Buying - Michelle Fanto-Chan

Find Your Dream Home

Find your dream home with Michelle Fanto-Chan, a trusted real estate professional in the Bay Area. Michelle’s extensive knowledge of the local market and commitment to her clients make the home buying process smooth and enjoyable. With Michelle, buying your dream home is not just a transaction, but a journey filled with exciting discoveries and absolute satisfaction.

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INDIVIDUALIZED PERSONAL SERVICE MAKES
ALL THE DIFFERENCE!

Working WITH MICHELLE

“Having a full-service Realtor can mean the difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Getting the home ready for market, an extensive marketing plan that reaches the most potential buyers, and skilled negotiating make a huge difference.

When you select me, you get individualized and personal attention. You get someone who listens to what you want and need. You won’t be pushed off on some team member who doesn’t understand your needs. I will be there each step of the way.

Most of my business comes from referrals. I give 110% to my clients and get great results. That is why they refer me to their family and friends. The relationship with your real estate agent needs to be based on trust that your agent is doing everything they can in your best interest.

Please read through the materials below on the buying process. You’ll get a chance to see what other clients have experienced and what makes my marketing plan the best in the industry. My business has grown very quickly because I am different from the other agents out there. I look forward to showing you the personalized attention you deserve and how I can help you exceed your real estate expectations. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to earn your business!”

PROCESS TO BUY A HOME

Learn About BUYING A HOME

Buying a new home is a big step, so congratulations! Purchasing a home in California can be a stressful process for the buyer (and seller too), bringing a mixture of emotions – excitement, nervousness, and uncertainty. Michelle knows because she has helped hundreds of buyers and sellers go through the same process you’re about to start. Choose Michelle to represent you on your first (or 10th) home purchase – she makes the process as seamless as possible.

Obtain PRE-APPROVAL

Why Pre-Approval Matters

The first step in any home search is finding out exactly how much home you can afford and securing the financing to make the purchase. While you can get a rough estimate through prequalification, taking the extra step to obtain pre-approval will give you some added advantages.

Pre-approval helps you:

Understand your financial condition
Know exactly how much home you can afford before you begin your home search
Strengthen your purchasing power when making an offer

When you find a home you love and are ready to make an offer, your mortgage pre-approval lets the seller know that you’re serious and fully prepared to buy their home, putting you in a stronger position than other potential buyers.

The Pre-Approval Process

Here are some of the documents that you will need to provide your lender to get the pre-approval process started:

Income

Current pay stubs, usually for last two months
W-2s or 1099s, usually for last two years
Tax returns, usually for last two years

Assets

Bank statements
Investments/brokerage firm statements
Net worth of businesses owned (if applicable)

Debts

Credit card statements
Loan statements
Alimony/child support payments (if applicable)

Choose YOUR AGENT

Choose a Top Rated Real Estate Agent

Finding the right Real Estate Agent is an important decision that may impact how long you are searching for a home and how much you will ultimately pay for the home. Finding a well connected and experienced Real Estate Agent will not only get you in the door to your dream home faster, but they usually help negotiate a deal that you are 100% satisfied with. Working with an experienced agent, like Michelle, that is committed to providing clients with exceptional customer service experience will be a tremendous help in the home buying process.

Home SEARCH BEGINS

The home search officially begins! Based on your budget, Michelle will send you several home that are available on the market that matches your overall preferences. Based on what you want to see, Michelle will join you on home tours to see how you like the home – she will also there to answer any questions you may have. Once you found a home you like, the process of offers and negotiations begin.

Making AN OFFER

There are many factors that influence the market value of a home. Michelle will give you the insight and information you need to make an offer you’re comfortable with.

Some of the factors to consider include:

How long the home has been on the market
If the price has been reduced
How much the home is worth – your agent will provide a comparable market analysis (CMA) showing the list and sale prices for similar homes in your area
If there are multiple offers
Other items that might be included in the sale (furniture, hot tub, etc.)
The “list to sale price ratio,” an indication of how competitive the market is for homes in this area
Why the seller is selling
Whether the seller is offering an assumable loan or financing

Once the offer is written, Michelle will present it to the seller’s agent. At that point the seller can accept your offer, reject it or counter it to start the negotiation process. Michelle will work with you to plan a strategy to ensure the most advantageous terms and acceptable pricing for you and your budget.

