Good news, it’s still a great time to buy!
But this is a different market than we’ve experienced in the past – inventory is low and there are many more buyers than sellers.
You’ll need to be ready to compete.
Not to worry, we can help you quickly get ahead!
Here are the first 5 steps you need to take to find your next home:
1. Get Pre-approved – You MUST be pre-approved before you start seeing homes. Without a strong pre-approval, your offer won’t be seriously considered by the seller and you have no chance if you are competing against other offers. The pre-approval process can take a couple weeks so you’ll want to get started soon. If you need a referral to a mortgage broker, please contact me.
2. Get listings automatically emailed to you – You’ve probably been viewing homes online from sites like Zillow and Realtor.com. The only problem is they have outdated info (even though they claim not to). You need to get listings directly from the Multiple Listing Service and I can help. Once you sign up, you will receive automatic real-time emails of any new listings according to your specific search criteria. You can sign up here.
3. Get a good agent – Yes, it really does matter. Reputation matters, agent-to-agent relationships matter, quick and regular communication matters. All of these factors can be the difference between getting the home and continuing to miss out. Read my post on How To Win When Competing Against Other Offers.
4. Get realistic – It may take several offers to get one accepted. And if you are competing against other buyers, be prepared to pay over asking price. Don’t let this discourage you though. Not all homes are selling over list price with multiple offers. It depends on the location and price range.
5. Get going and don’t give up – Home prices are on the way up and interest rates won’t stay this low forever. The news across the country is that the housing market is in a full blown recovery and that’s definitely true in the Conejo Valley. You may not get your first offer accepted (although you may), but eventually, you’ll find your home. Understand that it may take several months to find a home, get your offer accepted, and close escrow. Your patience might be tested, but it will be worth it in the end.
I’d love to help you find and buy your new home! Working together we can make the process a little easier and definitely less intimidating.
