Work through each stage at your own pace. Your checkmarks are saved in this browser, with no account needed.
Nashville Buys only connects buyers, sellers, and local pros. We are not a broker, we don't hold funds, we take no fee tied to any transaction, and we don't give legal, pricing, or financial advice. Talk with a Tennessee real estate attorney about your purchase.
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Price is only part of it: add property tax, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance, and HOA dues, then decide the monthly number you're comfortable with, not the most a lender will approve. The cost calculator does the Tennessee property tax math for each county.
Pull all three free at AnnualCreditReport.com, the site federal law sets up for this. Dispute errors now; fixes can take a month or more, and your score affects both your rate and your mortgage insurance.
Cash to close is the down payment plus closing costs and prepaid taxes and insurance. Keep the money where a lender can document it, and don't move large sums around without a paper trail.
Ask each for an official Loan Estimate on the same day for the same loan, then compare the rate, the points, and the lender fees line by line.
A pre-approval means a lender has checked your income, assets, and credit. Owners selling direct will ask for it before they take your offer seriously.
FHA allows a smaller down payment, VA loans have no monthly mortgage insurance for eligible veterans and service members, and the Tennessee Housing Development Agency runs programs for qualifying buyers. A lender can tell you what you qualify for.
You'll need them to review or draft the contract, hold earnest money, search the title, and run the closing. Ask what they charge and what they need from you.
Tennessee tax depends on the county and whether a home is inside city limits, so two homes at the same price can have very different bills. Use the calculator, then check the county trustee's site.
Owners list when they're ready, and good homes go fast. Alerts email you the day a new home in your area is listed.
Bring someone with you, tell a friend where you're going, and ask the owner for the Tennessee Residential Property Disclosure before you get attached to a house.
Look up the owner of record on the county assessor's site or the state's property assessment search, and make sure it matches the person you're dealing with. Your title search confirms it before closing.
Tennessee property assessment search →Local closing attorneys and title companies →
Look the address up on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, read any HOA covenants and fees, and get an insurance quote before you offer, not after.
FEMA Flood Map Service Center →Local home insurance agents →
Look for homes nearby that sold in the last few months with similar size, age, and condition. Sold prices, not asking prices. (We don't give pricing advice; this is how to find your own.)
Your attorney or title company can draft one or review the seller's, and explain every date and contingency before you sign.
Common contingencies cover inspection, financing, appraisal, and title. Each needs a clear deadline. Decide what you'll ask for and what you'll walk away over.
Tennessee requires the owner to give either a disclosure of known material defects or, if the buyer waives the disclosure, a disclaimer that the home is sold as is. Ask your attorney before you waive anything.
About the disclosure form →Local closing attorneys and title companies →
The contract should say a title company or attorney holds it in escrow, and when it's refunded or released. Never send earnest money to the seller directly, and never to Nashville Buys; we never hold funds.
Once both sides sign, the clock starts. Write down each contingency deadline and who you need to call before it passes.
Get a receipt from the title company or attorney. Call them at a number you already have to confirm how to pay before you send anything.
Tennessee requires home inspectors to be licensed. Go to the inspection, ask questions, and read the whole report, including what it says it doesn't cover.
Home inspections usually don't cover termites. In Tennessee the report comes from a pest control company licensed for wood-destroying organisms. Ask your lender whether your loan requires one.
Roof, HVAC, foundation or crawlspace concerns deserve a specialist's look while you can still negotiate.
Local roofers →Local HVAC pros →Local foundation and crawlspace pros →
Ask for specific repairs by licensed trades, a price credit, or both, and have your attorney put the agreement in writing.
Respond to your lender's requests the same day, and don't open new credit or change jobs before closing.
Your lender orders it. If it comes in under the price, your contract's appraisal terms decide what happens next.
Your lender needs proof of coverage before closing. Ask about replacement cost and whether you need separate flood coverage.
Your closing attorney or title company checks for liens and ownership problems. Ask about an owner's title policy and whether a survey is worth ordering.
Federal rules give you at least three business days with it. Compare it to your Loan Estimate and ask about anything that changed.
Wire fraud targets home buyers with fake emails that look real. If instructions change at the last minute, stop and call.
Within a day or two of closing, check that agreed repairs are done, the systems work, and nothing that stays with the house is gone.
Bring a government photo ID. Your closing attorney or title company records the deed with the county register of deeds.
Water, electric, gas, internet, trash, and the post office. Some utilities need a deposit or a few days' notice.
Save the settlement statement, deed, title policy, inspection report, and warranties together. Then work through your first year as a homeowner.
Independent businesses you contact and hire directly. Verified vendors are listed first, and the order rotates daily. No vendor pays for placement.
We're adding vetted lenders in Nashville.
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We're adding vetted home insurance agents in Nashville.
Are you a local home insurance agent? Join free
We're adding vetted home inspectors in Nashville.
Are you a local home inspector? Join free
We're adding vetted pest and termite control pros in Nashville.
We're adding vetted roofers in Nashville.
We're adding vetted HVAC pros in Nashville.
We're adding vetted foundation and crawlspace pros in Nashville.
We're adding vetted plumbers in Nashville.
We're adding vetted electricians in Nashville.
We'll email you when owners list new homes.
Every purchase is different. Your real estate attorney, lender, and title company are the right people to answer questions about your contract, your loan, and your closing.
Browse homes listed by their owners, or run the numbers for a price you have in mind.
