When it comes to real estate, there are a handful of mistakes that buyers make over and over again.  If you can avoid them, you will be ahead of the game when you purchase a home.

Mistake #1: Looking on your own before finding a real estate agent.

Too often, buyers spend time and energy to find what they believe is their “perfect home”, then begin searching for an agent to help them write an offer.  It’s then that they find out that the home is not all they hoped for.  Maybe it’s overpriced, or located in an undesirable area.

By working with an agent from the get-go, you will only see properties that are within your budget and located in the neighborhoods that best match your criteria.  Express your “shopping list” to your agent – who will then pick and choose homes based on that list.  Doing it on your own is hit and miss – and can be terribly disappointing.

Mistake #2: Not enough research “in-hand” at buying time.

When it’s time to make that crucial offer, be sure you have all the information you need.  You want facts, figures, and numbers at your fingertips.  Everything valuable to know about the property in question needs to already have been discovered.

It is very important for you to ask your agent to run an appreciation analysis on the home.  This will prove to be your best guide as to whether or not this purchase will be a good investment.

Mistake #3: Not getting your “money ducks” in a row before you buy.

There is nothing like the heartbreak of looking for a home, finding and falling in love with one, and discovering that you can’t get financing.  The best way to avoid this trap is crunching all your numbers in advance.

Know exactly where you stand financially before you even call an agent or look at a single home.  Without knowing what you can and cannot afford, you are only setting yourself up for a potentially crushing blow.

Mistake #4: Making too low an offer.

Everybody wants a great deal.  There’s nothing wrong with that, but buyers often derail their chances for a property by making a ridiculously low offer.  All this does is upset the seller – often guaranteeing that you will never get that home.

Mistake #5: Getting caught up in the emotion of buying.

This is perhaps the biggest mistake of all.  It’s normal to get excited when finding what could be a “dream home”, but this is precisely the time when you should keep your cool.

Emotions can lead smart people into making bad decisions.  Think logically with your mind and keep your heart in check.

If you can avoid these five mistakes you’ll enjoy a smoother real estate purchase.

For detailed information on what’s available in the neighborhoods you like, just give me a call at (206) 412-0038 or send an email to mparks@windermere.com.  I’ll get your real estate search started the right way.