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Too Many Options?: House Searching Made Easy & Fun

By
Real Estate Agent with Trademark Realty Group of Palm Coast

  When searching for a new house to buy, a large selection to choose from can be a great thing and it can be very frustrating as well.  In a market such as Palm Coast, buyers can easily get overwhelmed in an online search which would produce almost 2,000 different properties.  Here are some tips for preparing for a successful property search:

  1. List your specifc "needs" in one column and your "wants" in another.  "Needs" will be things like location (i.e. close to schools, distance from work, etc.), number of bedrooms, garage size, price range you can afford (a pre-qulaification prior to beginning a search is always recommended).  "Wants" are those things that would be nice to have but not necessary at the present moment or can be added later (i.e. pool, on a golf course, any type of upgrade, room sizes, etc.).  The point here is to be very specific as this will allow you to narrow your search a great deal more.
  2. Performing an Online Search - I always recommend visitng www.Realtor.com for all property searches.  When searching click the "Advanced Search" option.  This will allow you to add in all that specfic "needs" criteria you came up with.  Do not put in the "wants" criteria at this time.  Next sort the resulting properties by price from lowest to highest.  Now you have a list that is more manageable and in regards to prices you have a cutoff point as the price goes up.  Then make a list (or print out) of the properties which are of interest to you noting the MLS Listing number as well.  Now take the properties left and start scanning through to find ones that may have some of those "wants" eliminating the others.  The goal now is to be able to get a core list of about 10 properties to choose from.  Then  . . . call your Realtor to arrange for showings.
  3. Having a Realtor assist you - This is a great option also, since you now don't have to do all that work above.  Before calling a Realtor find out what you are pre-qualified for as far as price range and have your list available from #1.  The more specifics you can provide to your Realtor the better.  Obviously you may call your local Realtor, and many have a feature on their website which allows you to easily fill out a form describing your needs and wants.  This form is then sent electronically to the Realtor and they can get to work for you right away.  Click Here for an Example of this on my website.  The Realtor will most likely call you (if you haven't spoke already) asking some additional questions depending on the resulting list size.  Then schedule an appoint to go tour some properties!  I recommend setting aside at least one full day for house touring.
  4. Viewing Houses - This is the real fun part.  Now you're out there seeing these properties first hand.  Bring your list of "needs" and "wants" you have made previously and each property print out or list.  If working with a Realtor they should have handouts for each property.  As you visit each property make notes of likes and dislikes on each specific property handout highlighting any property which really stands out to you.  Just a few notes on each is usually enough.  Don't worry about feeling like you have to make a decision before seeing all of the properties.  Simply go through each one, make our notes and ask questions.  Then move on. 
  5. After the Viewings - Go back through each individual property either alone or with your Realtor eliminating the properties that are definitely not of interest.  You will probably be able to narrow that list down to about 2 or 3 at this point and this is the goal.  You can now make a decision to go back through the remaining properties or you may feel like your mind is made up on one and are ready to make an offer!

Searching and buying a house can feel like it is a lot of work.  It is, but it can be (as it should be) a lot of fun and virtually stress-free when it is organized and planned out.  Working with a Realtor will take much of the work off of your shoulders.  In addition, many Realtors now use online transaction management which allows for easy document exchange and many time grants you access to those documents 24/7 without having to sift through piles of papers later on.   

Posted by

Kathleen West, Realtor
Trademark Realty Group of Palm Coast

416 South Central Ave Flagler Beach, FL  32136 | Office: (386) 446-5930 
Email:  Kathleen@PalmCoastHomeShow.com
www.PalmCoastHomeShow.com

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Comments (4)

Jay Beckingham
Christensen Financial Mortgage - Port St Lucie, FL
Seniors ROCK!

more than ever, with the inventory available, if the buyer wants to be successful they need a good

REALTOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Jul 29, 2007 05:31 AM
Bill Gillhespy
16 Sunview Blvd - Fort Myers Beach, FL
Fort Myers Beach Realtor, Fort Myers Beach Agent - Homes & Condos
Hi Kathy,    Have been working with a very savvy buyer couple.  They did an excellent job of reviewing the strenghts and weaknesses of each property we viewed.  It  dawned on me that part of the problem was that there was soooo much inventory which was worth owning that it made it very difficult to get past the  " Kid in a candy store " mindset.
Jul 29, 2007 05:52 AM
Kathleen West
Trademark Realty Group of Palm Coast - Palm Coast, FL
Flagler County & Palm Coast Realtor

That's exactly what we are all up against, but more importantly . . . it is what the buyers are up against.  In our area, so I try to go this route to help buyers . . . location first!  Once you have a more specific area (ie. neighborhood) now you really narrow that search down.  What some buyers forget though is there is that "opportunity cost" factor that can come in by wantig to see too much.  And by this I mean, have you lost out on the property you really wanted by seeing other properties that merely "of interest"? 

Great comment! 

 

Jul 30, 2007 02:27 AM
Joe Sampson
Exit Realty Experts - Saint Augustine, FL

Great post Kathy! Buyers are seeing more options than they've had in a long, long time! Having an organized search plan is key to finding the right home!

Have a good day!!!

Aug 01, 2007 04:07 AM