Every answer, in one place.

It almost always finds something. Every home has a list, even new ones.

Most of it is small

Small items get noted, not negotiated. For bigger ones, like a roof, a furnace or water in the basement, we can ask the seller to repair them, give you a credit at closing or lower the price.

If it’s serious

Your inspection contingency gives you a window to walk away and get your earnest money back, as long as we act within the deadline your contract sets.

What I do

I help you sort the big items from the small ones, get repair estimates when we need them and negotiate the fix.

It happens, especially when homes sell fast. You have options.

• The seller lowers the price to the appraisal.
• You cover the difference in cash.
• You meet in the middle.
• With an appraisal contingency, you can walk away and get your earnest money back.

What I do

Before the appraisal, I send the appraiser the recent sales that support the price, which helps it come in right.

It’s a deposit that shows the seller you’re serious.

How much

Often a set amount, like $1,000 or more, or about 1% of the price. We decide together based on the home and the competition.

Where it goes

It’s held in trust until closing, then counts toward your down payment and closing costs.

Can I lose it?

Only in limited cases, usually if you back out for a reason your contract doesn’t allow or miss a deadline. Your contingencies, like inspection and financing, are what protect it.

Yes. Tell me the district, and your search follows its boundaries.

Every address, checked

District lines don’t always follow town lines or mailing addresses. Before you make an offer, I confirm the home’s district in the county’s property records.

How the schools are doing

Ohio’s School Report Cards are the state’s official data for every district and school. Visiting and talking with the schools tells you the rest.

Which district is right for you is your call. I share facts, not rankings.

Often less than people think, but more than just the down payment. Here’s what to plan for.

Your down payment

It depends on the loan. Some conventional loans allow as little as 3% down, FHA loans 3.5%, and VA and USDA loans can need nothing down for buyers who qualify. Putting down less than 20% usually means mortgage insurance, which your lender will show you.

Closing costs

Lender fees, title, and prepaid items like taxes and insurance usually add up to a few percent of the price. Sometimes we can ask the seller to cover part of them in your offer.

Money you’ll spend before closing

Earnest money goes in with your offer and counts toward your purchase. You’ll also pay for the home inspection, and often the appraisal.

Help for first-time buyers

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency offers down payment assistance and other programs for buyers who qualify. I’ll connect you with lenders who use them.

When homes are competitive, the highest price doesn’t always win. The strongest offer does.

Be ready before you fall in love

A pre-approval letter from a local lender tells the seller you can close. Have it before the first tour.

Know what it’s worth

Before we write a number, I’ll pull the recent sales so we know what the home is really worth, not just what it’s listed for.

Make the terms work

A closing date that suits the seller, solid earnest money and a clear plan for the inspection. Sometimes terms win when price can’t.

Know your walk-away number

We set your limit before we write, so you never get carried past it in the moment.

Yes, a short buyer agreement. Since 2024, it’s how every buyer and agent start working together.

What it says

What I’ll do for you and how I’m paid, in plain language. We go through it together before our first tour.

Who pays

Compensation is always negotiable. It can be paid by you, by the seller as part of your offer, or a mix of both. We’ll decide the plan together before you write an offer.

No surprises

You’ll know the number before we start, and it’s in writing.

Yes. Buyers need room to picture themselves living there.

How it works

Buyers’ agents request a time and you approve it from your phone. You step out, take pets along if you can, and leave the lights on.

After

I collect what buyers and their agents say and tell you honestly what I’m hearing.

In Ohio, most sellers fill out the Residential Property Disclosure Form.

What it asks

What you actually know about the home: the roof, water in the basement, the systems and more. You answer honestly from what you know. You don’t have to inspect to find out.

When

Buyers should get it before they sign a purchase agreement. Homes built before 1978 also need a lead-based paint disclosure.

What I do

I walk you through every question, so nothing gets missed.

Yes. As-is means you won’t make repairs, and buyers price that in.

What doesn’t change

You still fill out the disclosure form, and most buyers still inspect, usually to decide whether to go ahead.

Worth knowing

Sometimes a few small fixes pay for themselves. I’ll tell you honestly which ones.

When your home and your plans are ready.

The seasons

Spring usually brings the most buyers in Northeast Ohio. Winter brings fewer buyers but also fewer homes competing with yours.

