Impatience– It’s no secret that there is record low housing inventory right now so it may take time for a house to come up that you feel motivated to make an offer on. Also, it isn’t uncommon for people to offer on 3-4 houses before they lock one in. Tip: Give yourself a generous time period of 3+ months to find a house and close. Make contingency plans if it happens sooner or later than the timeline. Listen to your agent’s guidance on what would make a competitive and compelling offer.
Disappointment– MLS photos are a marketing tool and almost every house looks better online than it does in person. Take the photos with a grain of salt. Tip: Do a drive by of the property to get a feel for the area. In a pinch, google earth’s street view can give you an idea. Most people can rule out a home just by seeing it from the outside.
Confusion– People often think being picky is a bad thing. Actually, when the client knows their must haves and is targeted geographically it makes it much easier to get to a successful result faster. Tip: Know what you must have criteria for and don’t waiver. The “shot-gun” approach of searching many different places and not knowing what’s really important will frustrate you and your agent. If you’re not clear on what you need then you’re not ready to buy a home.
Sacrifice– Wouldn’t it be great if we could just get all the things we are looking for in a home on the first try? Unfortunately, most people have champagne taste on a seltzer budget. Tip: Make sure your budget reflects the reality of houses available to you. Discuss your criteria and budget with your agent 12 months prior so they can let you know early if your expectations need to be adjusted.
Anxiety– Waiting for a response on your offer often feels like waiting for water to boil. When it consumes all your thoughts it feels like time can actually stop. It’s also not uncommon for sellers to respond past the expiration on your offer. Tip: Find a distraction, go out to eat with friends or start a project. Whatever you do, do not text your agent on the hour every hour for updates. Trust me, your agent will let you know the second they receive a crumb of information worth sharing.
Fear– Once under contract, you enter the inspection period which can bring up a lot of very scary things about a house. Tip: There is no passing a home inspection. All homes, even new construction, have issues. Your agent will guide you on what repairs are reasonable to ask for. A great agent will also coach you to abort mission if they feel the house is a lemon.
Above all else, hire an agent that you have great trust and rapport. A big part of my job is counseling clients through the tough emotions that come up during the process of buying and selling homes. Having a high level of emotional intelligence allows me to be a rock for clients when they inevitably bump into the natural emotions of the real estate transaction.
Lindsay Fricks, Helping you, your family and friends Live & Love in Arizona!
