Why buy with me?
Everyone dreams of owning their own home. When buying your first home, it can be a very exciting, yet anxiety-filled experience. However, if you know what to expect during the home buying process you will be more relaxed and comfortable knowing that I will be by your side every step of the way guiding you through it and looking out for your best interests. Below are some of the things I will be helping you with along the way!
Start your Home Search HereSetting a Budget
Before the house hunting process begins, it is important to know how much you can afford. Expenses to consider include the down payment, monthly expenses, property taxes, and any home insurance costs. These will all have to be considered before the home buying process begins as they are typically included in your new monthly payment. Since a person’s credit score determines their interest rate, knowing your score ahead of time can help you decide if now is a good time to buy or not. An individual’s debt-to-income ratio must also fall within acceptable limits of the home’s cost. Once you have determined these things, and if you feel that your budget has enough room to afford a new home, then its time to begin the home buying process!
Getting Pre-Approved
When looking for a loan, be sure to get more than one loan quote to get the best interest rate and loan terms for your mortgage. Different banks and companies will offer different loan origination fees and by shopping around you can oftentimes save yourself a lot of money. Be sure to also check your loan officer’s website for testimonials and information. A good loan officer will offer you many online resources and tools. Before you lock in your rate, be sure to check the daily rate with the rate your loan officer gives you to ensure you are getting the lowest rate possible. Interest rates will determine how much a mortgage will cost each month and come in fixed or adjustable terms. Mortgage lengths can range from 15 years to 30 years with some loan providers now offering 40-year mortgages as well. The longer the repayment term, the lower the payments will be. However, the interest accrued will also be higher on a longer loan.
Making an Offer & Negotiations
There is an art to making an offer on a home. Typically, sellers place their home’s value a little higher than their desired price. A buyer will send in a lower bid, in a reasonable range, and the seller will counter with an offer somewhere in the middle. I will be watching for signs of problems in the home and will make suggestions to you regarding the offer. Listen closely and be sure to ask questions, as your offer is an important part of buying a home. You want to make sure all of your bases are covered. That’s where having me as your Buyer’s Agent is most valuable so your rights and interests are protected. With my experience on your side, I will be able to help you negotiate a lower price that sometimes includes concessions or closing costs and avoid homes that have problems. My job is to protect YOU in the contract.
Escrow and Closing Costs
Before the home is legally transferred to you, the closing process must occur. During this phase, you will sign all of the mortgage documents, pay closing costs, and sign various other legal documents. I will be there to help you through it all. Once all of the papers are signed and monies are transferred, the keys to your new home are yours! The only thing left to do is move into your humble abode. This may occur immediately after the closing or at the date set in the closing documents.
Better Home Search
My website has the best online tools to search for your home! In fact, it’s even better than Zillow, Trulia, and the many other real estate websites out there because my site is directly connected to the local MLS! What does that mean for you? Accuracy and Advantage! When you search homes here, you get the most up-to-date homes and properties available with the most accurate information! AND, if you sign up for Deal Alerts, you will get alerted of NEWEST Property matches & Price Changes BEFORE any other site has them! First, start by trying one of the search tools in the menu at the top of the site. Try the Advanced search to choose specific options & customize your results based on all of the things you wish for in your new home. Second, Save your Search and you will be set up for auto alerts when a new home hits the market that matches! You can also try the Map search which offers a unique perspective by allowing you to use the polygon tool on the side to create boundaries on a map around the areas you want to live in. Already know the address of the property you want? Try the Address Search. OR if you have the property ID you can use the Listing Search to search by MLS#. Find a home you like? Simply click on the Schedule a showing button and send me an alert. I will schedule the time and confirm with you once it is set up! Once you have started searching, be sure to check out your My Account page so you can manage your Saved Searches & Favorite properties. The My Account feature has a ton of great tools designed to cater directly to you and provide you with a home-buying experience. And it’s Mobile friendly!
Home Insurance
Lenders normally require that you insure your home. Home Insurance Policies cover the costs to fix any damages that might occur to the home. The price of this insurance is dependent on a home’s age, location, value, and the insurance company you choose. Be sure to call around and get several quotes or ask me for a list of vendors I work with. Insurance agents will oftentimes be able to take your information over the phone and get back to you the same day with a quote. Once you choose a company to insure your new home, the cost of that policy is normally added into your closing costs and sent into an escrow account to be paid to the insurance company directly the first year.
Home Inspections
Getting a home inspection is a vital part of the home buying process. These inspections ensure that the home’s foundation, ceiling, heating, electrical system, walls, plumbing, and entryways are up to certain standards. Sometimes the bank will require a home inspection; however, many times they leave it to the buyer to purchase their own. It is extremely important to protect yourself by getting a home inspection right away. You typically have 10 days from an accepted offer to get the home inspected. Many buyers have been saved from disaster by taking the time to spend the extra $200 – $400 to get a home inspection only to find out the house has major problems allowing them to back out of the contract before it is too late. If you need help finding a Home Inspector, ask me! I can give you recommendations for many service providers that I work with all the time!
