Before we start touring homes, we want to be sure 2 things are in place so we can move fast when we find your next home:
1. Your Preapproval
Your Preapproval makes you a competitive Buyer since Sellers only look at offers from Preapproved or Cash Buyers. As well, we will be able to shop with certainty that you can afford any home we visit together.
2. Our Buyer Agency Agreement.
Our Buyer Agency Agreement puts you at the center of your Buying experience and allows me to give you every competitive advantage when we evaluate each home against your priorities & prior home sales and when we negotiate for you to buy the home that you love.
What should I expect when touring homes?
Before we tour homes together, I encourage you to get to know the neighborhood, your commuter route, schools, shops, restaurants, parks, and other amenities near the properties that fall within your financial means. Since most homes are on public streets and open 24/7, you can visit the outsides of the homes whenever you have time or want to experience the neighborhood. This will narrow down the number of homes we need to see together so as to save you time and cross the finish line more efficiently.
During our tour, we will visit alongside any co-buyers, friends, or family you’d like to join. If someone will be influencing your decision, like a parent or close friend, it is best to have them along for the ride from the beginning so they can see how you arrived at your top choice when it’s time to make an offer.
During our tour, homeowners usually aren’t home, so you’re free to spend as little or as much time as you want. Generally speaking, it may take as little as 15 minutes to determine whether you could see yourself living in the home. Moreover, I am looking for your reaction to the home in the first 15 seconds of our visit. Most of the time, my clients have a gut reaction when first visiting a home (“this feels like home!” or quite the opposite).
This first impression is very important in your decision-making process. While you may be focused on the look & feel of the home, as your Buyer Agent, I will also point out important factors such as:
1. The condition of the home, specifically older mechanicals & systems that might need replacement or repairs sooner rather than later.
2. The inclusions & exclusions such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, A/C units and non-hard wired alarm systems.
3. Possible home improvements you could do to make this the perfect home for you.
4. Any Condo or HOA fees that might come with the property and the annual tax amount.
What is the “Buyer Rating Game?”
To assist you in the decision-making process, we will play the “Buyer Rating Game” where I will ask you to rate each home on a scale from 1-7 with a 7 meaning you would buy the home today….. If the home is a 5 or 6, I will ask you what it would take to make it a 7 such that you would buy the home today. Sometimes we can negotiate the change you would like in the contract and sometimes we can’t; sometimes the change could be done by you after closing and sometimes it can’t.
By expressing your likes, dislikes, wants, and needs from each home to me, your advocate & ally, together we can find a home that is a “7” – a home that you will be excited to buy. And of course, prior to making an offer, I’ll advise you on what the market shows me a “reasonable seller” could expect to get for the home and based on my conversations with the Listing Agent, whether we have room to negotiate or if we are bidding against another buyer for the home that you love.
Be assured, we have the tools to help you win the bid for the home that you love.
How many homes should I visit?
Sometimes buyers find their future home the first time out, and others look at several before they see one that checks most or all their boxes. It’s a good idea to see at least a few alternatives so you have some points of comparison, but sometimes you just know a place is where you want to live. As your trusted partner for your home search, feel free to reach out at any time should you have any questions about any of the homes we tour.