Are You Ready to Buy Now? Or Will That be in the Future?
The question "are you ready to buy now, or will that be in the future?" is an important one.
It's important to know, as the REALTOR working to help you achieve your real estate goals, but it's a question you ought to be able to answer also.
I often work with relocations from around the country and other parts of California. Some buyers need to move right away, while others are planning to buy down the road - a second home for now, an investment to later live in, a retirement home, or simply a move when they find the "right" place or when the "time is right."
Time frame is important. Whether it is immediate, in the next month, or a year or more down the road doesn't matter - the timing is up to you. But to be helpful, knowing your expectations about timing matters. And so often the expectations are not met with reality - higher prices, limited inventory, and financing issues may alter your timing. What one wants and what one gets don't always jive.
An important part of the process is getting to know the area and deciding where you want to live. That's certainly something to sort out whether you want to buy now or in the future, although various issues can have an impact - new developments, changes in inventory and so on.
An obvious consideration is your ability to buy now. Or in the future. Income, debts, credit, and other factors may preclude your purchasing now. You need to know if this is the case or not.
Or now may be the right time for you because of financial circumstances.
Waiting for the future...in the hope of lowered prices...may not be to your advantage. While the fate of prices in some areas is open to speculation, hoping to buy at the bottom" may mean missing the best opportunity. And while prices may still decline, rising interest rates could more than make up for the savings in purchase price.
Many factors must be considered when deciding to buy now or in the future, personal and otherwise.
Regardless, your REALTOR needs to know to be maximally helpful. Pretending you are ready to buy now when all the appropriate considerations are not in line does no one any good and wastes time for all.
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