Enter INTO CONTRACT

After a seller selects your offer, Michelle will notify and congratulate you. You are now officially in contract! The clock starts ticking at this point and the loan process has begun. Any contingencies written in your contract will need to be met within the timeframe specified in your offer.

A contingency is a condition or clause for certain items such as inspections. an appraisal and financing approval. While your contingencies are in place, your initial earnest money deposit is protected. Once released. you are saying you are satisfied with those particular conditions. It is important to have a Loan Advisor you trust so you are able to meet these deadlines on time.

Submit YOUR LOAN

After you receive your ratified contract, the lender will send a copy to an Underwriter for review. Once we enter into escrow, you will provide any necessary fees or terms from the Escrow Officer. Your Escrow Officer will instruct you where to submit an initial earnest money deposit to show your serious commitment as a buyer. This deposit is a percentage set within your purchase contract and will serve as part of your down payment contribution.

The lender will then discuss locking in your interest rate and send over disclosure forms for you to sign. Your disclosures will contain information regarding lender laws, terms of your loan, and details about closing costs and prepaid items.

After you sign the disclosures and documents are received. The lender will work with a Loan Processor who will prepare your file for submission for an Underwriter’s review.

Order AN APPRAISAL

The lender will order your appraisal after you get into contract. Michelle can monitor and expedite your appraisal if needed. The appraisal is the only cost you will have to pay for upfront.

After the Appraiser inspects your home, they will work on putting together the final report as well as calculating the appraised value. The final report is usually sent to you and the lender within a few days after the inspection takes place. Together, Michelle and you can review your appraisal and go over any questions you have within the report. The appraisal will be sent to the Underwriter to review along with your complete loan file.

Underwriting YOUR LOAN

The Underwriter will analyze your financial documents and overall strength and risk associated with your loan file.

In their decision, they will review your credit history, assets, income and debt-to-income ratios. Within their analysis, the Underwriter will make sure your total debt ratio falls within lender and investor guidelines. After thorough review of your loan file, the Underwriter will approve or deny your application for a loan.

Once approved, the lender will send over a list of conditions necessary to satisfy your loan approval. There will also be some internal conditions such as verifying your tax filing records with the IRS (known as a 4506-T form), verification of employment information and receipt of your completed appraisal.

Be sure to send requested conditions back to the lender in a timely manner since these items will need to be sent back to the Underwriter for a final review and sign off on your loan.

Signing LOAN DOCUMENTS

After the Underwriter receives your final loan conditions and completed appraisal, they will clear your file for closing. The lender will confirm the final terms of the loan and order your loan documents which will be ready for you to sign. Your signing appointment will be coordinated with either the Escrow Officer or a licensed notary.

During the last 5 days before closing, you will do a final walk through which gives you a chance to verify that the property is as it was when you made your offer and any of the things that the seller agreed to fix have been done.

Once all contingencies are met, your Escrow Officer will package your documents together. This is referred to as your funding package and is immediately sent back to your lender and assigned to a Funder for review. The Funder will sign off on any remaining conditions for the loan. Once the loan is ready to fund, the Funder will wire the final loan figures to the Escrow Officer who will then disburse the funds to the appropriate parties.

Receiving YOUR KEYS

Typically, your loan documents are officially filed and recorded with the county a day after funding. Michelle will let you know when your loan is on record. Once that happens, you are the official owner of your new home, and you can make arrangements with her to pick up your keys. Congratulations on your new home!

DISCOVER YOUR BAY AREA DREAM HOME

Featured LISTINGS

Dive into the world of luxury real estate with Michelle and her team’s curated listings. Whether you’re looking for a cozy home in Danville, a modern apartment in Lafayette, a spacious house in San Ramon, or a luxury property in Dublin, Alamo, or Walnut Creek, Michelle’s listings cater to a variety of tastes and preferences. Start your home buying journey with Michelle and find the perfect property that suits your lifestyle in the vibrant Tri-Valley and East Bay areas.

WHY YOU SHOULD WORK WITH MICHELLE

Michelle's NUMBERS

Work with Michelle Fanto-Chan, a top real estate agent in the Bay Area, and experience the difference of professional excellence. With over $75 million in individual sales in just 24 months and over $2 billion in total team sales to date, Michelle’s track record speaks for itself. Ranked in the top 1% of real estate agents nationwide, she is committed to her clients and their real estate goals. With her extensive knowledge of the local market and strategic approach, Michelle guides her clients through the real estate process, ensuring their needs are met every step of the way.

