Getting there faster. Finishing a job quicker. Cooking a meal for the family in 12 minutes. Driving to the cottage quicker. So much of our day to day life these days is tied into efficiencies and time savers. Quicker download speeds. Moving line-ups at a retail store or amusement park quicker. All of these things are tied into saving time and becoming more efficient.
Is efficiency a critical part of the home buying process? Is buying a home as fast as possible important? I would argue not. But in terms of saving time, an efficient use of your time can be the difference between finding a home and missing out on opportunities.
A prime example of this is the buyer who prefers to ‘look on their own’. We constantly see people touring through open houses who are actively looking for a home but don’t seem to have a plan. As an active, ‘on the hunt’ buyer, is walking into an open house without an idea in regards to price, layout or size an efficient method of home searching?
On the flip side, another route you could go as a buyer is to hire a REALTOR as your buyer agent and put them to work! Try this: sign a Buyer Representation for 3 weeks with the understanding that after 3 weeks you will review how things are going. Then see what kind of results you get.
A REALTOR with a buyer under contract for 3 weeks is going to get to work I can assure you. Time is an important commodity and one that we rarely have enough of. As a result, our time is always going to be dedicated first to those that we have a contractual relationship with.
How to hire a buyer representative?
We would suggest the same method that many people use to hire a listing representative. Call 3 or 4 and meet them for a coffee. Go with your gut but also make sure you ask some important questions.
Here are 5 Questions to ask:
1. If you are away, who will be taking care of me and my search?
2. What is your knowledge level of the various areas of the city?
3. Are you able to approach private sales on my behalf? If so, how do you handle that?
4. How will you be getting me new listing information?
5. How would you describe your negotiating style and technique?
If you have a professional REALTOR on the hunt for you, you will not only save time and greatly increase your chances of finding your dream home but you will find your stress levels should decrease.
Working with a plan reduces stress, increases control and makes for a much more pleasant experience.
If you are looking for help in your home buying search, feel free to contact us at your convenience.
We are big fans of a good plan!
Thank-you for visiting.
THEbTEAM
Thank-you to Aron Visuals for the photo.