DelRose McShane Team · Coldwell Banker Realty · Belmont, MA
The Real Estate Process
Every phase, every milestone, every decision mapped out so you know exactly what to expect before it happens. Click any event to go deeper.
1
Visualize Home Ownership
6 months to 2 years out
All Buyers
The Decision to Buy
Whether it's an aspiration built over years or something life has made urgent, this moment sets everything else in motion.
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All Buyers
Identify Your Priorities
Commute, school districts, walkability, neighborhood feel -- understanding what matters most to you before the search begins makes every decision clearer.
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All Buyers
Build Your Foundation
Credit, savings, market context -- the work done now determines what's available when the search begins. And home prices can rise over the course of a search.
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2
Assess Your Buying Power
4 to 8 weeks
Financing Path
Financed
Connect with a Lender
The pre-approval conversation. Understanding your buying power before you fall in love with a house.
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Financed
Secure Pre-Approval
Not required to begin looking, but non-negotiable before making an offer. Missing this step costs buyers deals.
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Financed
Understand Your Full Cost Picture
The monthly payment is one number. The full picture includes application fees, inspection, insurance, closing costs, and moving expenses.
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Cash Path
Cash
Proof of Funds
Cash buyers carry certainty. Having documentation ready is how you leverage that advantage the moment the right property appears.
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Cash
Know Your Other Costs
No mortgage application or appraisal fees. Inspection, attorney, title insurance, and moving costs still apply.
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3
Home Search
Weeks to months · Ends with accepted offer
All Buyers
Execute Brokerage Documents
To see homes with proper representation, brokerage documents must be signed. Some are contracts, some are disclosures, and some are designed to inform.
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All Buyers
Attend Open Houses and Showings
Seeing volume builds market knowledge. You develop a feel for what a house at a given price actually looks like -- and how to protect yourself in the process.
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All Buyers
Evaluate Properties
Condition, systems, layout, location signals -- what we're reading beneath the surface of every showing, and how to interpret what the market is telling you.
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4
Offers and Negotiation
Up to 14 business days after accepted offer
All Buyers
Structure and Submit the Offer
Price is one variable. Deposit, contingencies, timing, and certainty of close are the levers that win deals in a competitive market.
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Financed
Home Inspection
Typically within 7 to 10 days of offer acceptance. The goal is to understand what you're buying, not to find reasons to walk away.
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Cash
Inspection (Optional for Cash Buyers)
Cash buyers sometimes waive the inspection contingency to strengthen an offer. That's a strategy decision we discuss carefully before deciding.
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All Buyers
Purchase and Sale Agreement
The binding contract. Drafted by both attorneys. The second deposit is due at signing.
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5
Prepare to Close
Cash: 10+ business days · Financed: 45 to 90 days
Financing Path
Financed
Mortgage Application
Filed within one business day of P&S execution. The formal start of the underwriting process.
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Financed
Appraisal
The lender's independent confirmation of value. Typically ordered after the lender receives a copy of the P&S.
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Financed
Mortgage Commitment
The lender's formal commitment to fund the loan. Typically received one to two weeks prior to closing.
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Cash Path
Cash
Title Search and Insurance
Your attorney confirms clear ownership. Title insurance protects against any claims not discovered in the search.
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Cash
Confirm Closing and Wire Funds
Cash closings move faster. Coordinate timing with your attorney and ensure funds are positioned and ready.
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6
Close and Move In
Closing disclosure at least 3 business days prior
All Buyers
Closing Disclosure
Delivered at least 3 business days before closing. Review every line -- this is your final cost breakdown before you sign.
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All Buyers
Final Walkthrough
Ideally the morning of closing. Confirm the property is in agreed condition and all agreed repairs are complete.
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All Buyers
Closing Day
Documents signed. Funds wired. Keys in hand. Nothing is real until it is signed and funded -- and then it is completely real.
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1
Deciding to Move
1 year to 2 weeks out
The Decision
A destination, a life event, an opportunity -- or all three at once. Understanding why you're moving shapes every strategic decision that follows.
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Early Consultation
The earlier we talk, the more options you have. A conversation a year out changes what's possible at the time of list.
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This phase frequently overlaps with Phase 1. Preparation can begin months or even a year before the listing date.
2
Pre-Listing Preparation
Months ahead · Final push 10 to 14 days out
Long Runway
Declutter and Repair
Months of slow, deliberate work. Maintenance, repairs, and editing the space so it shows its best self.
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Develop Listing Strategy
Pricing philosophy, path to market, timing -- all of this is worked out before the camera arrives.
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Final 10 to 14 Days
Professional Photography and Floor Plans
How the home is photographed determines whether a buyer clicks or scrolls past. This is where the first impression is made.
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Marketing Materials and Promotion
Property website, exclusive look to agent network, coming soon -- everything goes before the listing goes live.
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3
Listed for Sale
Days to weeks · Correctly priced: 6 to 9 days to offer
Go Live on MLS
Wednesday or Thursday list. Saturday and Sunday open houses. Offers typically due Monday or Tuesday. The first week is the most critical.
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Showings and Open Houses
Managing access, interpreting buyer feedback, and reading the market in real time. Every showing is data.
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Read the Market Response
Days on market is the most powerful signal in real estate. We track it in real time and adjust when the data tells us to.
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4
Offers and Negotiation
10 to 14 business days after accepted offer
Receive and Review Offers
Price is not always the deciding factor. Certainty, terms, and the buyer's financial strength all matter -- and we evaluate them together.
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Negotiate and Accept
How a response is framed matters as much as the substance. The goal is the best outcome, not the loudest negotiation.
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Buyer Inspection Period
The buyer schedules inspections within the agreed window. Results may prompt further negotiation on repairs or credits.
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Purchase and Sale Agreement
The binding contract between buyer and seller. Reviewed by both attorneys. All terms are locked here.
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5
Closing
Cash: 30+ days · Financed: 45 to 90 days
Meet Contractual Obligations
Smoke and CO inspections, agreed repairs, utility transfers -- everything the P&S requires of the seller before keys change hands.
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Move Out and Prepare for Walkthrough
The property should be empty, broom-clean, and in the agreed condition before the buyer's final walkthrough.
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Closing Day
Documents signed, deed recorded, proceeds wired. Nothing is real until it is signed and funded. Then it is done.
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Mike DelRose Jr. | REALTOR® | DelRose McShane Team | Coldwell Banker Realty
130 Concord Ave, Belmont MA 02478 | 617.515.7715 | MikeJr@DelRoseMcShane.com
MA License #9515899 | Broker #8064
Timelines reflect Massachusetts market practice and will vary by transaction. This page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice.