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The Home Buying Journey – Part 2. Touring Homes - A Game Plan for Buyers

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Real Estate Agent with California Lifestyle Realty DRE# 1780607

 

I have clients coming in from New York next month to tour homes and find their perfect desert getaway... the only thing I can add to this checklist is bring water, stay hydrated, and keep COOL!

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Original content by Karen Crowson BRE#01732313

Check List-Take NotesPrior to viewing homes, your agent will have made appointments for you to see homes. Some will be unoccupied, but others may have very specific showing instructions.  Some sellers require as much as 24 hour advance notice. Others may make it very easy for you to see their property. With that in mind, it is helpful if you can provide your agent with a bit of lead-time for making these arrangements.

Here are some things to make your time worthwhile. 

1.   Be Deliberate.  A house may have made your short list. But once you see what the surrounding homes look like, or find something so disagreeable about it that you wouldn’t consider this house, then move on.   If you do though, have your agent make a courtesy call to the seller.  I’ve seen buyers waste a lot of time touring houses they would never consider buying.

2.   Be Efficient. If you’re following your agent from house to house, make sure you have a full tank of gas, snacks or water in the car and bring a camera. (If you’re riding with your agent, they’ll probably have taken care of these details) 

3.   Take notes. Your agent will more than likely provide you with a sheet of the properties to see for the day.  Jot down your likes and dislikes, or other key information.  Using a ranking scale can be very helpful when you review the day’s findings.

4.   Don’t overextend yourself. It’s not about how many properties you view inside and out. It’s about seeing those that truly fit your needs.  A viewing tour is as much about elimination as it is about inclusion.  If you tour too many on a given day, they will more than likely all run together in your head. 

5.   Be vocal. Your agent knows the inventory.  Voice your likes and dislikes as you go, giving your agent the ability to provide you with other suggestions that will more likely suit your preferences.

6.   Look within your price range.  Looking at homes that are $600,000 when you can only afford $400,000 is apt to set false expectations and lead to an unhappy buying experience.

7.   Have your pre-approval ready!!  Nothing will be more disappointing than finding the home of your dreams, only to find out it’s out of reach for your pocketbook.

8.   Do a gut-check.  Are you prepared to write an offer when you do find the house? I’ve seen more than one buyer hesitate, only to find the house is under contract with someone else.  Mentally take yourself through the steps – what would it look like if we wrote an offer on this house?  

So glad you asked. Check back tomorrow for the next in the series: We’ve made an offer – Now What Happens?  For the first article in the series, visit The First Agent Meeting.

 

 

Tri Valley real estate for buyers and sellers. Search for homes in Livermore, Pleasanton, and Dublin.

I can also help you in the surrounding areas of Alameda County and Contra Costa County

including Castro Valley, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, San Ramon, Danville, Brentwood and Mountain House

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Kathy Schowe   760.333.8886  California LifestyleRealty  California Lifestyle RealtySchowe Properties                                           

        

                  
                                   

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