Six Steps That Will Save You Thousands On Your Next Home

Step 1: Know what you want – and what you need. And know the difference.
Too often, we confuse what we need with what we want. We need cable TV. We need new clothes. We need the home of our dreams.

In reality, there is often a big difference between the home that satisfies our needs and the home we really want. If you work with an experienced real estate agent and follow these five steps, you could get both. But it’s important to know the difference.

Take some time to write down the features that you absolutely need in your next home. Examples could be three bedrooms so that everyone can have their own. Two bathrooms for a growing family of four. A home in an area with excellent schools. An affordable mortgage. A home near the office for a shorter commute.

Then list the features that you want. Examples could be a large kitchen to fit all the cooks at Thanksgiving. Travertine floors. A big backyard for the kids to play. A downstairs master bedroom for some peace and quiet. Berber carpet. A swimming pool.

When looking for homes, look first for the features you need. Then look for homes that also have the features you want.

Step 2: Know the right reasons for buying a home
Buying a home because it has the features that you want, when it lacks the features that you need is buying a home for the wrong reason. Buying a home that is close to your child’s school, even though it doesn’t have the big backyard or chef’s kitchen is buying a home for the right reason.

Knowing the right and wrong reasons to buy a home depends on understanding the difference between the features you need in a home and the features you want in a home (see Step 1).

Armed with the knowledge of the right and wrong reasons to buy – and with a stiff resolve to stick to them – you’ll avoid making a decision you’ll regret.

Step 3: Keep your feet on the ground
Looking at homes with all of the glorious features you dream of may sound like heaven. But remember to keep your feet on the ground and head out of the clouds when you’re shopping for a home to buy. Don’t torture yourself looking at the homes with all of the features you want and none of the features you need – you could end up making a decision you’ll regret.

Hunt for homes that satisfy your needs first, then let your imagination run free with all of your dreams.

Step 4: Find a real estate agent who offers a free house hunting service
Finding homes for sale that meet your criteria (all of those features that you’ve decided you need, plus maybe some of the features you want) can be a tedious, time-consuming process. Buyers spend hours each evening looking through the newspaper and online for homes. Then they spend the weekend riding around with the real estate agent looking at homes – most of which don’t fit their needs.

Cut the time you spend looking for listings down to five or ten minutes a day. And save your weekends for looking at the houses that you know meet your needs. How? By finding a real estate agent with a free house hunting service, like the free service we offer at our home search page.

Our Time Saving Home Finder Program provides buyers with:

• A customized report of all the home listings matching your criteria
• A complete report that includes pictures of the homes, maps of their locations, and more
• Access to your own password-protected site
• . . . And more, all for FREE, with NO OBLIGATION

Step 5: Know how to analyze a home’s price – and how to make the right offer
75% or more of the homes on the market are overpriced – some by as much as 20% over true market value. But how do you know which homes are overpriced and which homes are priced appropriately? And how do you decide how much to offer?

Your real estate agent should know the market values for homes in the areas you’re interested in. In fact, a real estate agent’s job is to incorporate expert knowledge of the current market to develop a strategy to buy at the best possible price. He’ll be able to tell you if a home is overpriced and by how much. He’ll be able to help you make a reasonable offer that a seller will accept – and get you a great deal at the same time.

If you walk into a negotiation knowing the fair market value of the home (and by how much the seller’s asking price may differ from that fair value) you’ll have the upper hand – and may be able to make an offer for thousands below fair value.

Step 6: Find a real estate agent who can drive a hard bargain
Whether you’re on the buyer’s side or the seller’s side of the transaction, negotiation skills will determine whether you get an okay deal, a great deal, or a bad deal.

Consider hiring a real estate agent who is a Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE). A CNE is specially trained to handle the complexities associated with real estate transactions and knows how to use leading edge negotiation techniques to get you the best deal.

The real estate experts at MyPhoenixMLS.com are Certified Negotiation Experts. That means MyPhoenixMLS.com Realtors®:

• Are more confident in negotiation situations
• Are persuasive with others
• Know how to negotiate the best price for your home

To chat with one of the Certified Negotiation Experts at MyPhoenixMLS.com today, call 602-318-1114 or 1-866-249-1678 or e-mail info@myphoenixmls.com.