Humboldt County Real Estate Blog

If you're like most homebuyers, you

have two primary considerations in

mind when you start looking for a

home. First, you want to find a home

that perfectly meets your needs and

desires, and secondly, you want to purchase

this home for the lowest possible

price.

When you analyze those successful

homebuyers who have been able to purchase

the home they want for thousands

of dollars below a seller's asking price,

some common denominators emerge.

Although your agent's negotiating skills

are important, there are three additional

key factors that must come into play

long before you ever submit an offer.

These 3 Steps Will Help You

Save Thousands When

You Buy a Home

Make sure you know what you want . . .

As simple as this sounds, many homebuyers

don't have a firm idea in their

heads before they go out searching for a

home. In fact, when you go shopping

for a place to live, there are actually two

homes competing for your attention: the

one that meets your needs and the one

that fulfills your desires. Obviously,

your goal is to find one home that does

both. But in the real world, this situation

doesn't always occur.

When you're looking at homes,

you'll find that you fall in love with

one or another for entirely different

reasons. Is it better to buy the 4-

bedroom home with room for your

family to grow, or the one with the big

eat-in kitchen that romances you with

thoughts of big weekend family

brunches? What's more important: a

big backyard or proximity to your

child's school? Far too often people

buy a home for the wrong reasons

and then regret their decision when

the home doesn't meet their needs.

Don't shop with stars in your

eyes: satisfy your needs first. If you're

lucky, you'll find a home that does this

and also fulfills your desires. The

important thing is to understand the

difference before you get caught up in

the excitement of looking.

Find out if your agent offers a

"Buyer Profile System" or "Househunting

Service," which takes the

guesswork out of finding just the right

home that matches your needs. This

type of program will cross-match your

criteria with ALL available homes

on the market and supply you with

printed information on an on-going

basis. A program like this helps homebuyers

take off their rose-colored glasses

and affordably move into the home

of their dreams.

To help you develop your homebuying

strategy, use this form:

What do I absolutely NEED in my next

home:

1. ______________________________

2. ______________________________

3. ______________________________

4. ______________________________

5. ______________________________

What would I absolutely LOVE in my

next home:

1. _______________________________

2. _______________________________

3. _______________________________

4. _______________________________

5. _______________________________

"When you analyze those successful homebuyers who have the experience to

purchase the home they want for thousands of dollars below a seller's asking

price, some common denominators emerge."