The Step-by-Step Process of Buying a Home in Northern Utah

This is the step most first-time buyers skip, and then regret. Pre-qualification is a quick estimate of your borrowing power based on information you provide. It can often be done in a single phone call or online session and may involve only a soft credit check.

Pre-approval goes further. A lender reviews your actual financial documents: pay stubs, tax returns, bank statements, and credit reports, to issue a conditional commitment letter. Pre-approval tells sellers you're serious and gives your offer credibility in a competitive Northern Utah market.

• Know your realistic price range before you fall in love with a home
• Most sellers and listing agents require pre-qualification before scheduling private showings
• Pre-approval letters typically last 90 days
• A pre-approval can identify credit or debt issues early enough to fix them

In Utah, real estate agents are required to have a written Buyer-Broker Agreement (BBA) in place before showing you homes. This is not a new bureaucratic hurdle. It actually protects you. The BBA formalizes the relationship between you and your agent, spelling out:

• What services your agent will provide
• How and by whom they will be compensated
• How long the agreement lasts and whether it's exclusive
• How either party can end the relationship if needed

Once signed, your agent owes you full fiduciary duties, loyalty, confidentiality, and reasonable care on your behalf. Don't be alarmed by the agreement; it's designed to benefit you.

While Zillow and Realtor.com are great for casual browsing, UtahRealEstate.com (URE) is the source of truth for Northern Utah listings. It's the primary MLS serving Utah, built and maintained by Utah REALTORS®. Status changes, like a home going under contract or returning to market, appear faster on URE than on national platforms.

• Create a free account on UtahRealEstate.com to save searches and receive instant alerts
• Search by city, ZIP code, price, beds, baths, and more
• Your buyer's agent can set up custom search alerts so you're the first to know

Use Zillow for inspiration and early research, but rely on URE and your agent for the most accurate, up-to-date listing data when you're ready to make moves.

This is the part most people are excited about. Now that you have your BBA signed and your pre-qualification in hand, your agent can schedule showings. When you tour a home:

• Take notes on each property, details blur together after multiple showings
• Look beyond staging: inspect the bones of the house (condition of roof, windows, HVAC)
• Ask your agent about neighborhood trends, school boundaries, and resale history
• Drive the area at different times of day to get a feel for traffic and activity
• Envision long-term fit, not just what it looks like today

Found a home you want to buy? Your agent will prepare the Real Estate Purchase Contract (REPC): Utah's standard residential purchase agreement. This is not a simple one-page form. The REPC covers:

• Purchase price and earnest money amount
• Financing terms and type (FHA, conventional, VA, USDA)
• Due-diligence deadline (your inspection window)
• Appraisal and financing deadline
• Settlement (closing) date
• What items are included or excluded (appliances, fixtures)
• Seller concessions requested (if any)

The seller can accept, reject, or counter your offer. Once both parties sign, you're officially under contract, and the clock starts on every deadline in the agreement.

Once your offer is accepted, you'll need to deposit earnest money, typically 1–3% of the purchase price, into an escrow account, usually held by the title company. This is a good-faith deposit showing the seller you're committed to the purchase.

• Earnest money is applied toward your down payment or closing costs at closing
• If you cancel within your contractual rights (due-diligence period, financing contingency), you typically get it back
• If you breach the contract, the seller may be entitled to keep the earnest money
• Timing matters, the REPC specifies exactly when the deposit is due. Miss the deadline and you could be in breach

The due-diligence period (often 7–14 days in Northern Utah) is your window to inspect the property, review seller disclosures, and decide whether to move forward. This is one of your strongest protections as a buyer. Within this deadline, you can generally cancel the contract for any reason and get your earnest money back.

Standard home inspection: A licensed inspector examines the roof, foundation, exterior, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and all major components. You'll receive a detailed written report.

Beyond the standard inspection, consider these four add-on tests common in Utah:

• Radon testing: Utah has elevated radon levels in many areas. The EPA recommends testing every home
• Meth testing: Utah has higher contamination rates than most states. Levels above 1.0 µg/100 cm² require decontamination before sale
• Mold inspection: Particularly important if the home has had any moisture issues or musty odors
• Sewer scope: A camera inspection of the main sewer line; essential for older homes or homes with large trees near the sewer

While you're inspecting the home, your lender is working in the background. You'll need to provide any remaining documents for underwriting and lock in your interest rate. Your lender will also order an appraisal, an independent professional opinion of the home's fair-market value.

• The appraisal is ordered by your lender but paid for by you (typically a few hundred dollars)
• If the appraisal matches or exceeds the purchase price, you proceed
• If the appraisal comes in lower than the purchase price, you and the seller must renegotiate, split the difference, or one party cancels
• The lender will never loan more than the appraised value

Once the appraisal is complete and underwriting is satisfied, you'll receive final loan approval, also called a "clear to close." Your lender will provide a Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing. This document shows your exact loan terms, monthly payment, and all closing costs. Review it carefully.

This is also when you'll arrange to bring funds to closing, either via certified check or wire transfer. Your title company or lender will give you the exact amount needed.

Closing is when you sit down at the title company and sign all final loan and transfer documents. In Utah, this is typically a separate step from actually receiving the keys. Here's what to bring:

• A valid government-issued photo ID
• Certified check or wire transfer confirmation for your closing funds
• Proof of homeowners insurance (your insurance binder)

Signing usually takes 60–90 minutes. You'll sign the deed, loan documents, settlement statement, and various disclosure forms. Your agent should be present or available to answer any last-minute questions.

Signing your documents does not immediately make you the owner. There are two more steps:

• Funding: Your lender reviews the signed documents and releases funds to the title company. This can happen the same day as closing or the next business day
• Recording: The title company records the new deed with the county recorder's office. This is the legal transfer of ownership. Once recorded, you officially own the home

If your lender funds late in the day after the county recorder's office has closed, recording may happen the following business day. Your agent will keep you informed of exactly when recording occurs.

Possession is when you get the keys and can actually move in. The possession date is negotiated in the REPC, it does not automatically happen at closing or recording. Common arrangements include:

• At recording: Most common. Keys transfer the same day the deed records
• Seller rent-back: Some sellers need extra days or weeks to move out after closing. This should be spelled out clearly in the contract
• Early possession: Occasionally, a buyer moves in before closing (rare and carries risk; your Realtor will advise)