Purchasing a home can appear to be a daunting task, and there are a lot of moving parts, but if you properly prepare for your next home purchase, you will be successful! When we speak with our Seattle area home buyer clients, we always tell them that there are three key items they need to address that will set them up for success: obtain financing, create a wish list, and choose an agent to partner with. We packed a lot of information into this article, so let’s get to it.

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The Top Three Things You Need To Prepare To Purchase Your Next Home

Aaron Janus, Seattle Realtor

There are three things you should do to prepare for purchasing a home.

Here at the JanusGroup, your Seattle real estate team, our mission is to help our clients realize their house goals. Today we're going to talk about what you should do to set yourself up for success when you purchase a Seattle area home.

There are three key things to prepare:

1. Obtain Financing

2. Create A Wish List

3. Choose An Agent

Ok, let’s dig into each item in detail:

1. FINANCING:

Whether you're a first-time buyer or it's been a few years, unless you're paying cash, you're going to need a mortgage. And whether you are thinking about purchasing a Seattle area home next week or next year, the time to speak with a lender is NOW. Why?

1. Knowing your mortgage payment. You don't want to fall in love with a home that is outside of your price range.

2. Having a pre-approval letter in hand. A pre-approval letter is a requirement when writing an offer.

3. Especially if you’re a ways out from purchasing your next home, being armed with information, such that a lender could provide you with strategies to give you more purchasing power, is a huge advantage.

2. WISH LIST:

Create a wish list. This is the fun part right here. Your chance to dream, and dream big.

You want to think about your lifestyle, your needs, your desires, your deal breakers, all of it. But, think of this as a starting point. No matter your price point, there will be compromises that you will have to make when you purchase your Seattle area home. As you begin to tour neighborhoods and homes, you will refine this list. A home or neighborhood looks great on paper but sometimes doesn't match your expectations. Additionally, your priorities may shift based on the neighborhoods and homes that you explore. And, that’s ok! This happens much more often than people realize. It’s all just part of the process.

3. CHOOSING AN AGENT:

It has been our team's experience that home buyers are interested in finding an agent who has three things: trust, track record, and transparency!

Trust! -- The agent’s business should be based on relationships, and not transactions. And, the basis for any relationship is trust. How do you feel when you interact with them? Do you feel like you can count on them? Do their testimonials reflect a level of trust? Do they work mostly on a referral basis?

Track record! -- Homebuyers like you want to know that their agent has the experience to successfully guide them through the home purchasing process. How many homes have they sold? How many buyers have they represented? Are they a full-time agent?

Transparency! -- Buyers want to know that there will be transparency throughout the home buying process. They want to know that their agent is going to keep them updated throughout the process, listen to their concerns, and answer ALL of their questions.

Well, there you have it! There are the top 3 things you need to prepare to purchase your next home!

We know that every situation is unique, and we would love the opportunity to discuss your house goals and to help you realize them. If you have a question about purchasing a home or any other questions about Seattle area real estate, please contact us today by scheduling an appointment, calling or texting 206.550.3740, or sending an email directly to Aaron or Diane.

Thank you for reading and have a terrific day.