If you want to be successful at something, you have to
have a plan. My approach to assisting you with buying real estate is very strategic. I begin working with all buyers by doing a buyer consultation. During our first meeting, I will ask you many questions and will complete a survey of your real estate wants and needs. In this interview, I will ask you numerous questions and listen carefully to your answers. One very important question is “When do you want to be in your next home? Your answer will determine how frequently we meet, and the timeline of when we should be writing offers. The more I know about you, and what is important to you, the more quickly I can find your next home. The investment of our time upfront will produce better results for you.
Unless you are paying cash for your home, it’s important to remember that
you are not only buying a home, you are buying a loan! Before we begin looking at homes, it’s a good idea to know what down payment you will need and when the funds need to be available, what your loan amount, interest rate and closing costs are, and what your monthly payment will be. Many people begin searching for homes before they know these details. If you initially look at homes over your financial comfort level, you may be setting your expectations too high.
As we search for your next home, it is important that you are positioned to have your offer accepted. Sellers, be they individuals or banks, want qualified buyers. I will work with you to highlight and package your qualifications to all sellers, and when possible, present those qualifications in person to the listing agent and/or the buyer.
As with anything in life, the first time you do it, it can be scary! The more you know about the buying process before you purchase, the easier it becomes. I begin working with all buyers by performing a
buyer consultation. First, I ask you to complete a detailed survey which gives me some basic understanding of what you are looking for and assesses your readiness as a buyer. It is my job as your agent to make sure you are qualified as an “A” buyer in the eyes of the seller, so you can get the home that you want.
Part of the assessment is financial. Many first-time buyers do not realize that they are not only buying a home, they are buying a loan. They begin their search by first looking at homes, then figuring out how to pay for it. If you have begun your search in this manner, you may have set up unrealistic expectations about what you want vs. what you actually can afford. If you have not already been prequalified with a lender, I can assist you with this process. By obtaining a complete good faith estimate from a lender, the stress of guessing what your monthly obligation will be is gone. Knowledge is power!
I also
review the purchase contract in detail with first time buyers BEFORE you make an offer. You should see and fully understand how the California Residential Purchase Agreement works before you write your first offer! Very few agents make your education a top priority. I feel it is my fiduciary duty to do so.
For each and every listing I will prepare a
custom marketing plan that includes staging suggestions and enhancements, evaluation of your competition and emphasis on curb appeal to get buyers in the door. It is important to showcase your home in its best light, and make a consistently good first impression to every buyer from day one. I am hands on in my approach to this and have staged many vacant homes for clients upon request. I have professional resources including staging professionals, hope repair technicians, home inspectors and gardeners. I have advertised and organized garage sales, given gardening tune-ups and maintained vacant homes for out of area clients. I do whatever it takes.
Because so many
buyers begin their search online, it is important to have a minimum of 35 professionally taken pictures of your home which showcase it from all of the best angles, and with the best lighting. Professional night shots and elevated photos will be taken where appropriate. Statistics have shown that beautiful pictures of your home may reduce your days on market by up to 42%, and improve your selling price by up to 3.8%. I take a virtual tour of each listing and post these tours throughout social media and on U-tube.
Exposure creates demand, demand creates value. My job as your agent is to expose your home to as many potential buyers as possible. Recent statistics from the National Association of Realtors show that 90% of today’s home buyers search for their next home on line. By maximizing your home’s presence on the internet through Coldwell Banker’s hundreds of listing syndication affiliates, social media and search engine optimization, your home will get the attention of thousands of potential buyers. Coldwell Banker will also position your home in our multi-million dollar print media campaign with ads in local and international publications.
Once your home has attracted the attention of a buyer, our buyer pipeline captures and cultivates these leads and connects buyers to me within minutes. This translates into more showings and opportunities to sell your home in less time.
