Ten steps up. One clear path.

Consultation

A free, quick call about your budget, timing, and where you want to live. Already found the house? We start there.

Pre-approval

Get pre-approved with any lender you choose (online, in person, or over the phone; ask us for recommendations), or have proof of funds ready if you're paying cash. Either one tells sellers you're serious.

Home search

Save your must-haves once, and new matching listings land in your inbox automatically. Browse on your own schedule.

Insider tip Keep a list of your deal-breakers, not just your must-haves. Thirty windows won't make a house bright if they all face north. We'll use both lists to screen homes before you tour.

Tours

Pick the homes and the times, evenings and weekends included, whenever the seller allows showings. Can't make it in person? Tour by live video.

Insider tip Narrow it down before you go. We can visit your top picks first and report back with anything the listing left out.

Offer

We draft your offer on the standard NC contract (price, due diligence fee, earnest money, and closing date), and you e-sign it from your phone.

Insider tip NC offers include two deposits. Earnest money shows you're serious, and you can usually get it back if you walk away during due diligence. The due diligence fee goes straight to the seller and usually isn't refundable: it's your commitment to this house. Both come off what you owe at closing.

Due diligence

Usually 10–14 days to inspect everything: a general home inspection, plus structure, septic, radon, flood, and termites as needed. Walk away in this window and you usually keep your earnest money, but not the due diligence fee.

Negotiation

Not every flaw is worth a fight. We help you pick the repairs or credits that matter, then negotiate with the seller before due diligence ends.

Appraisal

If you're financing, the lender's appraisal confirms the home's value while your loan heads to final approval. Meanwhile, the closing attorney checks the title. We keep tabs on both so you don't have to chase them.

Final prep

A short checklist, timed to your closing date: homeowners insurance, utilities, and movers. Need vendor names? Just ask. Then a final walk-through to confirm agreed repairs are done.

Closing

Sign with the closing attorney (in person, or ask about signing remotely), the deed is recorded, and the keys are yours.

Insider tip Wire fraud commonly targets closings. Before you send money, call the attorney's office at a number you already know to confirm the wiring instructions, and never trust an email that changes them.

Home value

What's your home worth? Enter your address for a free, automated estimate in seconds. It's a starting point, not an appraisal. We'll sharpen it together in step 2. Results open on NorthGroup Real Estate's website.

Consultation

A free call first, then a walk-through of your home, in person or by video. We look at recent nearby sales, your timing, and your goals, and set a pricing plan together.

Insider tip Your list price should come from a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA): recent sales of similar homes nearby, adjusted for differences like size, condition, and upgrades. It's far more grounded than any online estimate.

Prep

A short prep list, timed to your listing date: the quick fixes and staging touches that pay off, and the projects that don't.

Listing

Professional photos, a sharp description, and your home on the MLS and the major home search sites it feeds.

Showings

Buyers book showings online, on a schedule you approve, with a heads-up before each one. Open houses are optional, your call. We pass along any feedback we get.

Offers

Every offer in one side-by-side view: price, due diligence fee, earnest money, financing, and closing date. You choose; we negotiate.

Insider tip The highest price isn't always the best offer. We'll help you weigh up-front deposits, closing timeline, and financing to find the one that fits your plans.

Inspections

The buyer's inspectors visit during due diligence. Not every repair request deserves a yes. We help you decide what to fix, credit, or decline, then negotiate with the buyer.

Appraisal

If the buyer is financing, their lender's appraiser confirms the value. Meanwhile, the closing attorney checks the title. We keep tabs on both so you don't have to chase them.

Insider tip A low appraisal doesn't have to sink the deal. The buyer can cover the gap, you can meet in the middle, or we can ask the lender to reconsider with stronger comparable sales.

Final prep

A short checklist, timed to your closing date: agreed repairs, movers, and utilities. Need vendor names? Just ask. Then the buyer does a final walk-through.

Closing

Sign with the closing attorney (in person, or ask about signing remotely), hand over the keys, and receive your proceeds.

Insider tip Wire fraud targets sellers too. Give your payout instructions to the attorney's office directly, by phone or in person, and never trust an email asking you to change them.