Buyer's Guide

What to expect from our first conversation through closing day.

A Step-by-Step First Time Buyer's Guide

Buying a home is one of the most important financial and personal decisions you'll make. My role is to help you navigate the process with confidence, clarity, and a strategy tailored to your goals. This guide outlines what to expect from our first conversation through closing day, so you can make informed decisions every step of the way.

Step 1: UNDERSTAND YOUR GOALS

Every buyer's situation is unique. Whether you're purchasing your first home, relocating, upsizing, downsizing, or investing, understanding your goals is the foundation of a successful home search.

Before we begin looking at properties, we'll discuss what matters most to you. Your priorities, timeline, budget, lifestyle, and long-term plans will help shape the strategy we create together. My goal is to understand what success looks like for you and develop a plan that supports it from the very beginning.

Step 2: GET FINANCIALLY PREPARED

A strong home search starts with understanding your financial picture. If you're obtaining financing, one of the first steps is securing a pre-approval from a trusted lender.

We'll discuss your budget, estimated monthly payments, down payment options, closing costs, and other financial considerations so you have a clear understanding of your purchasing power. Taking these steps early helps position you as a strong buyer when the right opportunity presents itself.

Step 3: BEGIN YOUR HOME SEARCH

Finding the right home is about more than matching a list of features. It's about finding a property that supports your lifestyle, goals, and future plans.

Together, we'll create a focused search strategy using Compass technology, market insights, and my local expertise. You'll gain access to exclusive opportunities, including Compass Private Exclusives and Compass Coming Soon listings, allowing you to explore homes before many other buyers even know they're available.

Step 4: EVALUATE HOMES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Not every home that looks good online is the right fit in person. As we tour properties, I'll help you evaluate each home's strengths, potential challenges, resale value, and long-term suitability.

We'll look beyond the surface to assess location, condition, market value, future maintenance considerations, and how each property aligns with your goals. My role is to provide objective guidance so you can make informed decisions with confidence.s

Step 5: CRAFT A COMPETITIVE OFFER

When we find the right home, we'll work together to develop an offer strategy that reflects both your goals and current market conditions.

I'll help you understand pricing, contingencies, timelines, disclosures, and negotiation options so you can make informed decisions throughout the process. Every situation is different, and my goal is to position you as strongly as possible while protecting your interests along the way.

Step 6: GO UNDER CONTRACT

Once your offer is accepted, we move into the contract phase. This is where important deadlines, deposits, and milestones begin.

I'll coordinate the necessary paperwork, review key dates with you, and ensure you understand what to expect at each stage. From earnest money deposits to contingency deadlines, my role is to keep everything organized and moving forward smoothly.

Step 7: INSPECTIONS, FINANCING, AND CLOSING PREPARATION

After ratification, several important steps take place behind the scenes. These may include inspections, lender requirements, appraisal, repair negotiations, and final loan approval.

I'll coordinate timelines, communicate with all parties involved, and help you navigate any issues that arise. Throughout this process, you'll always know where we stand, what's next, and what decisions may be needed from you.

Step 8: CLOSING DAY

Closing day is the culmination of months of planning, preparation, and decision-making.

I'll help ensure you're prepared for settlement, review final figures with you, coordinate the final walk-through, and guide you through any last-minute details. My goal is to make sure you arrive at the closing table feeling informed, prepared, and excited about what comes next. Once the documents are signed and the keys are in your hands, you'll be ready to begin the next chapter in your new home.

WELCOME HOME!

Purchasing a home is more than a transaction, sit's the beginning of a new chapter.

Thank you for trusting me to guide you through the process. It is a privilege to help my clients find a home that supports their goals, their lifestyle, and their future. Whether this is your first home or your fifth, my commitment remains the same: to provide clear guidance, thoughtful advice, and steady support every step of the way.

When you're ready to take the next step, I'm here to help.

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My Testimonials

See why my clients love working with me.

Katie P.

Stacie recently helped us sell our home and the entire experience was AMAZING! We had to relocate quickly for a job and wanted to sell immediately. Neighbors referred us to Stacie. From the time we first contacted her, we were ...

Kimberly L.

Stacie has been our realtor from a rental 10 years ago to our first home purchase and 2022 sale. She was fantastic on both ends of the transaction, patient and educated, helpful in advising us through processes we were unfamili...

Danielle T.

Stacie was a DREAM to work with. After having some not-so-great experiences with other agents I decided to work with Stacie after being referred through my favorite lender! She truly listened to what WE wanted rather than telli...

Cynthia S.

Stacie is an absolute legend. She rescued what felt like a capsized ship in a week! Stacie swooped in and saved the day when our original agent abruptly cancelled our listing agreement after only 8 days (the day after a ready-t...

Karen C.

We had the absolute pleasure of working with Stacie, and simply put, she is the epitome of what a real estate professional should be. From start to finish, Stacie went above and beyond to ensure every detail was handled with ca...

Aaron D.

Stacie is amazing! We have bought 3 homes and sold 1 using her as our realtor. She is incredibly hard-working and a true expert in the housing market. She always does her research and has been spot-on with her advice on offers....

Whitney G.

Stacie helped me to find my first home at the age of 24. She worked with me to find not only the location and amenities that I hoped for but also a place I felt safe in. Now, 7 years later, she helped my husband and I find our ...

Shelby E.

Stacie helped me rent my first two places in northern Virginia and then buy my first townhouse. She guided me on the price range, neighborhood, etc. When a townhouse came on the market at a competitive time, Stacie went on a Fr...

Ryan H.

Stacie is truly exceptional and made all the difference in our home buying experience. This was a major undertaking, as we were literally moving across the country. We were not familiar with the area and needed someone we could...

Mark C.

Stacie met and exceeded my wife and I's expectations in all aspects related to helping us find our new home. My wife and I lived most of our lives in the Midwest and we both landed new jobs in the Washington DC area. Neither of...

Tim S.

Stacie was our agent for two home sales (each sold in one day!) and one home purchase. She and her team did a really good job helping us stage our house. She keeps on top of every step of the process in a professional manner. S...

Joanna S.

Stacie was such a great realtor to work with in both the sale of our old home and the purchase of a new one. She is professional, friendly and extremely knowledgeable. I truly felt that she wanted us to find the home that we lo...

William B.

I have known Stacie for a number of years both as a friend and as a real estate agent. One of Stacie's best qualities is obtaining the highest price for the current market conditions, thereby not only satisfying the seller's fi...

Julie K.

I've bought/sold several homes and now know what working with a realtor should be like! During the sale of my Alexandria VA home, Stacie was professional, friendly, forthright, organized, timely, and kept me informed and on tra...

Pamela W.

If you are lucky enough to work with Stacie Hennig Davis, count your lucky stars. She took time to learn what was important to me in both selling my home and buying a new one. Her advice for getting my home ready to sell paid o...

Marion B.

Stacie is truly the best. Her knowledge and professionalism in helping me prepare my home for sale, the sale process and even after the sale was amazing. She knows the market and will get you the best price as well as being a r...

Phillip T.

I could not have asked for a better realtor! Stacie was extremely proactive and helpful from the first day I met her. She made me feel like I was walking through this process with someone who had my best interest at heart. Stac...

Niloofar A.

My husband and I loved working with Stacie in our search for our dream home. She is knowledgeable, diligent, professional, hardworking, responsive, patient, honest and so very kind. She made the home search/purchase process whi...

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