What matters more

A home that’s prepped, priced from real sales and launched ready on day one sells well in any season. Pick your move date, and every step gets a date.

Your sale price isn’t what lands in your account. Before we list, I’ll give you a net sheet: a written estimate of every cost, so the number you plan around is the real one.

What comes out of the sale price

• Your mortgage payoff, plus any home equity line.
• My full listing service, as set in your listing agreement, and buyer’s agent compensation if you offer it.
• Title and closing fees, and Ohio’s county conveyance fee.
• Any repairs or credits you agree to after the inspection.

The Ohio detail most people miss

Ohio property taxes are paid in arrears, which means each year’s taxes are billed the following year. So at closing, the seller usually credits the buyer for the taxes owed up to that day. It’s normal, and it belongs in your plan from the start.

When you get paid

Your proceeds are released through the title company once the sale closes and records. We’ll know the date well ahead of time.

Less than you think. The goal is a home that photographs well and gives buyers no easy reasons to worry.

Worth doing

• Fresh, neutral paint where it’s needed.
• Bright bulbs in every fixture.
• Small repairs: dripping faucets, sticking doors, loose handles.
• A trimmed yard and a tidy front door.
• Clearing clutter, so every room looks its real size.

Usually not worth it before listing

Big remodels, like a new kitchen or bath. You rarely get the full cost back in the sale, and buyers often want to choose their own finishes.

Bigger issues

If you know about something bigger, like the roof, furnace or water heater, we’ll decide together whether to fix it, price for it or credit for it. Ohio sellers also complete a residential property disclosure form, so being upfront protects you.

Your list

I’ll walk your home with you and give you a short list, in order of what matters most.

Often, yes. I negotiate for it in your sale.

Free possession first

I always ask for free possession: the buyer agrees to let you stay a set number of days after closing without paying rent. How long depends on the buyer and the offer, and it’s all written into the contract.

A rent-back if it comes to that

For a longer stay, the buyer may ask for a daily rate and a deposit. Either way, it’s how most people sell first without moving twice.

Worth knowing

It works best when it’s part of the terms from the start, so tell me early how much time you’ll need.

It makes your purchase depend on your current home selling.

If your home doesn’t sell by a set date, you can step away from the purchase and get your earnest money back.

The trade-off

Sellers prefer offers without one, so in a busy market it can weaken your offer. Listing first, or a strong plan for both closings, often works better.

Short-term financing that uses your current home’s equity to buy the next one before it sells.

It lets you buy first and move once. It usually costs more than a regular mortgage, and you carry both homes for a while.

Another option

A home equity line opened before you list can do a similar job. Your lender can tell you which fits.

It’s the most common question from people who own a home now. There’s no single right answer, but there is a right answer for you.

Sell first

You know exactly what you have to spend, and you’re never paying two mortgages. The trade-off: you may need time in your home after closing. I negotiate for free possession, so you can stay a set number of days without paying rent.

Buy first

You move once, on your schedule. The trade-off: you’ll need the down payment without your current equity, or financing like a bridge loan or home equity line set up with your lender.

Line them up

Make your purchase contingent on your sale, or time both closings for the same week. It takes planning and the right terms, and that’s my job.

Where we start

Your equity, your budget and how quickly homes are selling where you live. One call usually makes the answer clear.

All of Northeast Ohio.

I help people buy and sell homes in Ashtabula, Carroll, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Holmes, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas and Wayne counties. If you’re not sure your town is covered, just ask.

You hear from me the same day, not a call center.

If you’re buying

I call or text to learn what you need, set up your own home search on the MLS so new listings come straight to you, and we make a plan for tours.

If you’re selling

I pull the recent sales near your home, walk through it with you and give you a written range, with every sale behind it.

No pressure

Reaching out doesn’t sign you up for anything. You decide what happens next.

Always in writing, always negotiable, and you’ll know the number before we start.

When you buy

We sign a short buyer agreement before we tour. It says what I’ll do for you and how I’m paid. My pay can come from you, from the seller as part of your offer, or both.

When you sell

One fee for my full listing service, set in your listing agreement. Your net sheet shows it next to every other cost before you list.

Close Point, from accepted offer to keys.

Close Point is a transaction coordination company. It keeps every date, document and follow-up with the lender and title company on track, so nothing slips and you always know what’s next. I stay your point of contact the whole way.