Preparation is Key
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It seems to happen fairly often - someone stumbles across a house that is so ✨AMAZING✨ it motivates them to jump into action. I get a text or a DM asking to go check it out. SUPER EXCITING - I love when people reach out wanting to buy a house!
But then the reality check of the Denver market sets in…
The truth is by the time you stumble across that unicorn listing in your late-night Zillow browsing, handfuls of other buyers have already seen it…their agents have already scheduled showings…and they’re ready to pounce with their pre-approvals in hand + strategies made about the offers they will submit…if there aren’t already multiple offers on the table. You’re behind the curve…and sadly these scenarios almost never work out!
DENVER MOVES QUICK. If you want to successfully find a home with as little stress as possible, you need to be PREPARED so by the time that great house comes up, you're ready to make some moves. I equate Denver’s real estate market to a river with white water rapids - you can’t really dip your toes in and go for a leisurely swim…you’ve gotta have your gear ready, a plan in place, and a pretty good boat if you want to have an enjoyable experience!
Here's what that looks like:
• MEET WITH A REALTOR SOONER THAN LATER. Get a realistic idea of the market, what the buying process looks like, get all your questions answered + put a plan in place. Get an MLS search set up so you're the first to know when new places list.
• GET FULLY PRE-APPROVED. Know what you can qualify for, how a comfortable monthly payment translates to a purchase price, and have a shiny official pre-approval letter in hand. Homes selling a decent amount over list price is the norm…that means the list price is often just the beginning, and you also have to factor in extra considerations like how much more you’d be willing to pay for the home, appraisal gap coverage + covering seller fees in order to be competitive…and understanding how all that affects your loan, down payment, and cash at closing.
Sound like a lot? It kind of is. And that’s why you have someone to guide you through the process. Have questions, or thinking about getting started…sooner or later…send me a text or email!