See what my clients are saying:
We consider ourselves very fortunate to have found our way to DeeDee through a friend.
We live in the northeast and were interested in finding a place in Florida. From our very first telephone contact DeeDee was a delight to work with. She is wonderfully engaging and amazingly tuned in to what people need. We only had a short time to decide on where and how we might want to live in Florida, but in only two short days DeeDee was able to help us sort out our preferences and priorities. She used her boundless energy to show us a wide range of properties and was able to explain the pros and cons of the options available to us without ever making us feel pressured. We can’t imagine a better experience and would absolutely recommend DeeDee Zor to anyone looking to buy, sell, or rent in Southwest Florida!
Dee Dee was wonderful.
Very knowledgeable in all aspects. Highly recommend her.
We were extremely pleased to have selected Dee Dee Zor and her company for our real estate needs in listing our Fiddler’s Green condo.
She is courteous, kind, energetic, professional, extremely responsive and always represented our interests. Dee Dee is very knowledgeable of the Englewood area real estate market and prepared a first class listing for our property including the use of professional photography as promised. We listed in the Fall of 2019, but required a fairly late closing of mid-April 2020. Dee Dee was very accommodating of our late closing in spite of potentially missing out on the snowbirds wishing to buy who would want to take possession during the desirable Florida winter season. Having to work with us from a distance as we are Canadian residents as well as dealing with multiple owners, as we co-owned with my sister and brother-in-law did not deter Dee Dee. She was able to find us a buyer in November that would accept our closing date as well as negotiated a good selling price. Closing the sale was complicated due to the COVID-19 pandemic as we could not travel to Florida for a final walk through to remove some personal items and to sign closing documents, but Dee Dee was there for us. Dee Dee did a walk through of our condo with us, using Facebook video messenger and removed these items and helped us to complete all documents remotely. Without hesitation we very highly recommend choosing Dee Dee as your real estate agent.
Dee knew the market and was more than willing to show us places that fit our parameters.
She was insightful as to traffic flows, schools, and conveniences. She did a fabulous job and I highly recommend her.
Dee Dee was a joy to work with.
My husband and I thought we knew what we wanted in a new home but ended up purchasing something entirely different. Dee Dee stuck with us while our wants and needs evolved, constantly updating us on what was available and cheerfully guiding us through the process. We could not recommend her services more highly and consider her to be the first friend we made in our new community.
Dealing with Dee Dee was like dealing with a lifelong friend.
That is the way we felt from day one. She kept us up to date with photos as a new home was being built and checked on our home during the hurricane to make sure everything was OK. Since we were living in Maryland at the time of build it was great to have a set of eyes on things that we could trust.
Dee Dee Zor gets a five star rating!
She was very professional & helpful. When viewing condos. She was very honest with her evaluation of the condos. If we called with questions she was prompt in replying. Very helpful at the closing and highly recommend her as realtors.
I just can’t say enough about how pleased we were with Dee Dee Zor.
She guided us through our search for the perfect home for my husband and I. She made our house hunting experience pleasant and non stressful. She was always one step ahead of any issues that arose. When visiting properties, we were to busy taking in the surface and picturing ourselves living there while they were focused on the most important issues that lie below the overwhelming exterior. Dee Dee’s attention to detail saw the things that we over looked. She is very well versed in her area of expertise. Buying a new home can be an exciting time, but also inundating. She helped us select the perfect house and I can not thank her enough. The process was smooth, exciting and enjoyable. We would highly recommend her to anyone that is considering stepping into home ownership!
IT WAS A PLEASURE WORKING WITH DEE DEE.
SHE WAS VERY ACCOMMODATING IN EVERY ASPECT OF HELPING US WITH THE PURCHASE OF OUR NEW HOME. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE DEE DEE AS OUR REALTOR! FIVE STARS FOR DEE DEE.
Working from our Michigan home, Dee Dee Zor helped us purchase our Townhouse in Englewood, FL.
Dee Dee was always super friendly and very quick to return calls and e-mails. Dee Dee made the whole process very simple. We would highly recommend her for your real estate purchase.
Dee Dee came highly recommended from several sources specifically because of her great track record of servicing The Fiddlers Green Condo development.
