If you are in the market to buy a St. Louis or St. Charles County, Missouri area home, chances are you have already looked online and are ready to start touring homes for sale in person. But are you really ready? The following three things will prepare your for being the best home buyer and give you an edge while home shopping in a competitive sellers market.
1. Prioritize Your Must Haves
What price range, area and amenities must a home have for you to purchase? Be specific about your must haves and list the amenities that are deal breakers.
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| How many garage spaces do you require? |
If you absolutely require a basement or a garage, don't waste time looking at listings that don't have these features. If proximity to work or schools is critical, don't wander outside the boundaries of the school.
If you are taking your current furniture with you to your new home, measure it and bring the measurements with you when you look at homes to be sure it will fit through the door and in the rooms.
2. Find a qualified REALTOR with experience in the area.
Find a reputable licensed agent to view homes for sale. A REALTOR will not only get you in to see homes, he or she will be able to answer your questions, or get answers from the listing agent and assist you with the home buying process at every step.
Why not just call the listing agent? A listing agent is contracted to represent the sellers’ interests and get the most money for the home. So it is important that you have a buyers’ agent who works for and represents your interests as a buyer. An experienced agent or team will protect your interests and negotiate the best price for you.
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| REALTORS Linda and Kelly Boehmer |
A REALTOR can also help buyers find homes they may have missed due to not being listed in the multiple listing service. Real estate agents have industry connections and may know of great homes that are coming soon that haven’t even been listed yet. Having your own buyers’ agent is also a great resource for all your needs throughout the real estate transaction, like recommending mortgage loan officers, title companies, and inspectors.
3. Get Pre-Approved For a Mortgage
If you are serious about buying the perfect home in the current sellers market, get pre-approved for a mortgage loan before touring homes for sale.
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| Get pre-approved for a mortgage before seeing homes for sale. |
When the best homes sell in a few days or even a few hours, you won’t have time to research mortgages and get pre-approved before that perfect home is under contract. Those who are pre-approved are able to put a contract on “the one” the moment they find it.
While you can put an offer on a home without pre-approval, pre-approved home buyers’ offers compete better against offers without pre-approval. They signal to the sellers that the buyer has the ability to purchase the home and is less likely to pull out of the deal due to financial reasons.
In addition, getting pre-approved will help clarify the price range of homes you can afford and the amount of monthly mortgage payments.
The Boehmer Team
The experienced REALTORS on The Boehmer Team work with buyers to ensure they have an edge over the competition. Having a team means having more connections and thus more opportunities to find the perfect home despite the current competitive market. We strive to provide our clients with the best service in the business. Please contact us to be your partner in finding and buying your next home.
