Good Information to Share with Your Realtor
Whether you are looking to buy a home or sell your own, finding the right realtor can be tricky. Ultimately, you’ll want someone that understands your end goal and has experience in the industry. One of the first things you should do, before you even look for a realtor, is sit down and make a list of exactly what you are looking for in a home, or if you are selling your home, make a list of specific things you are willing to negotiate on and things you are firm on when it comes to updates, inspections, etc. Once you have your list, take the time to interview a few different brokers before you decide to go with one. If your broker understands your needs, wants and dislikes, they’re much more likely to find the perfect property for you, and not waste time showing listings that you’re not interested in.
Location is Everything
If you have children, you’ll want to consider the location of the home you are interested in, because it will determine the school that your children will attend. If you have a preference over the schools in the area that you’re looking to buy in, it’s important to tell your broker that. Even if you don’t currently have kids, it’s still something important to consider if you plan to start a family in the future. Central Oregon has a great school system and finding good neighborhoods with great schools is a fairly easy task, but if your kids are already established in certain schools, let your broker know.
If having easy access to amenities, like grocery stores, theaters, shopping, restaurants, etc. is important to you, your broker needs to know that. It’s important for your broker to understand whether you want to be within walking or driving distance from cultural centers like this. If this is a like, but not a requirement it could influence the listings your broker wants to show.
Utilites
Something that can easily be forgotten when house hunting is how a home is heated. If the way a home is heated is something that truly matters, let your broker know. This may make a difference if you’re looking for properties in a colder or warmer climate. If you have a preferred method of heating, especially if it’s a deal breaker, tell your broker. Be sure to check the heating system in place before you make an offer, or you could wind up with an expensive home to heat.
Home Style
If you have a preference on home styles, floor plans or layout, you’ll realtor needs to know those things prior to scheduling walk throughs. They need to know if you want to look at split level homes, or if you only want to see single level homes. If you want an open floor plan, a formal dining room, etc. your broker can show you properties that pertain to your wants and needs, if they know what they are.
If you only want to look at rural or urban properties, if a pool is a must or not, these are things that you need to sit down and outline in your lists with your agent. Consider the lifestyle that you live, and what aspects of a home you need to keep your comfort.
Things to Consider
When discussing your price range with your agent, let them know which things you’re willing to pay more for and which things you are willing to sacrifice. If your budget doesn’t have any wiggle room, they should know this from the start. If they find you a home with everything that you want, but it’s out of your price range, your broker needs to know where you draw the line. Make a list of your wants, needs and ideals, so your broker understands what your goals and limits are for your home search. Reach out to the Duke Warner broker you trust most, and discuss what you want in a dream property or home.