$75 MILLION+

INDIVIDUAL SALES IN 24 MONTHS

TOP 1%

OF REAL ESTATE AGENTS NATIONWIDE

$2 BILLION+

IN TOTAL TEAM SALES TO DATE

#1 PRIORITY

CLIENTS & THEIR REAL ESTATE GOALS

WHAT MICHELLE'S CLIENTS SAY

Client TESTIMONIALS

Michelle’s clients consistently praise her exceptional service in the Tri-Valley and East Bay real estate market. They highlight her meticulous attention to detail, deep understanding of the local market, and unwavering commitment to their real estate goals. Discover why home buyers and sellers in Danville, Lafayette, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton, Walnut Creek, and Alamo choose Michelle as their trusted real estate partner.

It was such a pleasure working with Michelle for helping us buy our house. Both me and my wife were amazed by her knowledge of the current market trends. She is very knowledgeable about neighborhoods/schools across tri-valley/bay area. Michelle was also great about guiding us in the right direction regarding the details associated with the house and its surrounding. She is very professional in every aspect of her business and always on top of communication. I remember she even prepared one of our offers while she was traveling. Even after we bought our house, she guided us on how to rent our property. She truly believes in helping her clients even after the transaction is finished. Would definitely use the Michelle in the future and highly recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell in the Bay Area.

After two realtors who weren’t responsive and seemed to put us at the end of their client list, we were over the moon to find Michelle! She truly listens to what you’re looking for, strives to meet you where you are, and gently guides you through the process. She fought for us for several months in this crazy, brutal market, setting up appointments immediately after I notified her of our interest and getting us in early to see homes that fit our parameters. We always heard back within the hour after calling or texting, and I could trust that if there was a house we wanted to see, she would find a way to get us in. We ended up in our absolute dream home after she got us in an hour earlier than the home would be shown to other buyers and wrote the offer on her laptop in her car between showing homes to another client that very same day. Our preemptive offer was accepted! We even found out later that a backup offer came in for significantly higher than our offer, and all cash. If Michelle hadn’t been so on top of it, so positive, and such a go-getter, there’s no way we could have snagged our home! We couldn’t be happier with Michelle, and highly recommend her to anyone looking in the East Bay!

I was in the real estate/mortgage business for over 20 years and Michelle is by far the best real estate agent I have known and worked with. At the end of 2020 I decided to sell my home in Danville after 30 years. I interviewed 5 of the top agents in Danville and chose Michelle…I am disabled and mostly bed-ridden, so it was going to be a tough assignment. I couldn't help much and had 30 yrs of accumulated household "stuff". Michelle lived close-by, visited often, and sometimes even brought me lunch or dinner. She did virtually everything from bringing in vendors for painting, carpeting, etc. to taking contributions to the local outfits. I eventually moved to Colorado to be with my son and left everything for Michelle to handle. She did an absolutely fantastic job and soon had my home finished and listed for sale. The home sold very quickly for top dollar. I seldom give reviews but felt compelled to do so in this case so that others could take advantage of Michelle's professionalism, likability, hard work, and top-notch expertise. I have absolutely no qualms whatsoever in recommending her for any local real estate needs. Make her your first call and you won't have to make a second call.

If you’re reading this and you’ve been referred to Michelle, you’ve hit the jackpot! Michelle helped us to purchase our Dream Home. She made us feel like we were her only clients. Not only did she help us stay targeted in searching but when we finally found the house we liked she helped us negotiate prices for fixing it. Even when the selling agent was unresponsive she helped work through the curveballs with great ease. If you have the opportunity to have Michelle as your agent, you are in luck. She has great negotiation skills and is very attentive. She does a good job and now she is our good friend. Thank you, Michelle, for everything.

Contact MICHELLE

Are you ready to embark on your real estate journey? Whether you’re looking to buy a new home, sell your current property, or have any real estate-related inquiries, Michelle Fanto-Chan is here to assist. Fill out the form below, and Michelle will reach out to you promptly. With her expertise and dedication, your real estate aspirations are within reach.