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SMART HOME-BUYING STRATEGIES
- Go to your lender and get pre-approved BEFORE you start looking for a new home.
WHY? Every REALTOR has a story about clients who found their dream home after banking hours on a weekend or on a holiday and in the end, lost out to another buyer simply because the seller had no way to know for sure that financing WAS available.
Also, it isn't that uncommon to find errors in your credit report and you will want to have that fixed by the time you want to make an offer. Another benefit is that you will know what you can afford and you won't waste time and energy seeing homes you can't buy.
- Find a REALTOR you are comfortable with and complete a "Buyer's Representation Agreement".
WHY? It costs you NOTHING and it imparts a fiduciary responsibility on your REALTOR to act in your best interest.
If you have NOT signed a contract, any REALTOR you call about a property will be legally representing the Seller. That REALTOR will not tell you about any competing property, even if it better fits your needs, if that would be to the detriment of his client, the Seller.
- Be mentally prepared to "buy" before you start to look.
What do I mean? It takes courage to make a large purchase but you need to be ready to act if you find what you are looking for. Every REALTOR knows clients that have found their dream home and then lost it to someone else because they "thought about it" too long. Even good things cannot happen if you don't act.
- Be a little flexible.
What do I mean? No existing home will be exactly as you think it should be since it was designed, built, and decorated by someone other than yourself. New paint, carpet or whatever will usually make your new home customized to your tastes and it will probably gain more value than the costs involved and YOU get to pick the colors.
- The most efficient search method:
· Look at newspaper ads and/or the local websites and note the MLS numbers of the homes you are interested in.
· Visit your REALTOR and look over the entire inventory on his/her database that might interest you.
· Drive by your choices so you can determine if the location and the neighborhood of each choice is workable.
· By this time you should have narrowed your list down considerably and you can tell your REALTOR which ones he/she should arrange for you to see.
· When you find the right one, BUY IT. It takes courage to make a big purchase but like a wise man once said, "you can't move ahead if you don't move".
- Enjoy the process.
Few things in this life will give you more satisfaction than living in a home you like. The search for that special home can and should be an exciting experience.
- Give me a call.
I look forward to helping you find your dream home!
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