I have no plans on winging it on my own. I don't want to use an agent, but I know I need an agent. Therefore, I'll be getting in contact with a few and choosing one to roll with. I thought I've said this before, but you seem to continue talking to me as if I'm going absolutely solo with no agent whatsoever. I am missing something.

I also plan on having the house inspected. My cousin Kelly said on the house he just bought that he skipped the inspection. I'm not willing to skip an inspection, or a walk through of the house.
If it happens quick, I'm good with that. I have my boundaries. I have my limits. I won't be pushed and I won't be rushed. Meaning, if I offer $190,000 and someone offers $205,000 -- I am perfectly fine walking and won't let someone push or rush me into upping my offer to something I'm not comfortable with.

I'm am also fine paying the Private Mortgage Insurance.

The thinking I have going into this is the more money I do not spend up front, the more money I have for when things go bonkers. I am figuring after a couple years I should have the hang of being a homeowner better understood and at that time I'll start making an extra payment or boost my payments by 50%.

Inspector is the best money you will spend in the transaction, probably the best money you will have spent in your lifetime. Accompany the inspector, and tell your agent, before you sign the agency agreement, that you insist on him coming also.

You will be paying mip not pmi, probably. Mortgage Insurance premium. That is what you pay through an fha loan. You pay at settlement and throughout the life of the loan, not just until you get to 80% loan to value. Your initial premium is financed so you do not pay it at closing. Pmi is private mortgage insurance, which is more expensive, and comes with a conventional mortgage. It is eligible to be dropped once you get to 80% loan to value, but you have to apply to the bank and will
include having to pay for an appraiser

Good. I did miss the part about you agreeing to get an agent...whew!
Let's reiterate:

Step 1: Continue to look at homes as they pop up and ask questions as needed...

Step 2: Get a buyer agent, have him or her pull the available listing meeting your criteria, explain how you wish to roll, your unanswered questions at that point, get a fair estimate of closing costs, understanding that some items will move based on sale price,etc.
3. In concert with your agent, discuss lending options, banks, appraisers, pre approval amounts, etc. Apply and get a pre approval.

4. Now it is time to start looking at homes.
Do not invert this order of proceeding.

As to competing offers, the best way to combat potential competing offers is with a short offer period. Your agent can call the listing agent and find our if his client is available that afternoon or evening. Then you write an offer at the price you have decided to go with, and give the seller as little time as you and your agent deem prudent. You might go as little as 24 hours, or even midnight that day. Your offer expires at the date and time you select. If he signs prior to the expiration, congratulations, you have a signed contract. If he goes past that time and signs, you have to sign again, because it was no longer valid with just his signature. These are called offers and acceptances. If you went midnight, for example, he's pressured into deciding pretty much then and there with YOUR agent present to assist HIS agent to take the deal in hand, hopefully. ANY change to your offer he makes must then require your signed acceptance before the contract is valid. Executed is the technical term.

Moving fast helps too.
As we already see, the homes are getting picked up quickly. Your agent calls you about a property, you haul ass over there. I will warn you that some sellers get paranoid about selling so quick. Remember, they have to move too, and really can't plan for every scenario, including a sale the day after they listed their home. Hopefully their agent explained that regardless of how hot the market is, the home has to appraise at fair market value, which they arrived at when they did the competitive market analysis when listed.

Now let's complicate shit some more...the opposite end of the spectrum, if you will...the high Dom listing...days on market. You have a home that the market is telling the owner is over priced. They MAY be on the verge of coming to their senses, and an opportunity exists to write a low offer, as they may be freaking out watching other homes sell. The problem with that, unfortunately, is they have already evidenced some stubbornness, at least on paper. You just don't know, but your agent can pow wow to a degree with the listing agent to find out the seller situation. The problem could be something you don't even give a shit about...every single home is different, even identical homes right next to one another. One might have a loose nut behind the entrance door, for example, lol

This is what I'm scoping out here now. I've had a few folks recommend agents. I'm going through the list here.

https://www.realtor.com/realestateagents/howard_wi/sort-recommendations/pg-2

Zero2Cool;439172This is what I'm scoping out here now. I've had a few folks recommend agents. I'm going through the list here.

https://www.realtor.com/realestateagents/howard_wi/sort-recommendations/pg-2

That Jared Stupsky looks like he might be a good fit for you. I read his reviews...check him out!

dfosterf;439173That Jared Stupsky looks like he might be a good fit for you. I read his reviews...check him out!

Area of focus is Fox Valley and does not have big titties.

Zero2Cool;439175Area of focus is Fox Valley and does not have big titties.

Your link took me to Howard WI, not Green Bay. Why don't you just pick one you think you might like and call them. They still have phones, ya know, that can still be used to...ya know...call someone, lol

Or post who you like here
.

dfosterf;439176Your link took me to Howard WI, not Green Bay. Why don't you just pick one you think you might like and call them. They still have phones, ya know, that can still be used to...ya know...call someone, lol

Or post who you like here.

Ha, I posted it so you would see I'm getting an agent. I'll snag one that feels good to me.

Zero2Cool;439177Ha, I posted it so you would see I'm getting an agent. I'll snag one that feels good to me.

Just try to make sure that the whole feel good thing you got going on places a higher priority on brains than boobs, though good feeling boobs are nice, and no one here is going to fault you for going boobs over brains, even though boobs might cost you money in the long run due to incompetence, but to be fair boobs are usually expensive for any man. In a perfect world you find boobs and brains, you would just have to feel her out on these issues.

I think all those "contingent" designations I am seeing in the Green Bay listings are a product of a local designation vs. what you would see in most multi-lists. Contingent is normally the designation for a home under contract, but contingent upon the sale of the buyers home. Due to the sheer volume of contingent designations I am seeing in Green Bay, I suspect that they use that designation for all homes that are under contract and simply awaiting the financing contingency or perhaps all contingencies to be eliminated prior to using the designation, "sold".
The difference is significant in a hot market, because an offer without the home sold 1st requirement can be superior to one with it. I have already discussed the potential advantages to a home sold 1st contingency, so will not go there. I could be wrong, but it is one example of how all real estate is local, with different laws, traditions, and even differing terms and phrases.

Started speaking with someone about getting pre-approved for a loan.

This is part of the form she sent me and said "I totally didn’t know how much you wanted, so started here.
Can go a lot higher but didn’t know what you were hoping for.
Anyway, let me know and we can discuss or give me a call anytime."

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