Step 3 of Overcoming the Mid-20's Crisis: Sitting down with Matt and talking about what you are looking for and when you want it done.

Here we are. You and me, sitting down, face to face. You have this smug look on your face because you asked around, talked to some friends and family members about what to ask, then, to get some much deserved bonus points, you read the first two installments of "Now You Know" and you feel as though you know everything that you need to know about the home buying process. If only you had read Step 3 of Overcoming the Mid-20's Crisis before you came in, but that's okay, because I'm going to explain it all to you while we sit there in my unusually posh office for a real estate agent, just as I will explain it to you in this installment of "Now You Know."

While sitting on my leather couch in the historic building where I conduct my daily dealings the literally dozens of questions that you have will be racing through your head and you may suddenly get terrified and begin to think to yourself, "What if I forget to ask something important? What if I accidentally mix up appraisal and the home inspection? Will I be just as embarrassed as the time I mixed up secular and non-secular while talking to that pastor? Will Matt laugh like Father O'Brien did?" Suddenly you are in your own head, and you're nervous and your palms are sweating and now you have crazy thoughts running through your head like, "I can't afford a house. what am I thinking? I didn't want to do this. I don't know what I'm doing; I should just run." Next thing you know, you're lying on the floor in the fetal position sucking your thumb. At this point I want you to take a deep breath, hold it, hold it, keep holding it, and now exhale slowly. Feel better? Good. Don't worry, the best agents will answer most of your questions before you even have a chance to ask any, and everyone in the world has felt the fear when buying a house, whether it's your first house or your fiftieth, there is always the fear.

To attempt to avoid being verbose I will just touch on the most important subjects that you will need to know before you walk in. You will need to know certain things, 1) How many bedrooms you want, 2) how many bathrooms, 3) where you would like to be located, 4) how long will you be staying in that first spot, 5) what are your long term investment goals, 6) ***when do you want to be moved in by? *** (the stars mean they are important, because this determines how much time you and I get to spend together and how quickly we have to move to find the right home for you)

You will want to listen for many things during the consultation including but not limited to an update on the market and whether it's a buyer's, seller's, or a stable market. You will want to know about closing costs, and whether we can ask the other side for them, or if we will have to come up with them on our own. Also, the fees we will have to pay no matter what, for example, the one thing I recommend that everyone gets on every house, is a Home Inspection, which typically, in my area, costs 1% of the cost of the house with a minimum of $300.00 (for a $450,000 home, it would cost $450.00 for our non-accountant friends). I will explain the appraisal, and how this is done to protect you, and answer the ever-so-popular question, "Will I have to pay for that, or will that be part of the closing costs." Then I will explain the best part of working with me...I work for you for free, because the seller pays my broker's commission. That's right, you get all my expertise, wisdom, guidance, and the safety and protection of my brokerage for the extremely low price of nothing* (it's like the kid you paid in elementary school to make sure you didn't get beat up, but for free).

Know that when you meet with an agent for a buyers meeting, you both have certain goals. My goal is to get you to sign a Buyer Brokerage Agreement which says that I am working for you and you are exclusively working with me. Your goal is to know that I will provide you with all the services that are not only listed in the Buyer Brokerage agreement, but also, all the other things that I promise you. Every agent has their own goals and expectations and every agent is different, just like every buyer is different and have their own expectations. You should be able to tell if you and the agent that you met with are a good fit after this first meeting. If it doesn't feel like a good fit, walk away, run actually right to my office where I will be happy to sit with you and assess your needs.

So, now you know, and knowing is half the battle. Remember, you can always look up my site at www.TheWrightMillerCompany.com, feel free to find me on Facebook, you can even instant message me on AIM at KWRMATT. If you have any questions feel free to contact me in any way you can, or if you're a phone person, you can call between 0900 and 1900 EST at 703-393-1336.

Oh, and a little personal side note, my little nephew was born last week, his name is Zolani Boyd Clites, and he is just adorable. For those of you who are wondering, Zolani means "peace." So, congratulate my sister if you see her, or leave her a comment here, and I'll pass it along to her.

*restrictions may apply, please come in for consult for all rules and regulations for free service.