How do you ask the right questions to first-time buyers?

This is an imperative step in working with any buyer or seller. An agent must understand someone’s “why” in order to meet their needs. The more I can get to know my clients the more trust is built and this is paramount in transactions! Clients need to know you have their best interests and needs in mind and that you are looking out for them.

Your mortgage professional is your first stop on the path to home ownership. This is where you can determine not only how much you can afford, but what you will need in savings, if you need to work on credit items, and how much extra you need for closing costs. Do this before you you are ready to buy so you have the time to come up with a plan to ensure that you are financially ready to buy. You will know ahead of time if you need to build credit, pay down balances, or increase your credit score. You will also have an idea of of how much you have to spend to each month and how much home that will buy you. Did you know the real estate taxes are a key variable in qualifying? Keep this in mind as you search and relay it to your lender.

I find that new buyers are usually ready to talk with a lender and get preapproved prior to touring homes. Most Buyers I work with look to me for lender recommendations and I do my best to provide them with several options that I feel will be a good fit for them. A good lender is well versed in all sorts of scenarios and can really dig in and help Buyers get to where they need to be for approval. I tend to stay in my lane and let the pool of great lenders I work with drive the lending piece. I refer and then receive and review the information. In my market a Buyer must be pre-approved prior to submitting offers. There is just no way around it.

This is just such a fun part about real estate- getting to the nitty gritty of what people want, need and the non-negotiables. What I find works best is sending that first round of mls listings in their desired area and price range and seeing which properties they gravitate to and which properties are a hard no. This opens the door for deeper questions and can really streamline the process.

Once I have a general idea of the type of home Buyers want we need to see properties in person. What repels them? What do they love? I find out so much during live touring of homes. I get a much greater sense of their ability to see the forest through the trees in person. And ultimately after a few showings we are always pointed in the right direction. I find, if I am doing my job listening, researching and reviewing properties and there is inventory on the market, the process can move fairly quickly.

Buying (and selling) a home is stressful, full of questions and “what-if” questions. This is where a good agent shines. We have seen it all and can assure our clients that we will get over any hurdle. Having an arsenal of knowledge and personal resources (I.e. inspectors, electrician, painter, roofers, etc.) is key to guiding clients with assurance through their concerns.

You cannot do everything for them and should not assume they will follow up. Every client should walk away with or be emailed clearly defined next steps. They should know when they will hear from you again and what they need to bring to that conversation to keep things moving toward the goal of home ownership. It is easy enough to automate task lists and reminders. If they don't want to do the work, have the hard conversation that this might not be a good fit.