Time to go Shopping

Now Can We Go Preview Homes?

Not quite. We’re just about ready but a little more work remains. Before seeing homes together, it’s important to find out about the specific things you want in your home.

Discussing Your Wants and Needs

You will have both needs and wants when it comes to buying a home or your “must haves” and “nice to haves.” We now talk about all of the things that are important to you. Some examples: The size of the property. A house or a duplex? Townhome or condominium? Stairs or no stairs? Pool or no pool? What about a fireplace, natural light, architectural style, number of bedrooms, square footage, lot size, room for a garden? Room for pets, garage and storage, ceiling height, layout and floor plan, view requirements, flooring preferences, any health concerns, bedroom locations, the condition of the property, quality of upgrades, and so on.

This is just a sampling of the items we will talk about with you to make your home search targeted and productive. You might change your mind during the process – this happens a lot, and what starts out as a “need” may become a “want”, and vice versa. There are many things to consider when you buy a home and we take our time and listen to you so we get it right, and you get that perfect home.

Starting the Search Process

This involves both searching the Multiple Listing Service (REALTOR database) for homes that match your price and additional search criteria, and you driving in and around the neighborhoods you’ve focused on to decide if this is where you want to live. We’ll set up a precise search and you’ll receive only the listings that match your preferences. These come directly from the MLS so the data is reliable and up-to-date. We recommend that you take time to investigate the properties that look interesting by driving past the home’s exterior, checking out your commute route, and locating the local shopping, schools and other places available nearby. If you discover that you don’t like this block or that section of a particular neighborhood, then there is no need to see the interior of a home in that area.

Previewing Homes and Making Offers

Once you have chosen a few homes to see and you’ve approved the neighborhoods, we’ll make appointments to get inside and see each home’s interior. After you’ve decided on a home you want to buy, we’ll prepare an offer and send it to the listing agent along with your Pre-approval Letter. We then negotiate your offer and work tirelessly to get you the terms you want. We will strategize with you on how to present your offer. We’ll evaluate the situation in each home you like and customize individual offering approaches as necessary.