Important Information To Share With Your Realtor

By Pammy McGrath


If it is time for your family to start looking for a new home to buy, you definitely will want to look for an experienced, competent real estate agent. Your agent not only helps find suitable houses, this professional can help you deal with all the steps included in purchasing a home. This includes recommending experienced inspectors and helping you understand local laws and regulations, as well as explaining different parts of the escrow process. While that first meeting with your realtor is important, it is also important that you complete a few tasks prior to this first appointment.

Setting a budget is a huge part of the home buying process, and the smartest move is to sit down with a lender and go through the process of loan pre-approval. This means the lender will look at your income and expenses and determine how much the financial institution will loan you based on your ability to comfortably make monthly payments. This pre-approval amount plus any money you have for the down payment is the maximum amount that you can spend on a house, although you certainly can spend less than this amount.

In addition to sharing your budget, your realtor also needs to understand what types of homes you like and what home features you really want. Write down the approximate home size you want, as well as the number of bathrooms and bedrooms. Include information such as wanting an open floor plan, a finished basement and a two- or three-car garage. Other features you might want include a kitchen with an island and granite countertops or a fireplace in the family room. The more you share, the easier it will be for your real estate agent to understand your needs and style.

While your wish list is very important, keep in mind that it's highly unlikely that you will find a home that truly checks off all the boxes on your list. You have to be willing to make a few compromises, particularly when it comes to items on your list that are mainly cosmetic. Select a few items that you really want, such as being on a cul de sac or staying near a specific school or school district. The location of your home can never be altered, so it's extremely important that the home is where you want it to be and that you like the size and layout, which also rarely can be changed.

In addition to sharing all those wonderful elements you want in the new home, be sure to share with your realtor what you absolutely dislike. Maybe you don't want to look at any homes with a swimming pool or you hate brick homes or really cannot deal with the prospect of a huge fixer-upper because you don't have the time, money or skills to take on an abundance of projects. Many things can be changed or fixed easily and for a relatively small cost, but there are some elements that can be deal breakers, so let your realtor know what you don't like.

For more than 35 years, the experts at Nixon Real Estate have been helping their clients find ideal Texas Hill Country real estate. If you are hoping to find Fredericksburg real estate, Kerrville real estate, San Antonio real estate or any type of Hill Country real estate, call on the team at Nixon Real Estate. They specialize in finding homes, commercial properties and land throughout Texas Hill County.




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