Buyer Tips

Choosing your real estate agent is the most important decision you will make. I want you to feel comfortable working with me to find a great home. These simple tips will help you find and purchase the home of your dreams more quickly.
Finding the best available home at the best possible price
In his children’s book The Big Orange Splot, Daniel Pinkwater said “My house is me and I am it. My house is where I like to be and it looks like all my dreams.”

Everyone is different. Before we start looking for your new home I would love to hear about your dreams. Do you love to garden? Does a view of trees bring you a feeling a peacefulness. Do you enjoy walking to the neighborhood café or store? Do you have a horse and want to live next to Bridle Trails Park?
Be prepared to view homes quickly. The best homes may sell quickly, so be ready to make time to see & consider homes as soon as they come on the market. Once we are working together I will email or call you as soon as a suitable home is listed. If you prefer, I will help you set up a search (for homes that match your criterion) on my website & my system will email you as these homes come on the market.
Have instant access to me as your agent. Instant communication can mean the difference in purchasing the property of your choice or finding out it is already sold. When a desirable home comes on the market I will drop everything to show that home to you as soon as possible. And I will be available to immediately answer any questions during the entire process of finding and finally buying your dream home.

Being a smart consumer

How you shop for a mortgage can save you money. Take time to understand the choices and make educated decisions. Before we go out to look at homes it is important to be pre-approved for a loan.

If I can answer any questions along the way, please ask. I’m always happy to help. I can refer you to local mortgage lenders that past clients have been happy with and I will give you the name of the person I went to for my own mortgage. I’ll be happy to go with you when you meet with a mortgage broker and I will encourage you to ask questions so that you are getting the best loan possible for yourself.

I ask my clients to be pre-approved before we start looking at homes. If you want to compare rates with more than one lender later that is fine. (We can talk about the best way to do this—so that your comparison shopping is really comparing apples to apples).

The steps to successful financing:

Get pre-approved. Don't skip this doing this. Getting pre-approved in writing is easy, free and quick (a matter of days). It includes a completed credit application and you receive a letter guaranteeing you a mortgage to a specified amount. You won't waste time looking at homes you can't afford. Instead, you can spend your time shopping for the home of your dreams in your price range.
Examine your finances. A lender will tell you how much you qualify for but it's up to you to decide how big a payment fits into your budget. How much do you feel comfortable spending each month for housing? Remember to consider related costs such as insurance and taxes, as well as interest and principle. I will be happy to sit down with you and a lender and examine the numbers. Looking for a home is fun and can be stress free when you know ahead of time that the financial side of things makes sense.
Consider what type of loan is best for you. Compare fixed-rate with adjustable rate mortgages. Imagine where you want to be in 5 years, 15 years, or 30 years? What obligations might you have? Take those things into consideration as you choose a loan that is right for you.

Before you close the sale on your new home:

Hire an inspector. A professional building inspector will examine the house of your choice and provide you with a written report on the condition of the building and major appliances, furnace, etc. I can give you the names of inspectors that my past clients have been satisfied with. If you want the seller to make a repair or lower the price to compensate you for a defect found, I will put that in writing for you. This inspection process is an important protection for you. If a seller does not agree to a repair you are not obligated to buy the home.
Know what stays. Our offer will be very specific about what items are included. You wouldn’t want to move in and find all the appliances gone if you expected them to stay.