Real Estate Blog - First Time Buyers: Realtors Help to Define YOUR Dream

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First Time Buyers: Realtors Help to Define YOUR Dream

I love assisting first time home buyers! The opportunity to own their home is exciting and that excitement bubbles right out of these buyers. Many have a picture in their head of what their dream home looks like and it is my job to figure out what that picture is and help them find it. Is it the little bungalow with the white picket fence? A new trendy condo with views of the Mississippi? Or a fixer-upper that they can renovate and build equity?

Everyone has a different dream. As a home buyer's representative, I work with you to define your dream. It doesn't cost buyers one cent to have representation but what they receive is priceless!

In the current buyers' market, there are so many options in every price range throughout the Twin Cities. I did a search a few days ago for a buyer and in a 15 mile radius from her place of employment, there were over 200 homes she could consider! While it is great to have options, 200 choices are overwhelming. So how do you narrow down your choices? Work with a professional real estate agent. As a Realtor, I work hard to understand your needs and lifestyle so we can find your perfect home.

To assist buyers, I asked them to define their dream...What was most important their home? Beyond the number of bedrooms and baths or how many garage spaces, how do they really live?

I take the time to talk with my buyers about their lives and what is important to them. By taking a short, lifestyle inventory, I focus in on what makes up their ideal house. Once defined, the list of potential properties can be narrowed quickly to a reasonable amount of serious possibilities. By understanding what the buyers' picture perfect home is, I can help them stay focused and not waste time with homes that don't fit the dream. It most cases it only takes a short time to locate several good options and one "perfect" home to make an offer on.

If you are relocating to Minnesota, are looking for Homes for Sale in the north and east Twin Cities metro area and need help from a professional Realtor, give me a call. Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet, Homebuyers Success Packet or sign up for Listingbook Twin Cities Home Search. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Buying a Home? Check out my new HOME BUYER'S BLOG!

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Posted by Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka County Acreage & Lakeshore Homes on 04/09/2007 11:35 AM

Comments (6)

buyers representation, first time buyer, new home, mn, minnesota, real estate

Originally posted at: Twin Cities Real Estate Blog: First Time Buyers: Realtors Help to Define YOUR Dream

This post has been included in Minnesota Information

6 Comments on First Time Buyers: Realtors Help to Define YOUR Dream

APR

2007

Teri,

Nice idea, lifestyle inventory. I have never really looked at it that way. What do you use for your lifestyle inventory? As someone who teaches a first time buyers workshop I think that would be a great additon to my presentation.

a very nice idea... Along with Gary, I would love to hear about the details of the Lifestyle Inventory...

Teri great information for your buyers - having them know of the possibilities and how to help you help them - this will make it less stressful and not waste your buyers time - nice job

Gary and Paul--A Lifestyle Inventory is a term I heard in a continuing education class. It is where you ask buyers about whether they want to maintain a yard, like to cook, need all the bedrooms on one level, work from home, travel a lot, have pets, have children etc. If they love gardening...we are looking for a big yard. If they travel and don't have time for yardwork, a condo. If they love cooking, then we are more focuses on kitchens. If they have kids, school districts and playgrounds come it to play. You get the idea...I don't have a formal list of questions but it is more of an intimate conversation. I think there are lists though...Depending on how the questions are answered, I know enough to understand how there family works and my expertise in working with buyers kicks in to assist them in finding a home.

Hope this answers your question.

Thesa--With so many options out there, buyers need a professional to assist them throughout the process. The search is a very important part of the process but can be overwhelming in a buyers market. Thanks for the comments.

AUG

2007

Teri,

I like the term "Lifestyle Inventory" as a description for the wish list. The buyer's needs and wants are the most important first step in the transaction. On-line wish list that generate leads from your personal web site are growing in popularity by agents to find the buyers true needs. The best wish list programs generate wish lists for both the buyer and the agent via e-mail as a guidance tool in the home search.

But to really "narrow down" the choices, a buyer's home rating program becomes the ultimate tool to locate their dream home. By rating 5-10 features in each home the buyer tours, then combining and calculating a couples ratings will determine the best home to meet both their needs. The emotional approach of buying now becomes a due diligence approach to their largest investment in life.

Duane

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