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The Home Buying Process: Finding Your Dream Home

February 3, 2021
Step two of the home buying process is the fun part; Actually finding your home. You’ve hopefully met with a lender, discussed all of your financial goals and established your budget for buying a home and come up with a timeline that feels realistic without being too overwhelming. If you skipped over the first step, head to our first post of this series to learn more about why you should get pre-approved before looking for your dream home. 

But when can you start the fun part? When is the right time to start actually searching for a home? 

Well, good news! The time is now! Before you get sucked down the rabbit hole of searching for homes on sites like Zillow and Redfin and start wondering how you write a competitive offer, it’s important that you make sure that you have a Real Estate Agent on your team to help guide you through this process.

There are absolutely things you can do alone, but finding and buying your home should not be one of them. But how do you find an agent? What advice will they give that will make the home search more manageable? Is it necessary to find them now or can I wait for a little while longer? Below we break down the steps necessary to take to find your dream home. Sure, you can swap the order of some of these but we firmly believe step 1 is the best place to start. 

Step 1: Finding Your Agent

A real estate agent is likely the first should act as a trusted advisor and advocate for you in the home buying process. They should have an expertise not only in the local market, but also in the culture of the local area you are looking to move to. This will help you in understanding every aspect of your new home from finances to community. 


Finding an agent doesn’t have to seem like a full time job. If you’ve spoken with a lender first they will have recommendations for you. Don’t be afraid to let your lender know exactly what type of agent you are looking for and let them provide you with options that you can pick from. It’s important to find the right person for you. Experience and expertise are great, but buying a house is one of the most important decisions of your life, and the people behind you should be people you trust and are comfortable with.


Other ways of finding great agents are asking your local family and friends for referrals of agents they enjoyed working with or heading to the internet to conduct your own research. Don’t hesitate to call a few different agents until you find one you click with. You will be spending a lot of time together so you should feel comfortable with them and excited to go through this process together.


Step 2: Explore the Neighborhood

Researching and reading about the neighborhoods you're interested in living in is a great way to start to get a feel for where you might want to live, but nothing can replace spending time in those neighborhoods and talking to the people that live there. 


Spend time going to local restaurants (or doing takeout), going on a hike, walking your dog, taking your kids to the park or exploring local shops. While you’re out and about, ask people questions about if they like living there, the things they like to do and any advice they have for somebody interested in moving to the town. You’ll be blown away by how open and friendly people will be and how much you will learn in an afternoon.


After you spend some time in the different places you would consider living you’ll have a much better feeling about what might be the right fit for you. Knowing where you want to live is a huge portion of the battle when trying to find your home.


Step 3: Wants vs. Needs

Starting to look for a home can be overwhelming. One house you saw has the perfect kitchen, another house has a great main suite and a third has a finished basement. Which one do you choose? Before you can start to make that decision, you need to have an understanding of what is on your “must have” list and what things you are willing to compromise on.


We all have a budget that we would like to stick to when thinking about a new home. Especially in a market like today, where inventory is low and homes are selling incredibly quickly with multiple offers, it’s crucial to not get hung up on the little things like a paint color or specific granite, but instead look for the things you need in order to be happy in a home and then the little things can get changed over time. 


Once you’ve nailed down your needs versus wants, stick to them. Even with low inventory, it’s easy to continue looking at all your options even if they don’t check all your boxes. Take advantage of today’s circumstances and take virtual tours of homes to narrow your search. Once you’ve narrowed your choices, go for an in person tour (if possible) and try to visualize yourself in the home. Seeing a home online and walking through one in person are two very different things and it’s important to follow your gut instincts in choosing the one best for you.



Step 4: Set Realistic Expectations

Finding your dream home does not happen overnight. Be patient and set realistic expectations. Have an honest and open conversation with your Real Estate Agent and your lender about how much you feel comfortable spending, the things you really want and where you aren’t willing to compromise. Let the professionals you enlist to help you, actually help you. Together you will find the home that is right for you.


Above everything, remember that finding your dream home should be fun. Of course you will experience some stressors when thinking about money and moving logistics, but you are ultimately making a big decision about your future. Soak up every minute of your home buying purchase and really take your time in getting to know what you want in a home. Allow yourself to imagine what it would be like to live in the homes you tour, dream up future family gatherings, and get excited about the prospect of a fresh start.


