SEATTLE AVENUE

Buying a home can be scary. Not only is a home the only investment lots of people will have but it’s usually the most valuable investment most people have. A home is usually the most important tangible item in a person’s life. It’s where we’re often born, grow up and form identities, have birthdays, get married, and sometimes where we die. Home is where we live and invest most of our time aside from possibly work.

The most important thing you can do for yourself is partner with a realtor that you feel comfortable communicating with. Your realtor needs to be a trusted advocate for you and if they have a business background all the better. Working with someone you can be honest and totally communicative with is 100% more important than working with an “area specialist” or “neighborhood realtor” that you don’t connect with. Once you find a home that you fall head over heels for, your realtor should help you write a compelling and competitive offer, negotiate with the seller, and escort you through the inspection and closing process until you are comfortable in your new home. As a realtor, I’m here to represent your needs, minimize your stress, educate you about the process (as much as you want to be), and facilitate a smooth transaction.

Your first task is to connect with a loan officer so that you can get a pre-approval letter that will be attached to any offer you write. Pre-approval letters let a seller know that you’ve spoken with a loan officer and have a strong idea about how much money you can borrow. Once you know the amount you can borrow or the payment amount you’re comfortable with, then the process starts to find a match between what you want and what you afford. This process is different for everyone and it’s not always a comfortable one because most of us want more than we can afford.

You can also read the article for First-time Sellers to get a broader vision of the process that you’ll soon be a party to.

Finally, it’s really important to keep these two words in mind. Tape them on your car, on your refrigerator, on your bathroom mirror, on your wallet, etc.: FLEXIBILITY and PATIENCE. The first or second or third home you look at may be “it” but what if it takes looking at 20 or 30? Have a patience plan or support system if you need one – maybe start planning your housewarming party.

I would be happy to meet with you to answer any other questions you might have and talk about the ways in which we can ensure the successful purchase of your home.