After working with her we wish that we could give more than a five star rating because she deserves it. She is the consummate “professional” and a huge credit to the Realty Profession. Dee Dee is foremost very knowledgeable of the market and current conditions and is well versed in all of the supporting tasks (Mortgage Application, Insurance Utility set etc) that accompany the purchase of a property. This was of paramount importance to us as we were able to purchase our condo unit without having to travel to Florida from our Delaware home. Her communication skills are remarkable both in listening to the client and then advising her recommendations. Her response to emails or phone calls was almost immediate which was very reassuring to us. She also arranged for and participated in two separate, extensive “FaceTime” walkthroughs of our unit was VERY close to being able to be there ourselves. Dee Dee was totally loyal to us as a buyer even though the unit that we chose was in competition with one of her own listings. Never during the process did we ever feel that we could not rely on her experience or observations. We could not have been more satisfied with Dee Dee’s performance and highly recommend her to any prospective buyer looking to make a purchase in her sales area!
Dee Dee is a true professional in every sense of the word but she is also so much more.
She is knowledgeable, warm, courteous and will respond to your every need promptly. This woman knows about properties that haven’t even been listed yet. She will fight for the underdog or wow the most affluent clients. I will always remember the top-shelf customer service I received and would not recommend ANY other agent. I have bought and sold numerous properties in my lifetime but never enjoyed the process as I did with Ms. Zor. Thank you Dee Dee.
I have bought and sold 10 house over the course of my life and Dee Dee is far and away the best agent I have ever had!
She helped navigate the process with me after the passing of my husband and could not have been more caring and compassionate.
Because I was selling from out of state, it was a blessing to have Dee Dee there when I couldn’t be.
She kept me well informed and was always happy to answer any questions or concerns I had. After the recent hurricane, she went over to check if there was any damage and let me know that everything was fine. Because the power was out, she even opened my empty fridge and unplugged it to prevent mold. She was really a pleasure to work with and I would recommend her highly.
We met Dee Dee at an open house.
Immediately my wife and I felt comfortable with Dee Dee. And we felt she was comfortable with us. Dee Dee made our home buying experience a true pleasure. She went above and beyond anything we expected. 5 Stars are not enough for Dee Dee. Dee Dee is very personable, competent and confident. She is very professional and assured us she would quickly find what we were looking for. In a couple days we put an offer in on a house we and Dee Dee fell in love with. Dee Dee gave us great advice and was very knowledgeable about what was needed to make our offer acceptable to the buyer. She was very quick to respond to any questions we had. From the offer, inspection, mortgage details, tax information, utilities info etc. , she kept everything moving smoothly and quickly and in order. A couple days after we moved in Dee Dee stopped by ” to see how things were going and did we need anything!” Wow! As I said 5 Stars are not enough for Dee Dee. Thanks Dee Dee
Dee Dee Zor was always attentive to detail.
She kept the process of purchasing our home moving along smoothly!
Do you want to get it done right?
For the third time in a little more than a year Dee Dee has helped our family when we decided to sell a condo in Englewood, FL. Professional, fast, smart, honest and very much client focused. Her expertise extends across the full spectrum of real estate budgets in our beautiful part of Florida. If you are looking to sell or buy I highly recommend contacting Dee Dee.
Dee Dee was excellent to work with.
She guided us when needed and was always available to answer questions or help us in anyway she could. She is very professional and personable which made it very easy for us to work with her. We felt that Dee Dee went above and beyond to guide us through this process. We’ll always consider her our friends! Thank you.
Professional, very knowledgeable and extremely courteous.
When a speed bump occurs Dee Dee handles it quickly and advises of you on ever step the occurs during the buying process. Cannot ask for a better person to buy or sell.
Dee Dee Zor was especially personable and professional at all times .
We appreciate her willingness to assist above and beyond our expectations and treated us like family. We would highly recommend Dee Dee
It was a pleasure to work with Dee Dee!
It was very easy to communicate and every question was addressed quickly and we felt very comfortable and stress free. Thank you Dee Dee for your help!
Wow!
What can I say about Dee Dee Zor that already hasn’t been said. I’ll try my best. Dee Dee is kind, dedicated,and phenomenal at her skill. She sold me the home of my dreams and sold my former home. I have never had such a tenacious Real Estate Agent. She never forgets her clients; whether millions or thousands. There is no Real Estate Agent quite like her. Honesty is her most outstanding asset. I have more real estate to sell. Dee Dee I’d HIRED…DONE..AGAIN! I love her to pieces.
Dee Dee was an absolute pleasure to work with.
From the initial phone call to after settlement of the property Dee Dee was and is amazing. Purchasing property 1000 miles away isn’t always the easiest to do, but Dee Dee made the entire process a breeze and completely stress free. She was extremely prompt with all of our needs and questions, and went out of her way in a seconds notice to help us locate information needed without even a slight hesitation. We would highly recommend Dee Dee to anyone looking to purchase or sell real estate.
