You found the dream home. Perfect location, perfect schools, the mortgage company pre approved you and you are ready to move in. So what is the next step in the process of buying your dream home?

The first step in the process is to sit down with your real estate professional and work up an offer. This will contain any contingencies that you may have. The chandelier you have to have, the pool service doing a final check up or the time frame for the closing. These are the type of contingency items commonly added to the offer package. Your real estate professional will be able to guide you and assist in wording during this process.

The agent writes up the offer and presents it to the seller on your behalf. There may be counter offers and amendments to the first offer - don't be alarmed. Once the offer is accepted, your real estate agent will begin to walk you through the mortgage approval process. Real estate professionals are accustomed to working with mortgage providers and lenders. They will be able to assist you with any items you may have questions on.

While the mortgage is finalizing, there will be a home inspection which you will want to participate in with your real estate professional. This is the time to take a look around noting any repairs needed and any other contingency requirements that are not met to date.

Once the mortgage is approved there will be a pre-settlement inspection to ensure that the repairs noted in the home inspection are complete and that no other damage has occurred in the home. During this same time frame, the title company will be processing the title and set up the escrow account. This part of the process is usually invisible to the buyer using a real estate professional.

The title company will get the entire document package and set up a time with you and your real estate agent to have a document signing date. In the meantime you need to arrange for homeowner's insurance for the property, and to schedule all utilities to be switched over once you have taken possession of the home.

At settlement, or closing, your attorney or the title agent will walk you through all the documentation you'll need to sign. Be ready, there will be a lot of it! The date you take possession of the home will be defined in the sales contract, but is usually the day of closing.

Once all the paperwork has been signed, you will get the keys to your new home!