Who? What? When? Where? Why?
Now that you have already been approved by a Lender, your next step is to start HOUSE SHOPPING!
I have found the perfect house on-line! How can I see it?
Most buyers have been doing their research online and understand the market pretty well. They know which houses interested them and which ones don't. The houses that are of serious interest then qualify for a showing. This is when it gets fun! You let me know which house suits your fancy, then I will review the house (to make sure it has everything you have been looking for), and then I will schedule a showing according to when your schedule allows.
I just drove by a house with a FOR SALE sign in front of it. Do I call the REALTOR®'s name on the FOR SALE sign?
I highly recommend NOT to give them a call. That specific REALTOR® represents the seller and has the seller's best interest, not yours. I recommend calling a different REALTOR® other than the one who is listed on the specific FOR SALE sign. You want a REALTOR® who will work for you and only you. You do not want the REALTOR® to get in any situation where it could possibly look like they were favoring either party of the transaction, the buyer or the seller.
Can I go to an Open House?
Of course! You certainly may!
If you go by yourself, please make sure you tell the REALTOR® hosting the Open House that you are working with your REALTOR® Kauai Fitt. Or, if you'd rather I go with you (which I would love to do), then I'll meet you there! I like going to Open Houses with clients so we can walk through the pros and cons together.
WHEN we go to the showing:
1. Please pull up into the driveway. Do not park on the street.
It is important that you get the feeling of the driveway. How large is the driveway? How many cars could I park here? Geez, my truck sticks out into the sidewalk. Gosh, I can't park here without stepping into the grass. My truck is too tall for the garage! The bushes along the driveway block my view all the way as I backout....
2. Bugs bugs and more bugs!
I am not referring to the type that have 6 or 8 legs. Please remember that it is very possible that the seller has listening and viewing devices throughout the home. They are legally allowed to do this, as it is still their house, they are supposed to tell all buyers' REALTOR®s but sometimes they do not. So please make sure to mind your verbal and physical P's and Q's. If you don't like the paint color, that's ok. You may remark, but be gentle and choose your words wisely. You never know- you may end up loving the rest of the house and want to put an offer in. IF the sellers heard any mean or nasty comments that you may have made earlier in your showing, this could possible reflect poorly on you and this might mean the sellers reject your offer and choose a different one.
3. Highly recommended items to bring/wear to showings:
4. Semi-Self Guided Walk Through
I will not walk through the home stating "...And this is the kitchen...". You know what a kitchen looks like! But I will be at the showing, walking through the home with you, and acting as your factual resource. I will be there to answer questions regarding the home, regarding the neighborhood past or existing sales, any market insight or any professional advice that you may ask for.
5. Typical Walk Through
8-10 minutes does not sound like much time! But studies show it takes a typical buyer 8-10 minutes to walk through a home and get that yay or nay feeling. It feels good to take your time wandering through a home, trying to picture yourself in the specific home and spaces, and the further you wander, the further you are getting a yay or nay vibe. The old saying still is true today "When you know, you know."
Please remember:
Above all, walking through someone else's house is a big deal. It is a responsibility not to be taken lightly.
I have found the perfect house on-line! How can I see it?
Most buyers have been doing their research online and understand the market pretty well. They know which houses interested them and which ones don't. The houses that are of serious interest then qualify for a showing. This is when it gets fun! You let me know which house suits your fancy, then I will review the house (to make sure it has everything you have been looking for), and then I will schedule a showing according to when your schedule allows.
I just drove by a house with a FOR SALE sign in front of it. Do I call the REALTOR®'s name on the FOR SALE sign?
I highly recommend NOT to give them a call. That specific REALTOR® represents the seller and has the seller's best interest, not yours. I recommend calling a different REALTOR® other than the one who is listed on the specific FOR SALE sign. You want a REALTOR® who will work for you and only you. You do not want the REALTOR® to get in any situation where it could possibly look like they were favoring either party of the transaction, the buyer or the seller.
Can I go to an Open House?
Of course! You certainly may!
If you go by yourself, please make sure you tell the REALTOR® hosting the Open House that you are working with your REALTOR® Kauai Fitt. Or, if you'd rather I go with you (which I would love to do), then I'll meet you there! I like going to Open Houses with clients so we can walk through the pros and cons together.
WHEN we go to the showing:
1. Please pull up into the driveway. Do not park on the street.
It is important that you get the feeling of the driveway. How large is the driveway? How many cars could I park here? Geez, my truck sticks out into the sidewalk. Gosh, I can't park here without stepping into the grass. My truck is too tall for the garage! The bushes along the driveway block my view all the way as I backout....
2. Bugs bugs and more bugs!
I am not referring to the type that have 6 or 8 legs. Please remember that it is very possible that the seller has listening and viewing devices throughout the home. They are legally allowed to do this, as it is still their house, they are supposed to tell all buyers' REALTOR®s but sometimes they do not. So please make sure to mind your verbal and physical P's and Q's. If you don't like the paint color, that's ok. You may remark, but be gentle and choose your words wisely. You never know- you may end up loving the rest of the house and want to put an offer in. IF the sellers heard any mean or nasty comments that you may have made earlier in your showing, this could possible reflect poorly on you and this might mean the sellers reject your offer and choose a different one.
3. Highly recommended items to bring/wear to showings:
- Wear easily removable shoes for a "no-fuss" entry and exit
- Wear socks or bring slippers - You never know what could be on the floor (dog hair, clipped toenails, mouse feces)
- A strong flashlight (phone flashlights can work but do not reach to the back of attics or crawl spaces)
- A tape measure
- A ladder, or more doable, a stool
- Wear work clothes/work boots for crawling in crawl spaces, attics and wild yard adventures
- Finally, let a friend or relative know the addresses of the showings we will be touring, as well as what times we are to be at each house. This is standard practice for myself, as a REALTOR®, and I recommend it to my buyers as well.
4. Semi-Self Guided Walk Through
I will not walk through the home stating "...And this is the kitchen...". You know what a kitchen looks like! But I will be at the showing, walking through the home with you, and acting as your factual resource. I will be there to answer questions regarding the home, regarding the neighborhood past or existing sales, any market insight or any professional advice that you may ask for.
5. Typical Walk Through
8-10 minutes does not sound like much time! But studies show it takes a typical buyer 8-10 minutes to walk through a home and get that yay or nay feeling. It feels good to take your time wandering through a home, trying to picture yourself in the specific home and spaces, and the further you wander, the further you are getting a yay or nay vibe. The old saying still is true today "When you know, you know."
Please remember:
Above all, walking through someone else's house is a big deal. It is a responsibility not to be taken lightly.
