Buying home can be confusing, even when it’s not your first time!
Here are some helpful tips we live by:
Hire A Great Realtor When Buying A Home!
Did we mention the home buying process can be confusing? That’s why it’s important to have the help of an experienced partner with the resources and expertise to smoothly guide you through your home buying journey. All home buyers, whether it’s your first time or not, need the help of an experienced Realtor to guide them.
Did you know that working with a REALTOR® to buy your home costs you absolutely nothing? Not to mention working with a professional helps you negotiate a better price on your home, and avoid costly mistakes and lawsuits.
In Houston, there are 25,000 real estate agents who have the ability to help you buy a home, but it’s important to realize that not all REALTOR®s are created equal. The average agent in Houston closes around 7 deals per year. (The average buyer agent at The Loken Group closes 45-60 per year.)
How can you ensure that you’re making the right choice with your real estate agent? It’s actually a fairly simple answer.
Reading reviews gives you a (in most cases) unbiased view of the agent before you start working with them. Check out online sources like Zillow, Google, Facebook, and Yelp to do your research. A good reputation also matters to other agents. Every day we see cases where an agent receives 2 offers on a property, and they go with the one with the agent with a better reputation (even sometimes when the offer is lower, because the deal has a higher chance of being successful!).
Once you find a handful of agents with great reviews, interview them!
Here are some great questions to ask:
- How many homes have you sold this year? If it’s not a lot, you may want to keep looking for someone more experienced!
- What do you know about new construction (if you’re considering new construction)?
- What makes you different than everyone else?
- How are you going to help me get the best deal?
Things for you to evaluate:
- How knowledgeable were they about the home buying process and the Houston market?
- Is this agent full-time or part-time?
The Houston market is very competitive. You absolutely want a full-time agent to give you the best chance at snagging your dream home at the best price.
- How quickly did they respond to you?
If they aren’t responding quickly now, when you’re a potential new client, how quickly will they respond to you when you’re ready to make an offer?
Know How Much You Can Spend
It’s vital that you meet with a lender to see what you can afford before you start looking at homes. We see clients all the time who aren’t able to afford as much as they thought they could because of hidden problems on their credit report, or just general misconceptions. Meeting with a lender up front is the easiest way to avoid the heartache of not being able to afford a home you fell in love with, and not wasting time!
Also keep in mind any extra cash you’ll need on hand at closing (your real estate agent can guide you here) and after for things like furniture, lawn equipment, and home decor (you’ll be a regular at your local Lowe’s and Target for weeks after you move in).
Do you need a lending recommendation? We work with GREAT lenders who ensure our closings are smooth, and happen ON TIME (not necessarily a given, unfortunately).
Figure Out Where You Want to Live
Houston is HUGE and has so many great areas and neighborhoods to choose from. Your real estate agent should be able to advise you on popular areas, and give you advice, but ultimately, you’ll have to decide what’s best for your family!
Some things to consider:
- Make sure you’re buying in a good school district.
Even if you don’t have kids, think long term. You’ll eventually want to sell this home and buy another, and the next buyers will almost certainly be looking to be in a good school district, too! It’s better for home values, and obviously a must if you have school-age children.
- Think about your commute.
In Houston, commutes are almost always a given. Think about how long your commute will be from the area you are considering. Maybe even consider driving up to that area early one morning and seeing what the commute is like from the neighborhood of your choice by actually driving it. Will you need to take toll roads from your new home? Calculate how much you’ll spend monthly on toll roads to make sure it fits in with what you can afford to spend monthly.
- Think about area attractions.
Is it important to you to be close to a mall or lots of restaurants? Is it important to you to have more space, a larger lot? These things don’t always come hand-in-hand in Houston.
Final Thoughts
Buying a home can be extremely stressful and exhausting. When you have a top buyer agent in your corner, you will have a much greater chance of a smooth and successful transaction!