If you plan on buying or selling during the spring market, there are a few things you need to do right now.
The spring market is right around the corner, so whether you plan on buying or selling this spring, there are a few things you need to do right now.
If you’re a buyer, reach out to a couple of mortgage brokers and get pre-approved. Interest rates are under 4%, and they’re forecasted to stay that way for the next 12 months. This is great news because it increases your buying power. I advise you to reach out to more than one mortgage broker is because it’s important to find out who you’ll be comfortable with and who has the best programs to suit your needs. As a buyer, you can never get pre-approved soon enough. That’s always the first step to buying a home. Until you’re pre-approved, you’re not a buyer—you’re just a looker.
After that, select a real estate agent. If you reach out to my team, we’ll go over your home wish list and show you our process for finding you the right home. As far as wish lists go, you should include your top five items you can’t live without. We’ll also talk about the market and the vendors we’ll need besides a mortgage broker (lawyers, contractors, appraisers, etc.). If you have questions, this is the time to ask them.
“Until you’re pre-approved, you’re not a buyer—you’re just a looker.”
After you’re acclimated to the buying process, we’ll start sending you available listings and looking at homes. Hopefully the process doesn’t take too long and become stressful, because stress can hamper a buyer’s decisiveness.
If you’re a seller, your first step should be to find an agent. Interview two or three of them and pick someone you trust. You also want to pick someone who’s an expert on the local market and has the experience to sell your home.
Your agent should also be able to help with your next step: decluttering and staging your home. Whether you’ve been in your home for four years or forty, there is more stuff in your closets and drawers than you think, so start decluttering now so your home is in tiptop shape come springtime.
Once you’re on the road to decluttering (the process can take all the way up to your first open house), it’s time to make any minor repairs or fixes. Your agent should have a whole list of handymen who can take care of these types of jobs. As I mentioned, your house needs to be in tiptop shape. Inventory hasn’t scaled back as much as we thought it would, so think of it like you’re entering a competition. You want buyers to be emotionally attracted enough to your property to want to make an offer.
If you have any more questions about buying or selling or our market in general, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.
