Buyer

Great Job! Very attentive spend must time with us. Followed up, and advised, on many areas. Over and above the responsibilities of a Realtor®. Kerry even assisted us on nonrelated sales issues. Excellent and wonderful personality.
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Buyer & Seller

Elizabeth was very responsive, always easy to get a hold of, and is great at knowing what we wanted and helping us find it and get it in a timely matter. We could not be happier with her. She is a pleasure to work with.
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Buyer & Seller

Elizabeth has given us such a great experience buying or selling multiple of our properties. She is so knowledgeable and helpful and we couldn't be happier choosing her as our Realtor®, and we will never use anyone else!
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Buyer | Seller

Elizabeth is professional, intelligent, and knows a great deal about the area. She expertly handles the deal and I was informed all along the way. She is by far the best Real Estate Agent I have ever seen.
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Olga B.

She is very accommodating and organized. She worked on getting us a perfect home. She was available on short notice. She was always kind. We are grateful for her.
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Buyer

Quick and professional. Always and my best interest in mind. Elizabeth is very patient and eventually found me the perfect home. Highly recommend contacting her.
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Carol K.

Liz was great to work with. She answered all of our calls, emails, and texts immediately. We definitely will use Liz in the future to purchase or sell a property.
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Work With Us

Our team of luxury real estate experts provides the highest level of sophisticated customer service through every step of the real estate transaction. Whether our clients are looking to buy or sell exclusive multi-million dollar properties, they trust Live Love 30A|Destin to ensure the success of their real estate goals.

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