Prepared and qualified buyers

[Jesse Brewer]

It is no secret that we are now in a seller’s real estate market and competition can be fierce for the hottest homes in the best areas. So if you are a buyer looking for that perfect home there are a few things you can do to be ready to help give you the edge over the competition:

• 1.Get pre-approved by a lender. This will not only help speed things up but it shows your agent and the prospective seller that you are a serious buyer and you have the capability to close the transaction.
• 2.Try to narrow down what it is you want. I suggest making a list of “have to haves” and “want to haves.” Some examples may be:
• a.Have to have: garage, 2 bathrooms, certain school district, etc.
• b.Want to have: fenced yard, cul-de-sac street, close to certain work place etc.

By having this written out and prepared your agent will then be able to narrow down what it is your looking for and show you homes that meet your needs and wants. This will help you “pull the trigger” faster in making that offer when you see it instead of wasting valuable time searching and searching for that home only to keep losing out because some other prepared home shopper knew what they wanted.

• 3.Be reasonable and realistic in your search. If you have champagne taste, then it will be difficult to shop with a beer budget. In Northern Kentucky most homes sell for 94% or more of list price and while everyone wants a bargain you also need to keep in mind that most homes will sell for a fair price these days and it’s your job to be realistic in your search so you do not only set yourself up for disappointment but you also respect the time and effort that your agent is giving you to help foster a successful transaction.

• 4.Lastly when you do find that home be sure to not be overly picky on the minor details. Most of the time most problems buyers find with homes are cosmetic or an easy fix such as re-painting a room, swapping out some plumbing fixtures etc. and are very easy to do. So if you find a home that has a lot of the have to haves and even want to haves don’t overlook it because you don’t like the paint color or type of fixture. This does not mean excuse major big dollar problems and defects as those should always be weighed in with the most utmost importance in the buying decision.