The San Diego, CA area is a hotbed of real estate finds, making the region one the hottest housing markets in Southern California. With so many home buyers looking around to snatch up a great deal, how do you stand out from the crowd? Here are five tips that will help you beat your competition.
- Move fast. A smart home buyer researches ahead of time, often focusing on neighborhoods that are on his or her radar. That way, when hot new listings pop up, they will be among the first ones to know. Take a leaf out of their book and regularly scour real estate websites like this using the Home Search feature where you can sign up for alerts. Popular websites like Trulia and Zillow, can also help. Once you find a property that fits your criteria, do not dilly-dally – move fast!
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, however, hire a realtor with extensive local expertise. A real estate agent will be able to help you get to the newest and best listings as soon as they hit the market and even let you know when a listing is about to come on the market.
- Make sure your finances are in order. To be able to move fast, you should be financially prepared. Forward-thinking home buyers assess their finances even before the home buying process to be able to move deftly and make an offer once they find a property they are highly interested in. Do not wait for the time when a seller asks you for proof that you can shoulder the expenses – prepare ahead of time! Complete documentation and pre-approval will likely gain a seller’s trust, and this is one way to beat competition.
- Do not be indecisive. So you found the home of your dreams and it is ripe for the taking. What are you waiting for? Do not wait for shooting stars or other signs. As long as you are financially prepared, go for it and make an offer immediately! Waiting around can result in increased prices or somebody else making a better offer and the property being sold to the other person. Do not let your dream home be the house that got away.
- Be a good home buyer.Another way to stand out from other home buyers and make a good impression is to be a good, easy customer. Great character and financial preparedness goes a long way in the eyes of a home seller, and proving that you are one hundred percent serious in purchasing the property will warrant you an A rating from the seller. But how do you become an easy customer? Scheduling home inspection immediately can increase your chances. You can show a little kindness by offering to rent the house to the seller once the sale is closed to give him/her time to find a new one (just in case the seller does not have a place to move to yet). Offering to pay the seller’s closing fees can also improve your standing.
- Write it down. We can not help but feel emotional once we have found the home of our dreams. After all, it is the fruit of all the hard work we have endured. Writing a letter addressed to the seller may seem a bit cheesy, but appealing to emotions can definitely work to your advantage. Talk about how the house will change your life, and attach a photo of you (and your family). You never know what will happen if you tug the seller’s heartstrings a little.
Learn more about how you can outsmart other home buyers! For more information about home buying, get in touch with me today at 760-622-5087 or click here.
Recent Comments