Best Way to Start Your Home Search

Ways of Searching:

Internet:  There are many web-sites available but a lot of them are not current with the homes that are available today on the market.  (Many are in contract, sold, or taken off the market)

Open Houses:  It can be fun going to open houses but they are really a shot in the dark.  You don’t know if the home you are going to meets the requirements you are looking for.  (Price, size,# of bedrooms, lot size, etc.

Signs:  Driving around looking for signs, again it is a shot in the dark.

Best Way:  Have your own Realtor   (no cost to you)

It is very important to have an interviewing session with a Realtor before you start looking.  The importance of this session is very beneficial as it usually takes place in their office giving you an opportunity to visually see the company and the agent you are hiring to help you. (In an earlier blog (11/7/14) we gave you tips on picking a real estate company and agent with good questions to ask when interviewing an agent.)

Benefits to you and your Realtor:

·         Safety:  Who are you going to get in a car with or into vacant homes with and is the company a well established company.

·         Learning: 

1.      Compatibility, is this someone you feel comfortable working with?

2.      Do they have the tools to select homes for you that meet your specific needs?

§         Access to MLS

§         Programs that they can set with your specific needs and will send homes to you as quickly as they come on the market?

§         Mobile ability to check homes right on the spot in areas you like?

3.      Do they have market knowledge about the area you want to look?

4.      Are they providing solid expectations and have valuable suggestions for how they can help you?

5.      Do they work full time and can you reach them when needed?

6.      Do they communicate well with you?  (This is the biggest concern most people have with their Realtor, they don’t communicate well)

7.      Are they asking good questions to help you understand your needs and wants?  (Have your expectations ready to share so your Realtor can better help you)

Let’s go look at homes…