Jeni VanOrnum | Real Estate Insights & Education

“How long will this take?” is a common question. I’m Jeni VanOrnum, your Douglas County real estate agent, walking you through the realistic timeline for buying your first home in 2024.

Pre-Shopping Phase (1-3 Months)

Before house hunting, spend time improving credit scores, saving for down payment and closing costs, and researching Douglas County neighborhoods. Get pre-approved for your mortgage—this alone takes 3-7 days. Rushing this phase leads to problems later.

House Hunting (2 Weeks to 3 Months)

In current Douglas County market conditions, most first-time buyers find their home within 4-8 weeks. You’ll tour 10-20 properties on average. In competitive markets this shortens; in slower markets you can take your time. Working with an experienced agent accelerates this phase significantly.

Offer to Acceptance (1 Day to 2 Weeks)

Once you find “the one,” I’ll prepare your offer immediately. In 2024’s balanced market, sellers typically respond within 24-48 hours. Negotiations might add a few days. Multiple offer situations (less common now) can extend this, while motivated sellers accept quickly.

Under Contract to Closing (30-45 Days)

This is the longest phase. Your lender processes your loan (20-30 days), you complete inspections (7-10 days after contract), the appraisal is ordered and completed (7-14 days), and title work is completed simultaneously. Final walkthrough happens 24-48 hours before closing.

Potential Delays

Factors that can extend your timeline include appraisal delays (common in busy markets), slow lender processing, title issues discovered during search, seller delays in moving, and repairs negotiated after inspection.

Total Timeline: 3-6 Months

From starting your search to holding keys, expect 3-6 months for most first-time buyers in Douglas County. Working with experienced professionals like Jeni VanOrnum and reliable lenders shortens this timeline.

Start Your Journey

Ready to begin your homebuying timeline? Contact Jeni VanOrnum today for realistic scheduling.