So Jack and Jill decided to read all of “The Home Buyer Checklist You’ve Been Looking For” before they started to check off each item on by one….it just made sense to them.  They were getting more serious about their pursuit for their own home upon the hill and here is what they read:

#2 Choose a REALTOR

Choosing a REALTOR is not your full-time job, but it should be the FULL time job of your REALTOR….to be A REALTOR.  If you have made the commitment to buy or sell real estate you should have a REALTOR that is committed to forming a strong business relationship with you.  Here are some ideas on choosing a REALTOR:

1) Personal Referrals–Ask your closest friends who sold them their house.  Now think about this for a minute.  They bought that house five years ago; that’s a long time.  Your friend will have to think about it and get back with you.  They might have forgotten their REALTOR because they haven’t heard from them in five years.  Hmmmmmm, you are going to want a professional that is dedicated to serving your needs–before, during and after the sale.  Personal referrals are the best, because you have a friend you trust telling you that this is someone who they trust.  Key questions to follow-up with your friend:  Would you buy your next home with this REALTOR?  Would you sell this home with the REALTOR?  Trust is the key, would you want to use the hairstylist of a friend whose hair looks like a rat’s nest?  If you don’t like what their stylist has done with their hair you’re probably not going to want that stylist touching your hair.

2) Advertising–Think about the last time you bought something advertised on TV or in a magazine.  What were they selling?  Did you buy it because it filled a need or did you buy it for some other reason?  Just because a REALTOR has a billboard, park bench, TV commercial, shopping cart or Home Owners Association Newsletter Ad, does not mean their work ethic fits with your personality or needs.

3) Websites, Blogs and Facebook–This is separate from advertising because if done correctly they serve a REAL function to you.  Websites, Blogs and Facebook serve three functions: 1) Information 2) Call to action 3) Communication       As you are researching YOUR REALTOR: are they providing information, communication opportunities and a call to action?  These are all important and useful in your search for a home.

4) Communication–It is EXTREMELY important that your REALTOR communicate with you in a way that YOU WANT to be communicated (e-mail, text, phone calls to the cell phone, phone calls to the work phone, phone calls to the home phone, Facebook messages, twitter tweets, etc)  Who is number one in this situation?????  YOU ARE and don’t you forget it.  Make it a point to find out what communication methods are available.  If you love to receive text messages, you need to make sure that your REALTOR is on the same page.  Your REALTOR also needs to understand how handy you are with a computer and if you have access to a fax machine.

5) Home Search–Your REALTOR needs to be part of your home search, but not the beginning, middle, and end.  Here’s what I mean…you have to be an active participant in your home search.  In order to get the home of your dreams you need to be part of the game.  Suit up and get in the game.  Your REALTOR is a major player, notice that I didn’t say coach.  You’re the player coach.  Your REALTOR is the player agent, the pinch hitter, the announcer, the cheerleader, the medic and the relief pitcher.  They are what you need them to be at that moment in time and sometimes they will be everything at once.

6) Availability–Your REALTOR should be available to you on your schedule.  You are the client, you are important and you should be given priority.  This is the one way that a full-time dedicated Real Estate Professional is different from the part-time REALTOR.  They have another job four to eight hours a day, when do they have time for you?

7) Eating Real Estate Every Meal–Another way a full-time dedicated Real Estate Professional is different from the part-time REALTOR is that they are always working on Real Estate.  Their focus is directed at being the best REALTOR they can be.  They have one vision of success and that is to help you achieve YOUR Real Estate goals.  This can be seen through the weekly improvement meetings that they attend.  The professional company they keep.  The ongoing education that a full-time REALTOR takes is typically more than the State requires.  Even the amount and type of information that they provide to potential clients on a regular basis.

These are my seven tips for you based on clients, friends and family.  You have a tough choice before you.  Somewhere along the way you will need a REALTOR.  Take the time to learn who you’re working with.  Ask questions, conduct job interviews.  A REALTOR that does not want to be a part of your interview process…hmmmmmm…you make the call.  It’s your dream, who is going to be a part of your team to make it a reality?

“Hickory, dickory, Jill I think we should start looking for a REALTOR, right now to help us with our Real Estate goal” Jack said in a flourish of excitement.  “Jack, I agree that we will need a REALTOR to help us, but I think we should continue to read all the check points, so far we need a lender and a REALTOR,” Jill was cut off by Jack who said, “Yea, it’s like we’re gonna need all the kings horses and all the Kings men.” they were eager for the next check point entitled:

“Jack and Jill Learn What COSTS Are Involved: The Home Buyer Checklist You’ve Been Looking For (4 of 15)

We hope you’re enjoying our series and that it helps you on your way to…………….

Live Life to the Fullest,

S.C.

Last we saw Jack and Jill they had decided to not only buy a home, but to use: “The Home Buyer Checklist You’ve Been Looking For” as well………their checklist.  So they got right to it:

#1 GET PREQUALIFIED

Deciding that you want to buy a home is not really the first step in home ownership and your path to personal wealth.  Before you even start looking at homes, you need to get prequalified.  Your REALTOR can help you decide what type of lender to prequalify you, but going through the steps to get prequalified will help you decide if this is the right time for you to buy a home.  Ther interest rates may be right and homes may be available, but your financial future may not be ready….yet.

Here’s another way to look at it:

You’ve decided that you want to go on vacation.  You have packed the car, got the snacks, boarded the animals, got the mail and newspapers put on hold.  Your destination, Disney World in Orlando, FL.  You have your vision, but you haven’t looked  at all the small goals that have to be met: 1) Are you driving straight through?  2) If your going to stop along the way, where?  3) Did you book a hotel along the way?  4) Are you going to sleep in the car?  5) Did you book a hotel in or around Disney World?  6) Can your car handle the trip?  7) Can you afford the expenses to go to Disney World?  8) Do you have enough gas?

Taking off looking for a home without getting prequalified is just like jumping in the car and heading for Disney World without checking the gas and looking under the hood.  Once you check out your car you might find that it won’t make the trip so you change your destination to Sea World in San Antonio, TX and make it a day trip.

Getting prequalified will make your home buying experience go a lot smoother.  The lender will be asking you specific questions regarding debt, income, etc.  Gathering the information they will need may take you some time to find.  Having your taxes, and banking records at your fingertips helps a lot.  Their guidance on your finances will help you determine the price range you can afford.  Most sellers will not even consider and offer unless they have proof of financing or funds available (bank statement for cash buyers).  By taking this step…..you will be ready to search homes in your price range and make an offer with your REALTOR right when you find the house you want to call home.

Jack and Jill both felt a little bit like their friend Patience Muffet.  See Patience was really  afraid of spiders and if she thought one was even coming close to sitting down beside her…she would get scared and run away.  That’s how Jack and Jill felt….scared…were they financially ready?????????  They weren’t ready to find a lender just yet so they decided to keep reading, they eagerly awaited the next check point entitled:

Jack and Jill Choose a REALTOR “The Home Buyer Checklist You’ve Been Looking for (3 of 15)

We hope you’re enjoying our series and that it helps you on your way to…………………..

Live Life to the Fullest,

S.C.

You CAN Live Life to the Fullest….and I can help