Buyer Basics & Secrets

• prepare

• research

• verify

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The Process

Essentially & ideally in short order once we agree that we are a good match, we will work together to:

1. find a home you love because it meets most of your needs & wants

2. submit an offer that is accepted after brief & reasonable negotiations

3. smoothly expedite a bunch of important details & paperwork until you own your new home!

 

First Steps

1. Start your research. For direction & specifics, read through "Buyer Basics: 9 Steps." If you plan to purchase with a loan, pay close attention to the mortgage affordability links toward the top.

2. Complete my New Buyer Questionnaire so I can start the search & plan our next steps. For me, I get all the important information organized in one place. For you, the questionnaire functions to distinguish your most important needs & wants. ​​Once complete, I will set up a MLS search for you with automatic email updates of homes for you to consider & tour.

3. Pick your REALTOR. Maybe that's me, maybe not. Buying a home is a big money endeavor with many moving parts. Trust, ease of communication & teamwork are essential to a happy ending for all parties involved--especially when unforeseeable complications arise (most common are property condition, financing & title discrepancies). Peruse the Your Hometown Consultant section of my website to learn more about me & my experience. I’m an open book if you have any questions.

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Preapproval

To submit an offer on a property, we will need to provide a preapproval letter to the seller in good faith to verify your ability to purchase. Technically, you should be preapproved by your mortgage rep to look at houses. No point falling in love with a home you simply cannot buy. For specific advise & a list of documents you will need, check out "Buyer Basics: Preapproval."

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The House Hunt

Online 

Whether snooping for comparables to a home you want to sell or scouring all the Interwebs for your new dream home, be prepared to research and verify all information found online. To make money, the big real estate websites sell your contact info to agents who pay for rankings and leads, even on their own listings. This modern day cold calling is a billion dollar industry--and sneaky marketing gimmicks are the norm. 

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But for some spam calls and emails, continue to use whatever cool app or favorite website search you find prettiest and easiest to navigate. Just make sure to circle back to me, my resources, your MLS portal & other primary sources to verify all information.

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Open Houses & Model Homes

If you enjoy driving around to open houses & builders, go for it! Notices for open houses are now easily accessible online & new construction signs are very tempting. Please keep in mind though that agents hold homes open mostly to get new customer leads & often the agent on site is not the listing agent but a new agent looking for business. Politely let the agent know you are already working with another REALTOR & text or call me to discuss next steps if the home is a real contender. 

 

For new construction, just look around without signing in. If you love what you see, call me to schedule a private tour together with the builder's rep so I can navigate through the sales pitch & tricks for the bottom dollar on your behalf. From the comfort of your couch, you can explore almost all local options to compare amenities, floorplans & more via my New Construction Database.

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FSBO

Enter at your own risk. Just kidding. Make sure to do your research though and do not accept information or what you see at face-value. For Sale by Owner properties have a reputation for stiff prices, hidden problems & non-negotiable sellers. If you simply can't resist, send me the info to schedule a showing. We can play Good Cop (you) Bad Cop (me) to cut to the chase.

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