(Usually somewhere between 7 and 10 days.) You then have a certain amount of time to order an inspection. This means the house is officially under contract. The seller receives your offer and agrees to the terms. You draft the offer letter with a repair contingency that gives you the ability to hire an inspector to gather more information. You do so without a full understanding of the condition of the home, other than what’s visible and apparent to your untrained eye. You find a house you like, and you put in an offer that you deem to be acceptable. Even if this isn’t your first purchase, it’s nice to have a refresher. It’s helpful to start with an overview of the process so that you know what to expect. But the better you understand how to handle this phase of the process, the less frustrating it should be. The due diligence and repair process that follows an accepted offer would fall into this latter category. And while certain aspects are fun – like touring homes and finding precisely what you want – other elements are pure drudgery. The home buying process is long and complicated.
