| Focus | Decisions before choosing a home |
| Review | Subject to lender requirements |
The search often starts with “we want to be closer.” Turn that goal into a short list of decisions before focusing on listings. A nearby home should work for the person who will live there, for the family supporting the move, and for the proposed financing arrangement.
Define what closer actually means
Write down the places your parent chooses to visit regularly and the people they want nearby. Test the journey at the times it will normally happen. A short distance on a map may not mean a convenient trip. Ask about transportation and everyday preferences rather than assuming everyone wants the same neighborhood or type of home.
Compare the home as well as the location
Walk through entrances, bathrooms, laundry access, outdoor upkeep, and the rooms used most often. Note preferences and any alterations the family wants to investigate. Obtain appropriate inspections and specialist advice where needed. A mortgage discussion is not an assessment of whether a home meets an individual’s support or accessibility needs.
Keep a full cost list
Put the proposed housing costs next to maintenance, utilities, travel, moving expenses, and any period when more than one home must be supported. Record the source and date of each estimate. Mark unknowns clearly. An optimistic list with missing expenses is less useful than a range of scenarios you can discuss.
If you will keep your own mortgage, start with the two-home planning guide. If siblings will contribute, use the roles and contribution checklist before making assumptions about who pays what.
Sequence the financing and the move
Before committing to a purchase deadline, explain the intended occupancy to the broker and ask what needs review. Coordinate the offer, inspection, financing, any existing-home sale, and the move with the relevant professionals. Tell them which dates are flexible and which depend on another event. A desired moving day is not a promised closing date.
A worksheet for the family conversation
Preferred area and reason: __________
Who will live in the home: __________
Who proposes to borrow: __________
Current home retained or sold: __________
Recurring costs still to verify: __________
Timing dependencies: __________
Print this page or save it through your browser. Keep personal planning notes private; you do not need to upload the worksheet to read the guide or request a conversation.
What should we ask the broker first?
Ask which financing path fits the real occupancy and borrower arrangement, what documents would be needed through a secure channel, and which property questions should be answered before an offer. “Family Opportunity Mortgage” describes a family-occupancy conversation, not a promise that a particular listing will qualify.
Discuss buying a home for your parents. Stonehaven Lending is a mortgage brokerage, not a direct lender. An inquiry is not approval. Residential service is subject to program availability and applicable licensing in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
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Planning to buy before the current home sells? Review our sale timing and overlapping-cost guide.