For Buyers
A calmer way to buy a house in Virginia.
Buying a home should feel deliberate, not rushed. Here's the eight-step path we walk every client through — written the way we actually explain it across our desk in Franklin.
- 01
Talk to a local lender
Pull credit, review W-2s, and get a real pre-approval number before you tour.
- 02
Define what you want
Decide between an in-town cottage and an out-of-town acreage. Both are valid; they're different lives.
- 03
Tour together
We schedule 4–6 showings in a half-day block. No pressure, real notes on each home.
- 04
Make an offer
Pre-approval letter, earnest money, financing, inspection, and appraisal contingencies — all in writing.
- 05
Inspection & appraisal
We attend the inspection with you and negotiate repair items on your behalf.
- 06
Final loan approval
Underwriter clears conditions. We coordinate with your lender, title company, and insurance.
- 07
Closing
Sign at the title company's table. Bring a license and a cashier's check. Get keys.
- 08
Move in
We hand off contacts for movers, utilities, and the contractors we trust locally.
First-time buyer programs we work with
- · VHDA / Virginia Housing — down-payment assistance and conventional 30-year products with reduced mortgage insurance for first-time buyers under income limits.
- · USDA Rural Development — 0% down loans available for qualifying properties in Southampton County and parts of rural Suffolk.
- · FHA 203(b) — 3.5% down with flexible credit for buyers under the FHA loan limit.
- · VA Loans — 0% down for eligible service members and veterans; we close several of these every year.