Buying property — whether it's your next home, a second property, or a commercial space for your business — comes with a lot of moving parts. This guide walks you through what to expect at every stage, from defining your goals to picking up the keys, so you're never wondering what comes next. Vincent A. Colbert has spent 28 years in Michigan real estate, and he works directly with every client from the first conversation through closing.
Get Clear Before You Start Looking
Step 1: Define your goals. Before you start touring properties, take time to get clear on what you're actually looking for. Are you buying a primary residence, a second home, or an investment or commercial property? What's driving the purchase — more space, a better location, rental income, business growth? The clearer your goals, the faster the search narrows to properties that actually fit.
Step 2: Secure your financing. Nothing strengthens an offer like being ready to move on it. For residential buyers, that means getting pre-approved with a lender before you start touring. For commercial and investment buyers, it often means having financing pre-qualified through a bank or private capital relationship, commercial lending works differently than a standard mortgage. Vincent works with a network of financing contacts and can point you in the right direction if you don't already have one.
Step 3: Build your search criteria. Location, size, price range, property type, timeline — the more specific you get up front, the less time you'll spend touring properties that were never going to work. This is also the stage to talk through must-haves versus nice-to-haves, whether that's school districts and neighborhood character for a home, or zoning, traffic count, and square footage for a commercial space.
Touring Properties and Reading the Market
Step 4: Tour properties. This is where the search gets real. Vincent walks properties with you, points out the things that matter beyond the listing photos, and helps you compare options against your criteria. For commercial properties, that often includes a closer look at the physical condition, the layout for your intended use, and how the space fits your business plan.
Step 5: Understand the market. Before you make an offer, you should know what similar properties have actually sold for, how long homes are sitting, and whether you're in a buyer's or seller's market right now. Vincent pulls comparable sales and current market data so you're negotiating from an informed position rather than a guess.
Vincent Colbert is highly professional. As a client, I appreciate that he keeps you informed through every step of the process. He's a strong advocate.
From Offer to Due Diligence
Step 6: Make a competitive offer. Once you've found the right property, you'll put together an offer strategy based on the market data, the seller's likely motivations, and your own priorities — price, closing timeline, contingencies. A well-structured offer isn't always the highest number; it's the one that gets accepted and protects you along the way.
Step 7: Due diligence and inspections. Once your offer is accepted, it's time to verify what you're buying.
- Commercial: environmental assessments, lease reviews if the property has tenants, zoning verification, and a closer look at income and expenses
- Either way, Vincent coordinates the process and helps you understand what the findings actually mean for your purchase
Step 8: Appraisal and final financing. Your lender will order an appraisal to confirm the property's value supports the loan, and any remaining financing conditions get finalized here. If issues come up — with the appraisal, the inspection results, or the financing — this is where you negotiate next steps, whether that's a price adjustment, seller concessions, or repairs.
Closing Day and What Comes After
Step 9: Review your closing documents. As closing approaches, you'll receive a closing disclosure and a stack of paperwork to review. Vincent walks through what you're signing and flags anything that looks off, well before you're sitting at the closing table trying to read fine print under pressure.
Step 10: Close and take possession. You'll sign the final paperwork, transfer funds, and get your keys — or, for a commercial purchase, your certificate of occupancy details and building access. Vincent doesn't disappear after the sale closes; if questions come up in the weeks after, he's still a call away.
Vincent A. Colbert is a licensed Michigan Realtor and a member of the GPBR (Grosse Pointe Board of Realtors), rated 4.9 out of 5 from 7 client reviews. Services are provided through Fortuna Realty LLC. Reach him at (248) 270-8893 or vcolbertrealtor@gmail.com, or stop by the office at 43313 Woodward Ave, Suite 1279, Bloomfield Township, MI 48302. Send a message and Vincent will get back to you directly — usually within one business day.