Let's find your new home
Buying - Buying a home is deeply personal, and I believe you deserve more than a transaction—you deserve someone who genuinely cares about your future.
I take the time to understand your needs, communicate openly, and guide you through every decision with patience, honesty, and attention to detail. I advocate for my clients as fiercely as I would for my own family, making sure they feel informed, protected, and confident from the first conversation through closing day—and long after. To me, real estate is where clients become family.
After you speak with a lender and get pre-approved, we will begin your online home search. I will set you up on an automated search on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS).
STEP ONE
Once we’ve talked through your budget, preferred locations, school districts, must-haves, and dealbreakers, we’ll use those priorities to narrow the search. We’ll also consider how a home fits your day-to-day life—things like commute times, layout, storage, outdoor space, nearby amenities, and whether you’re looking for a condo, townhome, or single-family home.
Our first meeting
How we set you up for Buying your next home
Finding a home
As we explore homes, we’ll look beyond the listing photos and consider the full picture: the home’s condition, estimated monthly costs, property taxes, insurance, and any HOA fees. Depending on the property, it may also be helpful to ask about items such as a well or septic system, utilities, or flood risk. That way, you can focus on homes that feel like a good fit for both your lifestyle and your budget.
When you decide you are interested in a home, we will schedule a showing to view the home in person. If you decide it meets your criteria, we will write an offer for the home. When we get an accepted offer, you will now be Under Contract.
Putting in a offer
- Pre-approval letter
- Offer Price
- Financing Amount
- Escrow Deposit
- Closing Date
- Inspection Period
- Closing Costs
It's more common than ever to see homes go into multiple offer situations. This means that your offer is not the only offer on the table for the sellers. Here are some of my best tips to win a multiple offer situation...
You will turn in your Escrow Deposit, we will get inspections scheduled, negotiate repairs, and move forward with your loan application. The entire process from contract to close typically takes between 30-45 days.
- Submit your Pre-Approval letter with your offer
- Have your lender call the listing agent to share your Pre-Approval details
- Make a cash offer if possible
- Offer more than the asking price
- Be flexible with your closing date
- Add a personal letter and a photo of you and your family
- Offer a higher amount for the Escrow deposit so the seller knows that you are serious
- Keep your offer clean when it comes to contingencies and don't ask for any that are not a deal-breaker for you
INSPECTION PERIOD
In Washington, the inspection period is often set for about five to ten days, depending on the offer. A shorter period can make an offer more appealing to the seller, but it also gives you less time to complete your inspections and review the results. If the inspection raises concerns, we can request additional time for specialized inspections or repair estimates, subject to the seller’s agreement. By the end of the inspection period, we’ll share any concerns and, if needed, negotiate a path forward—such as repairs or a credit—based on the terms of your contract.
Closing Period
During the closing period, you’ll complete your lender’s loan application and provide any requested financial documents promptly so underwriting can move forward. Your lender will typically arrange the appraisal to confirm the home’s value. At the same time, the title and escrow team will review the property’s ownership and title history, identify any recorded items that need attention, coordinate the required paperwork, and prepare the closing figures. We’ll help you keep track of key dates, review the documents and costs with you, and coordinate signing and funds so escrow can work toward closing and recording on schedule.
During the closing period, you’ll complete your lender’s loan application and provide any requested financial documents promptly so underwriting can move forward.
Your lender will typically arrange the appraisal to confirm the home’s value. At the same time, the title and escrow team will review the property’s ownership and title history, identify any recorded items that need attention, coordinate the required paperwork, and prepare the closing figures.
We’ll help you keep track of key dates, review the documents and costs with you, and coordinate signing and funds so escrow can work toward closing and recording on schedule.
Buying your first home can feel like a big undertaking, but you don’t have to figure it all out at once. I’ll help you take the process step by step—from clarifying what matters most to you and finding a homebuyer education class, to connecting with a lender who can explain financing and check whether you may qualify for Washington down-payment assistance programs. We can explore options such as Home Advantage, House Key Opportunity, Covenant, and other local resources, while keeping in mind that each program has its own rules and availability.
My goal is to make your first home search feel informed, personal, and manageable. I’ll explain the steps in plain language, help you compare homes against your priorities and budget, and keep you informed as we move from showings to an offer, inspection, and closing. You’ll have a steady, approachable guide beside you—and a trusted lender to answer the financial and eligibility questions—so you can make decisions with more confidence.
First Time Buyers
#1. Thou shall not change jobs, become self-employed or quit their job
#2. Thou shall not apply for new credit of any kind
#3. Thou shall not originate any new increase on your credit
#4. Thou shall not make huge deposits without checking with loan of
#5. Thou shall not change bank accounts
#6. Thou shall not co-sign for anyone
#7. Thou shall not close credit card accounts
#8. Thou shall not max out or over charge existing credit cards
#9. Thou shall not get married, divorced or change names
#10. Thou shall not make any large purchases such as vehicles or furniture.
Sian is amazing. Very knowledgeable about the Puget sound areas and the cost in each county. Because of her, we were able to make an informed decision about which home to buy. 2 years later and I still can't believe this is our home. I'm absolutely grateful for Sian's services and kindness
D & D
Sian is not only the best real estate agent I have ever worked with but an amazingly kind wonderful person as well. Sian helped me buy my house and she made the process so incredibly easy! Buying a house can be stressful but Sian puts in so much effort to make sure it’s not just a house…it’s a home
Laurel H
Sian was very helpful in finding our forever home. She was patient and kind. She guided us through every process making sure we understood everything knowing it was our first time. She answered any questions we had regardless of time. We are beyond grateful to have had her as our Realtor. She was very communicative and honest. Not only were we buying a new home in a new state but she also took us to new places which we have never seen like the farmers market which we loved.
Cristel H.
As a first-time homebuyer, I was incredibly nervous about the process, but Sian was the perfect guide. She showed immense patience, never rushing me and taking the time to explain every document and contract detail clearly. Her professionalism and trustworthiness gave me complete peace of mind. She truly listened to what I wanted and found us the perfect home in my dream neighborhood. If you want an agent who genuinely cares about your future, hire Sian Sheaffer
Katherine B.
Thank you for your patience in helping us find the right home in Federal Way, WA for when we visit our family there from Michigan! We really appreciated it since it was so difficult trying to get the proper documents from Michigan to Washington.
Judi A.