Once you’ve found your home, it’s time to get rolling. In our next blog in this series we will be talking about the next step in the home buying process; The Mortgage Application.



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Q1 Recap

By Mikaylah Collins • April 12, 2023
We've begun to see signs that the Spring Market is here and could be robust! Here is what we know: According to NAR, home sales were up 14% in February over the previous month which marked the biggest monthly increase since July 2020. While March results are not yet published, the mortgage industry saw an increase in purchase applications for the 3rd straight month; a great sign for the housing market. Driving much of this activity is the stabilization of rates in January & February and lower interest rates this past month. We’re starting to see signs of a slowing economy and the markets are now pricing this in. This week we saw the 10-yr Treasury drop under 3.4%, a level it has not reached for quite some time and the lowest it’s been since September 9, 2022. This is great news for consumers as decreasing rates mean more home affordability. Over the past year, most markets have seen home prices stabilize if not even decline, albeit by a very small amount. This stabilization was still a relief for homebuyers as it helped to offset higher interest rates. As rates continue to decrease, we would expect home prices to again increase due to demand increases. In addition to increased demand, there is still a shortage of homes for sale nationwide and that will continue to worsen as more and more homebuyers enter the market.  So what does it all mean? Now is a GREAT time to buy a home! Rates and home prices are stable, there is not as much competition as there will be when rates do decrease, and buying a home is still extremely affordable for most. Once rates fall, we will likely see home prices rise and the competition for the shortage of homes will increase alongside it making the window of a buyer-dominated market very small.

Q1 2023 Market Outlook

By Sarah Rubin • February 10, 2023
We are well into Q1 and feel confident saying that the market appears to be stabilizing. Before we start looking forward, let’s quickly look back at the end of 2022.

Finding The Right Listing Agent For You

By Sarah Rubin • December 15, 2022
Buying a home is a huge investment and one we talk about often - BUT the flipside is that you have an opportunity to cash in on that investment when you’re ready to sell your home! While you do have the chance to cash-in, a lot more work goes into selling a home than you might think! If you are considering selling your home, working with a listing agent will help you market your home, negotiate with potential buyers, work through paperwork, and ultimately close on your home! So what is a listing agent? In its most basic terms, a listing agent is a real estate professional who represents the seller in a real estate transaction. The listing agent lists the home for sale and works on behalf of the seller to sell the home at the best price and terms for their client. Listing your home is a BIG deal and it is not a place to try and DIY. But why can’t you just grab a sign at Home Depot and try and sell yourself? Well, there are lots of reasons some of which include: Professional consultation: A listing agent will walk you through each step and tell you what to expect along the way! They should understand the specific community you’re in and the current market environment and will help you determine a competitive but realistic asking price for your home. Marketing and selling your home: Your listing agent will list your home on the multiple listing service (MLS) in order to better market your home to potential buyers. They also can make staging recommendations and hire a photographer to best show off your home and its features. They’ll schedule house showings, and can be present to answer any questions. Communication and negotiation: Communication is key to both buying and selling a home in order to minimize stress and misunderstandings. Listing agents take care of this important task, by staying in touch with interested buyers and their agents, fielding questions, handling paperwork, and negotiating the final sale price and terms. Recommendations: Seasoned listing agents might come with a list of professionals who they have worked with in the past that they enjoy working with in order to make the selling process smoother for you! Some of these professionals include: real estate attorneys or title companies, inspectors, stagers, those who specialize in home improvement AND of course trusted Loan Officers. How do I find the right listing agent for my situation? In order to find the right listing agent for you, make sure your agent is licensed and has experience, references, and a professional website where you can learn more about them and their qualifications. Most real estate agents work with both buyers and sellers, but some might specialize in one or the other. Once you find a few agents through referrals or online research, meet with them in person to ensure they meet your needs and work well with your personality. It is also important to ask questions during your meeting with them and it’s imperative that you determine what you’re looking for in an agent so you make sure you are happy with the product being delivered. Selling a home can be stressful, especially for first-time sellers. A listing agent can help by taking on some of the burden and providing the information and resources needed to help sellers make informed decisions. We work with agents on both sides of the transaction – if you have any questions or would like a recommendation for an agent in your area, please reach out to us!
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