A lender has pre-qualified you to purchase a home, and now the search begins. You’ve probably perused several real estate websites (i.e., Zillow, Trulia), but the time is ripe to set you up for a customized search on my REALTOR® software, MLS. Why the duplication, you say?
Licensed REALTORS® have access to real estate software referred to as a Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which allows listing agents to assimilate information about residential real estate. The benefits of this service to serious home buyers is the ability to view real-time, detailed data about properties on the market. The result is a more customized, accurate search with more property particulars available (i.e., tax records, property condition from seller, survey, previous sale records). To understand the depth of the information available, click here to view the data needed to input a property on this system.
Once my buyers are approved by a mortgage lender, I schedule a time to meet to discuss your home needs and wants, and prepare you in advance for the competitive housing market that faces North Texans. At this 30-minute consultation, we will discuss your availability to preview homes, preferred communication (i.e., text, call, e-mail), and your expectations. I will also work to prepare you in advance for the negotiation areas that can help you win your dream home (i.e., earnest and option money, closing date, appraisal warranty). We will also complete some required preliminary paperwork in Texas, such as mineral rights, buyer representation, inspection importance, etc. My goal for this initial consultation is for you to walk away confident as a future home buyer!
Before setting up your consultation, I ask that you complete a brief online 10-question survey that gauges your property wants and desires. To complete the survey, click here.
The Benefits of a Simplified Search
Home desires versus needs often blur when home buyers begin their search for a dream home.
“My husband and I were relocating to the North Texas market and we were insistent on finding a home that had backyard privacy, in addition to other strict criteria, of course. We purchased our dream home that surprisingly, did not have backyard privacy. We promptly added that feature after moving in. But had Kristin stuck to this criteria when setting our home search we would have never found our forever home.” ~ Samantha M.
When setting clients up for a home search online, my goal is to add just enough criteria to have a list of approximately 20 or so homes currently on the market. Recommended criteria to focus on include: area (i.e., school district, zip code, work commute, amenities), type of home (i.e., single-family), bedroom/bathrooms, outdoor features (i.e., pool).
*Note: In rare cases, Realtors® can mistakenly leave out desirable home feature (i.e., pool, fence) into when listing a home online. This hurts buyers whose search criteria is too inflexible.
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