First-Time Buyer Guide · Chris Moore · Jacksonville REALTOR®

Buying your first home is exciting and stressful at the same time. This guide walks you through every step from "I'm thinking about it" to "I have keys", written by a Marine veteran and 10+ year Jacksonville REALTOR® who's helped 300+ families through the process.

Step 1: Get pre-approved

Before you start looking at homes, you need to know what you can afford. A lender will pull your credit, review your income and debts, and issue a pre-approval letter telling you the maximum loan amount you qualify for.

What you'll need:

Two years of W-2s and tax returns
Two months of pay stubs
Two months of bank statements
Government ID

I'll introduce you to 2-3 trusted local lenders. Most lenders won't charge you to issue a pre-approval letter.

Step 2: Understand the costs

Buying a home has more costs than just the down payment. Here's the rough breakdown:

Down payment: 3-20% of the purchase price, depending on loan type
Closing costs: Typically 2-4% of the purchase price
Earnest money: Usually $1,000-$5,000, applied toward your closing costs
Inspection: $400-$700
Appraisal: $500-$700 (sometimes built into closing costs)

Step 3: The search

I'll set you up with a private MLS portal so you see new listings as soon as they hit the market, usually before they show up on Zillow. We'll start with your top 5-10 must-haves and tour homes that fit.

Pro tip: Don't let listing photos do all the thinking for you. Some homes look better in person than online, and vice versa. Trust me. I read between the lines.

Step 4: Write the offer

When you find the one, we'll write an offer that wins without overpaying. Key terms we negotiate:

Purchase price
Earnest money
Closing date
Inspection contingency (always)
Financing contingency
Seller-paid closing costs (sometimes)
Items conveyed (appliances, etc.)

Step 5: Inspection & loan

Once we go under contract, you have ~10 days to do an inspection. I'll recommend trusted inspectors. If something major comes up, we negotiate repairs, credits, or you walk away, your inspection contingency protects you.

Meanwhile your lender is finalizing your loan: appraisal, underwriting, and clear-to-close. This typically takes 30-45 days from contract signing.

Step 6: Closing

The big day. You'll sign about 50 pages of paperwork (which I'll walk through with you), wire your down payment + closing costs, and get the keys. I'm at the closing table with you start to finish.

Florida-specific notes

Property taxes in NE Florida average 0.8-1.2% of assessed value
Homeowners insurance in Florida runs higher than the national average, budget accordingly
Flood insurance may be required depending on the property
Homestead exemption can save you on property taxes, file within 1 year of buying

Mistakes to avoid

Looking at homes before getting pre-approved
Skipping the inspection to "win" a competitive offer
Opening new credit lines during the loan process
Changing jobs mid-loan
Underestimating closing costs

"My job is to make sure you never feel like you don't know what's happening. If you're confused about anything, that's on me, not you. Just ask."

Schedule a First-Time Buyer Consultation

The First-Time Buyer Guide.