March 22nd, 2018 | Buyers
The Buying Process: Showings – Buyer Spring Training Seminar.
When you finally get to see and touch things!
Before getting the actual showing process started, there are few things that you need to get done.
Buyer Consult. It is important to sit down with a real estate agent to better understand the entire buying process and discuss your needs and wants.
Mortgage Pre-Approval. We talked about the importance of the mortgage pre-approval in the previous post. As you may know by now, it provides you with your shopping budget. Find the home of your dreams? You may not be to strike without understanding your finances first.
Wants vs. Needs. Understanding the difference between what you want and need, helps you focus your search and gives you a better picture of what your budget allows in a certain neighbourhood.
Location, Type of Home, Reason For Purchase are considered needs, the bells and whistles are wants, you may not be able to get, depending on your budget.
After narrowing down your wants and needs, your agent will set up an MLS Search. This will allow them to find listings that best match your criteria. Don’t forget, MLS is the first place updated when a property is for sale or sold, and your agent has access to it. Other websites, such as Realtor.ca, get their data from the MLS database, but they are not updated in real time.
The understanding of the above process is CRITICAL to ensure you are in the best position to “strike” when you see something you love.
When everything is set up, the showings are ready to commence.
Let us share some “Showing Secrets.”
A picture is NOT worth 1000 words: Realtors are hired to MARKET & SELL homes. What you see in a picture may not represent what you experience during the showing, but not always in a negative way. Therefore, remember: Seeing is believing! You must see to know and have a basis for comparison.
Consistency is the key. Seeing homes on a regular basis keeps you in the game and helps you understand what you’re truly looking for and how much your budget gets you.
The cottage effect. Remember to always consider what’s more important to you during this process. Look when nobody else is looking and you will have a wider range of homes to choose from and less competition.
Amir’s Showing Checklist
- Comfortable shoes. There will be a lot of in and out, so wear shoes that you can easily slip in and out of.
- Charged phone with memory. Usually, buyers remember the first and the last property visited. Make sure to take pictures so at the end of the day you will not have to ask yourself “what was that house I really liked?” A charged phone also allows you to Facetime mom & dad!
- Tape measure. Want to know if your furniture will fit? Bring a tape measure!
- Snack / water / coffee. Not too much to say, the day is long, you may need to recharge.
- Daytime showings preferred! Natural light allows you to notice all the details of the property and gives you a better experience of how living in that house or condo will be.
Other Seminar Notes:
The Buying Process: Post-Purchase
Ready to get started?
