In preparation for house hunting, it is a good idea to do some planning on your own. Take some time to think about the things that you feel are important to have in your new residence.

TYPE OF RESIDENCE:

House, townhouse, condo, duplex

 

STYLE OF RESIDENCE:

Two-story, ranch, split-level, contemporary Victorian, etc.

 

TYPE OF SETTING:

City, mountain, or beach

 

LOCATION:

Proximity to work, recreation, and schools

 

SPACE REQUIREMENTS:

Bedrooms, square footage, special requirements such as in-home office, space for special hobby, garage space, finished basement

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

View, fenced yard, pool, horse facilities, handicap access, close to public transportation

 

SCHOOL:

Ages of children and any special educational requirement they may have

 

FINANCIAL:

Must sell current residence, amount available for down-payment, maximum monthly expense of ownership

 

HOUSE HUNTING:

After you and I have thoroughly discussed all of the things of importance to you having to do with your next residence, I will carefully select properties that could be of interest to you.

As many of your needs and wishes as possible will be considered in finding the right communities and properties for you to see. Continually let me know what you like and don't like.

I will monitor the homes currently for sale and new listings that come on the market daily. By doing this, I give you the opportunity to be one of the first to see these new listings.

 

SOME TIPS WHEN HOUSE HUNTING

Ask questions about the neighborhood, the construction of the house, the schools, property values in the neighborhood, how long will it take to get to work, why is this a good place to live, where do I shop, where are the parks, etc.

Totally forget properties you didn't like; but first tell your agent what you didn't like.

Take notes (and even a camera). Looking at a number of properties can lead to confusion about the features of each. After you have seen a property that might be a possibility, jot down a few things you liked about it to jog your memory later on.

Compare properties you have seen. Keep a ranking on paper or in your head of the three best properties and rank them in order of desirability.

When you find the property you want to buy, make your offer as quickly as possible

If you like the property, someone else probably will also. Don't delay in asking me to write your offer.