Hooray! The home seller just accepted your offer! All of the time and effort you put into finding the perfect home has finally paid off. The only problem? You’re not out of the woods just yet. Until you walk out of your closing with the keys in hand, your new home isn’t guaranteed to be yours.

The problem with buying an existing home is that anything can happen between the offer acceptance and the closing, some of which can even cause you to lose the deal entirely. This is why it is so important to make sure you do the following six things before closing.

#1: YOU NEED TO STAY QUALIFIED

Getting pre-qualified for a mortgage isn’t a guarantee that you’ll be approved for one. This is because your credit at the time of your pre-qualification might be different from your credit at the time of your closing. In order to ensure you get the loan you want, you need to maintain your credit so you can stay qualified all the way through the closing. So, don’t open up any new lines of credit; don’t use any more of your existing credit; and don’t miss any credit payments.

#2: WITHDRAW OR TRANSFER FUNDS WITH CAUTION

Lenders don’t like it when applicants withdraw or transfer funds before closing because it makes them feel that there might be a financial issue going on. So, if you have to do it, make sure you have a record of the transaction and have a written explanation for its purpose because the lender will want to see both.

#3: BUY A HOMEOWNER’S POLICY

Every lender is going to want you to have an active homeowner’s policy in place before closing day. In most cases, the lender will verify your coverage a day prior to closing and in some cases, they may even require you to pay your first year’s premiums in advance. This is usually done by setting up an escrow account.

#4: DOCUMENT ANY LARGE BANK DEPOSITS

Making a sizable deposit into your bank probably won’t hurt your loan chances, but odds are your lender will want to know where it came from. So, tell your lender about the deposit and provide them with any documents relating to the deposit.

#5: WAIT FOR YOUR HUD-1 STATEMENT BEFORE GETTING A CASHIER’S CHECK FOR CLOSING

Your lender will give you an estimate as to how much you can expect your closing costs to be. But, don’t take this number as gospel. Wait until you receive your HUD-1 statement before going to the bank for your cashier’s check for closing. The HUD-1 statement will give you a list of the finalized fees you will be responsible for paying at closing.

#6: GET A CASHIER’S CHECK FOR THE CLOSING COSTS

Your closing costs need to be paid by cashier’s check. And, the check needs to be made out to the title or escrow company that’s handling the closing process. The amount of the cashier’s check needs to cover the exact amount of your closing costs, so as stated, wait until you receive the HUD-1 statement before obtaining your check for closing.

TRINITY’S CUSTOM HOMES CAN DESIGN AND BUILD YOUR BEAUTIFUL NEW HOME

One of the advantages of buying a brand new home is that you don’t have to worry about the seller backing out at the last minute. As you can see above, you already have your hands full prior to closing, but when you’re dealing with a seller, there’s always an added level of risk. By choosing to have your home custom built from the ground up, you cut your worries in half.

Call Trinity Custom Homes today at 888-818-0278 to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced custom home builders. We have builders in five southeastern states, so no matter where you’re located, we’ll be able to help you. When you’re ready to get started, give us a call and let us show you what we can do.

5 Design Tips for Custom Bathrooms

In a custom home design, only the kitchen takes precedence over the master bathroom. This is because like the kitchen, the master bath also needs to be smartly-designed for efficiency, comfort, and functionality.

If you’re thinking about having a home custom built in GA, Trinity Custom Homes can help design and build your perfect home. If you want to ensure that your master bathroom is all it can be, then here are five bathroom design tips from the pros to keep in mind.

#1: There Should Be an Easy Connection Between Bed and Bath

When you’re designing a custom home, your master bedroom and bath need to be sized properly and thoughtfully positioned to provide an easy connection between the two. After all, you need to ensure you earmark space enough for not just the master bedroom and bathroom, but your closet space as well.

The bath should also be placed to provide the user the greatest amount of privacy. For bedrooms with doors that open into the bedroom suite, a smart design would be to place the bath on the other side of a walk-through closet. Or, if the entry opens into a dressing room off the suite, then the bath could be placed in a vestibule-like space, thus allowing one person to get up and get prepared while the other sleeps.

#2: Think About Space Vs Function

A bathroom only has so much space, but it needs to be able to perform a range of functions within that space. So, when designing it, consideration needs to be made in terms of space versus function. In other words – where should the shower, bath, toilet, and vanities be position so as to offer the highest level of efficiency, comfort, and design aesthetic?

#3: Keep the Bathroom’s Design In-Line with the Bedroom

When the bathroom isn’t being used, its door will usually remain open. Therefore, you will want to ensure that your bathroom’s design aesthetic matches or at least complements that of your master bedroom. You’ll also want to consider what you see when you’re looking into the bathroom when standing in the bedroom and vice-versa. This vantage point will help you choose the most picturesque look from both angles.

#4: Choose Compatible Fixtures and Materials

Your bathroom’s design should be similar to that of the rest of your house. For instance, you’ll want to incorporate compatible fixtures and materials so the whole house has a unified feel and textured look. This is important to building a home with a unique character, so don’t just choose any random materials for your bath, think about it!

#5: Don’t Make the Bathroom Bigger Than the Bedroom

As much as you want a big master bath, be careful you don’t take too much real estate from your master bedroom to get it. Ideally, you want your bedroom to be the largest room in the design. And, potential future homebuyers will, too.

Want a Custom Home in GA? Trinity Custom Homes Can Build It For You

Trinity Custom Homes builds premium-grade custom designed home in five southeastern states, including Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama. And, we have a team of in-house architects who can help you design your ideal home, right down to the master bathroom you’ve always dreamed about.

Call Trinity Custom Homes in Ellijay, GA today at 888-818-0278 to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced custom home builders and let us show you why we’ve been one of the area’s most trusted builders for over ten years.