Ginny, the drill Sargent!

You are dead on with teaching kids how to handle money in high school.  I remember HAVING to take a semester in bookkeeping in the 9th grade.  At the time I thought it was a bunch of bull learning how to balance a checkbook and financing a small business - boy was I wrong!

Hopefully the kids living thru these tougher times will come out on the other end better money managers.

Ginny- Great post and spot on. Many people don't understand that financing has many variables and an online calculator doesn't paint the real picture.

With a Military ppst next to us, and me being stationed there at one time, 90% of my Clients are Militarty. And you're right. MOST are VERY well prepared, and I even learned some stuff from them when I was new ("How'd you find THAT out?").

SOMETIMES, if they think they know EVERYTHING, it's a problem. MOST of the time, it actually makes my job easier!!

Be prepared and get qualified..

Mortgage qualification is primary, I agree. I am still surprised at how many buyers come to us without having been pre-qualified. The process is so fast and reasonably effortless. We will do one mini-tour without a pre-qual and wait until after for subsequent tours.

We, as agents, need to teach our buyers how to be prepared.  The military is not "born" prepared, it is something that is taught over months, years & decades.  As a military wife, I know there is a constant training that takes place to help our military be the best in the world.  We, as realtors, need to teach our buyers to be the best in the market.

Thanks for the post and a great analogy.

I wish that consumers would realize that the Internet is a tool only, and not a solid resource.

Education and being prepared is not only for 1st time buyers but all buyers.  Many things have changed over the years and if you bought a home before doesn't mean process will be the same.

Anyone ever thought about starting a "BUYER BOOTCAMP"?

Seeing your title made me want to read this blog because I live and work in an area with two full on naval bases, a national guard camp and near a submarine base.  These buyers are the best becasue they are used to following orders and understand the need for rules.

Ginny - I definitely agree with your #27 comment. Financial management should be something taught in schools. Learning to handle money is such a vital part of being successful in life - and yet even kids who have taken advanced math classes emerge from school unable to do something as simple as balance a checkbook.

Hi Ginny, on line calculators and Zillow go hand in hand! lol

I guess you will have to give them some buyer boot camp.  Educating buyers is the biggest part of my job.

Hi Ginny, I had a conversation on this topic this evening!  Great topic to share with buyers!

Ginny

Well said. Preparedness is so important in this competitive market - there are so many issues that can arise and those buyers who are not THOROUGHLY prepared, and working with a strong knowledgeable agent such as yourself, will not be successful. Education, counseling, and helping buyers through the problem solving process is a key part of our job, but there is only so much we can do if someone is not truly prepared.

Jeff

In this current market of low inventory, if your buyer is not completely prepared, approved, and ready to write, he will be left behind.

Hi Ginny,

Congrats on the feature! This is a really great post, and you've made some excellent points. I definitely think we should start teaching kids about this stuff and finances in school, and I completely agree that people have come to put too much faith on what they read online. Again, great blog. Keep up the good work as a top North Kingstown short sale agent!