Not only is Dee Dee so knowledgeable, dedicated and kind; she is now a friend I cherish.
Without Dee Dee; I wouldn’t be in this home that has made me SO HAPPY. Dee Dee showed me exactly what I described as my perfect home on the first showing. Love, Love, Love her so much that she is selling my previous house and more!
We were very impressed with Dee Dee’s professionalism and her experience.
She listened to our wants and needs and was very knowledgeable about the homes in our desired area. She was always ready to answer any of our questions and even more importantly, kept us updated through the entire process. We loved having Dee Dee as our realtor. She comes highly recommended!
I highly recommend Dee Dee for anyone wanting to buy or sell their home.
Dee Dee is extremely knowledgeable and has lots of experience in Florida real estate and makes the process go smoothly. Thank you for all your wonderful advice and continued help throughout this process!!
5 stars!
Under difficult circumstances we has to make a decision on our property in Englewood Fl. We contacted Dee Zor and she helped us begin the process. From the very beginning we felt complete trust with Dee. She answered all our questions and was an enormous help with paper work and was always available to us. Dee went above and beyond our expectations and things were handled smoothly and efficiently from 1500 miles away. Thank you Dee for your knowledge and expertise. We hope to see you in sunny Florida again soon.
Dee Dee is a true professional.
She was key in helping us purchase our home in Florida as well as selling that house 4 years later. We would highly recommend DeeDee Great agent who goes the extra mile to get things done correctly.
Dee Dee was instrumental in helping my family sell my parents house in Placida.
She navigated us through a complex situation with a can-do attitude. During the process, my father passed away and we had to move my mother back to Massachusetts. Dee Dee was able handle the process of finding and hiring contractors, dealing with the mountains of paperwork, and just handling everything for us so we could concentrate on my mother’s life-changing situation. We couldn’t have done it without her! She is very professional with a great attitude. I would highly recommend Dee Dee to anyone.
Dee Dee is an expert!
She is responsive, attentive, friendly, and trustworthy. She makes buying a house a fun, exciting experience. Easy to talk to and makes you feel like you known her forever. My husband and I were extremely happy working with her. An amazing real estate agent and all around person. Thanks Dee!
The best real estate agent I have ever to had the pleasure working with.
Need more like her. Very professional and personable.
The service that was provided by Ms.
Zor was excellent. She listened to what I wanted and needed, was able to set up all of the inspections within a day and provided great follow-up to any questions. Made the buying experience easy. Thank You for all of your assistance.
I cannot even put into word’s right now how thankful we are for YOU!
Thank you for all you have done, your kindness and caring soul! A realtor with an AMAZING bedside manner!! Thank you for being my therapist at times as well! We honestly believe you are another Guardian Angel sent to us! The other Realtors couldn’t sell the house because they were not YOU! Good things come to good people! XOXO
We first worked with Dee Dee from 1500 miles away and she made it feel like we were right next door.
She sent a great appraisal which it made our decision very easy. Once we decided she was the one, the house was listed and sold in less than 24 hours for full price. Being far away, Dee Dee continued to work with us in helping us with storage units and even finding two young men to help us move. Still continuing to work with we, she sent us many pictures of house through email making it easy for us narrow the search for a new house when we arrived in Florida. Buying the next house was done in 48 hours. She was outstanding.
My wife and I would publicly like to thank Dee Dee for her honesty, integrity and for her professionalism regarding our recent condo purchase in Englewood Florida.
Purchasing our unit, sight unseen, from Michigan, and with a thousand questions and concerns, Dee Dee not only addressed all of the above, but did so with the seamless professionalism that only someone with the necessary dedication and expertise could accomplish. I cannot adequately express the pleasure that it has been to have worked with Dee Dee. I wholeheartedly recommend Dee Dee Zor.
Selling in Florida and living in Canada we expected a few hurdles due to covid and differences in how offers are done.
Dee Dee was awesome with lots of contact thru the process and definitely took time to explain every question we had. Dee Dee went above and beyond on all expectations and I think everyone should give her a call! Thank you from a very happy fellow Canadian Realtor.
Dee Dee was exceptional in all aspects of listing, selling and personal service.
I would recommend her to anyone needing a professional realtor.
We found Dee Dee Zor to be very professional, knowledgeable, accessible, and thorough during our most recent real estate transaction.
She went above and beyond for us and was very patient. We would highly recommend her as your real estate agent.
I was a real estate broker for 25 years and have dealt with a lot of agents – Dee Dee is one of the best.
I was a real estate broker for 25 years and have dealt with a lot of agents – Dee Dee is one of the best.
Dee Dee is so friendly, caring and professional.
She gave so much care and attention in our home purchase. She was there every step of the way and made the process so easy for us. If you are looking for a realtor in this area she is your person.