Gwen Janicki's Advice

You'll want to estalish a relationship with a Buyer's Agent who represents only you and not the seller or you and the seller.  This is the kind of agency contract where the agent you select works exclusively for you and provides you with the highest level of service and confidentiality. It puts you in a far more favorable negotiating position versus being either unrepresented or having the seller's agent acting as a dual agent.Best of luck in your search!Gwen JanickiPrudential Fox & Roach[contact information deleted by Zillow moderator.  Please see our Good Neighbor Policy]

FirstFirsFirst you'll want to hire a local Realtor who will do a comparative market analysis (CMA). He/she will research all the recently sold properties in your area that are comparable to your home, compare your major features, sq. ft, amenities, lot size, etc. and determine a recommended list price. If the listing price is not perfectly clear, you can also hire a ‘local' appraiser do a full appraisal on your home. I stress local appraiser because, as a Seller, you can hire someone who understands your local market, location and what might make it special. He will also do a better job of selecting appropriate comps if there aren't any in your immediate area. It's a great way to get an unbiased opinion of your home's value from people who work with banks everyday and know what they expect. Use these two professional opinions to determine your listing price.Hope you find this helpful!Gwen Janicki 

I agree with Lori, I wouldn't hesitate if that agent has what you want.  As you  know from your Consumer Notice, your Buyer Agent is working exclusively for you even though the commission is paid by the Seller.  Among other things, your agent has an obligation to deal honestly and in good faith, provide you with expert advice, and keep your information confidential.  If you have any other questions about the notice ask your agent to go over it in detail.Best of luck!Gwen JanickiPrudential Fox  & Roachwww.strictlymainline.com610 207-3995

Polly, If you can post the address or MLS number I can try to find someone for you to contact.Gwen JanickiPrudential Fox & Roach[contact information deleted by Zillow moderator. Please see our Good Neighbor Policy.]

By all means hire a residential real estate attorney.  The legal consequences from mistakes occuring during the buying process can lead to some major headaches. An attorney who specializes in residential real estate will review your contract, work with your mortgage loan officer, and make sure that dates are set for home inspections, mortgage commitment and other contingencies.An attorney will also review important documents, including the deed, legal descriptions, mortgage loan documents, and title. The attorney you select should also attend your closing.Only an experienced professional, who is closely familiar with these documents, can catch problems that will save you future expenses to correct. It's good to have someone experienced looking out for your legal interests.Costs for an attorney can vary.  Some attorneys charge a flat fee from contract to closing and others will charge an hourly rate. But, before proceeding, ask for a retainer agreement that outlines the attorney's charges and responsibilities in detail. 

I sell Main Line, PA real estate and don't work your area, but Trend, our MLS system, provided the following statistics for East Stroudsburg, PA  2011 year-to-date ($100K and above): 33 units were listed with a total listed dollar volume of $6,044,325, the average days on market was 234, and the average listed price was $183.2K with an average sold price of $129.9K.Hope you find this helpful.Gwen

Most appraisers tell me legally an appraisal is not supposed to be based on the price of a home.  However, the assumption is that the higher the square footage, the higher the selling price, and therefore, the higher the appraisal cost.  This is due to the complexity of the appraisal. It takes more time because there are more systems, more time spent at the property, and more data to pour through when looking at or finding comps. It should be referred to as a "complex assignment fee."

You got good information from everyone who replied.  In PA, you will receive a HUD 1 that will outline in detail what your closing costs will be.  Make sure to review this with your agent.  The title company is likely to suggest that you bring a small amount over the costs outlined on the HUD 1 to cover anything unexpected.  Bring one cashier's check for that amount made out to the title company and expect to walk away with a check for that extra amount if it isn't needed. If you are in the process of buying a home, you should have already supplied checks for the initial and second deposits.Good Luck!Gwen Janickiwww.strictlymainline.com610 207-3995

The other responses have thoroughly covered the differences between pre-qualified and pre-approval.  Just to close the loop, the final step is the loan commitment that is issued by the bank when you've been approved and the house you want to purchase has appraised at or above the purchase price.  Your credit and income will also be checked one more time to make sure nothing has changed.

In addition to the great answers below, the form actually authorizes the Broker or his agents to provide your SS# to anyone needing it in the course of finalizing your transaction, such as lenders, title agencies, credit reporting companies, etc. A separate authorization form is needed for each party involved in the transaction.Hope this is helpful. Good luck!Gwen