The First-Time Buyer's Guide to the Galax Area
Everything you need to buy your first home with confidence.
Who this guide is for
This guide is for first-time home buyers looking around Galax, Hillsville, Fancy Gap, Laurel Fork, Woodlawn or Wytheville. If you've never bought a home, you probably have questions about money, paperwork and what happens when. Here's the whole path, in order, in plain words.
Help me buy my first home
Buying your first home, step by step
- Get pre-approved. A lender tells you what you can borrow and what you'll need for a down payment and closing costs. Buyers here use conventional, FHA, VA and USDA Rural Development loans.
- Sign a buyer agreement. In Virginia, you'll sign a buyer agreement with an agent's brokerage before touring. It explains what your agent does for you and how they're paid, and it can cover one home or your whole search.
- Learn the market. See what your budget buys in each town, and think about how you'll live there: the drive, the roads in winter, well and septic or public water and sewer.
- Tour and choose. Look at fewer, better homes. Ask your agent for a straight opinion on each one.
- Make an offer. Include earnest money, a good-faith deposit that varies with the deal and can be as little as $100. It's held by the closing attorney or settlement company.
- Inspect. You'll usually have about 10 days, set by your contract, to have the home inspected and ask for repairs or renegotiate.
- Close. In Virginia, you choose the closing attorney or settlement company. Sign, pay, and get your keys.
Mistakes first-time buyers make
- Shopping before pre-approval. You can lose the right house while you wait on a lender.
- Skipping the inspection. Always get a professional licensed home inspection, and on rural homes, check the well and septic too.
- Ignoring the drive. A home that's perfect in October can be hard to reach in February. Ask about winter roads.
- Forgetting the county line. Around Galax, a home can be in the city or in Carroll or Grayson County, which changes taxes and schools.
- Not asking questions. Ask everything. A good agent would rather answer twice than have you sign something you don't understand.
How I help, and your next step
I'm Linda S Freeman, owner and broker of Avante Realty Group. As a former nurse and case manager, I'm used to explaining new things in plain words, and as a fix-and-flip investor, I'll tell you what I see in every house.
Your next step: get pre-approved, then call me at (276) 733-8880 and we'll make a plan. The full process is on how buying works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who picks the closing attorney?
You do. In Virginia, the buyer has the right to choose the closing attorney or settlement company.
How much earnest money will I need?
It varies with the price and the deal. It can be as little as $100, and some sellers ask for more.
Keep exploring
Ready to make your move with Avante Realty Group?