First time home buyers, looking for Fraser Valley real estate, should put their emotions aside and follow some basic guidelines.

Investigate the Fraser Valley area you are interested in

Get as much information as you can before buying and it does not take a lot of time to do your research. Investigate various neighbourhoods as well as types of housing you may not have previously considered. And find out how far your dollar will go in the neighbourhood where you would like to buy.

A lot of information is available on the Internet, but you should hire a real estate agent to help interpret it properly and dispel any real estate myths.

Hire a Fraser Valley real estate agent

Hire a Realtor that knows the area, so for buying property in Surrey or Langley, you would want to hire a Realtor that knows these areas. Without something called a Buyers Agency Agreement, you are essentially in a customer-beware situation. A Buyers Agency Agreement makes you a client, and with it your real estate agent will owe you a higher level of accountability.

While the agreement obligates you to use a particular real estate firm over a specific period of time, the firm, in turn, is required to work exclusively on your behalf — to help you find the property you want to buy. It also means the agent is committed to giving you the full benefit of his or her expertise.

Consider your lifestyle

A lot of the time buyers want to get everything in the first home that they buy. You should look for a property that satisfies your lifestyle today and for the next few years. When a limited budget prevents you from getting what you want in a house and location, it’s time to start looking at less spacious but more practical options, such as smaller houses, townhouses or condos.

Watch that offer

You’ll only insult the seller if you offer $450,000 for the sake of bargaining when similar houses in the same neighbourhood have sold for $500,000. In these cases, buyers never end up getting the property that they are interested in. If you really want a house, offer as much as you can possibly afford based on what you think the home is worth. You never have to pay more than the house if worth to you. And show sellers you are serious by offering a solid deposit along with your offer. With so much on the line, sellers want to be sure the buyer won’t get cold feet.