1. Your Real Estate Agent
The first step is to find a quality real estate agent. You want someone who has been in the business for a while, knows the area well and has strong negotiation skills. You could easily miss a home if they aren’t paying close attention to your search.
Greenbrier Real Estate Service has over 30 years of experience in Lewisburg, Ronceverte, Alderson, and White Sulphur Springs real estate. We know the area well and can help you find the perfect home. We also have connections with other real estate companies so we see homes before they pop up on the multiple listing service (MLS).
Timing is everything in today’s market, and working with a real estate agent can help you avoid missing out on potential homes when they arise.
2. Don’t settle
If your search results are coming up with the same 10 homes you’ve already looked at, you may start debating whether you really would mind that pool after all or whether the extra bath is actually necessary. It may be tempting to budge on your core criteria that can be achieved within your budget but have patience. When you settle for features you don’t really want, it will only be a matter of time before you decide to sell again.
3. Stay the course
It can be easy to have that fear of missing out (FOMO) creep in after making your umpteenth offer, only to miss out. But overbidding just to get the house won’t be worth it in the long run. If you overpay above and beyond what you can comfortably afford, it can also put you in a position where you might not be able to take that vacation or go out as frequently as you want.
Stay firm on your price so that you can enjoy life in your new home to the fullest. It can be helpful to actually look at homes below your actual budget so that when you do find the right one you can pay above asking without pushing yourself.
4. Make an offer
Not just an offer, but a striking one, not an impressive one. This isn’t all about the offer price. The seller could need to close fast or have had other offers fall through. Maybe adding a no contingencies clause or having conventional financing for a faster close will take the worry out of it for them.
It can also be incredibly persuasive to send a personal note with a photo of your family to make a genuine connection. There are a lot of sellers out there who would happily pick you over others if they know you aren’t going to tear the house down or if you are a local looking to move closer to your family. We can talk with the seller’s agent to try to find out what they are looking for.
These four tips for buying a house will help you make a competitive offer that will actually work for you in the long run — no matter if you’re a real estate investor or a homebuyer. Just stand firm and keep looking. You will find the perfect house for you in due time.
Contact Greenbrier Real Estate Service today for all your home-buying needs.