Finding a Home

• After being pre-approved, it is time to find your new home.  Meet with your Scott Real Estate, Inc. Agent to sign the State of Texas Information about Brokerage Services form and Buyers representation agreement.  If inconvenient to meet in person at our office, these forms can be sent and signed online.
• Work closely with your agent to determine an online search criteria and establish the Prospect Gateway in the MLS.  This online program will email you when homes come available in the MLS that match the search criteria.
• Make sure you are receiving the Prospect Gateway link from the MLS and that the emails do not go to your spam.  There are many websites that show homes for sale.  Please use this website as it updates quickly from the MLS and has a section that tells you if the house is Active or Active-Option.  If it says Active-Option then the home is currently under contract and in the option period.   The most popular online sites are Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com®.
• There are some great Apps as well for your smart phone or tablet:
  NtreisGO, Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com® are the most common.  Please email your agent for a link to the NtreisGo Application.  This app has some of the most up to date information and displays sold prices of homes nearby.  The APP gets information directly from the MLS where as Zillow, Trulia, and other syndication sites work off a syndication network.  Realtor.com® updates quickly but like Zillow, Trulia, and other sites have many advertisements displayed making it confusing and mis-leading.
• As soon as you see a home that peeks your interest, contact us to schedule a showing.  Many homes sell quickly.

The Home Shopping Process

As your real estate agent, my most important job is to make the home shopping process pleasant and rewarding for you.

I do that in a number of ways.

I regularly recommend properties for viewing that closely match your needs and wants, and are within your price range. That spares you the frustration of visiting homes that aren’t suitable.

I make sure you don’t miss opportunities. When a desirable property suddenly comes on the market, you’re alerted.

I help you schedule viewings that fit your schedule, so there’s little if any inconvenience for you.

Before you view a property, I can provide you with in-depth details on the home, so you can make an informed decision. This can include closing dates, market value, and more. Later, if you have questions, I get the answers for you.

I also give you the scoop on the neighborhood, so you get a clear sense of what an area is like in terms of lifestyle, safety, schools, etc.

When you find a property you like, I give you my honest, professional recommendation as to how well the home meets your needs and wants. You won’t have to make such an important decision without my expert advice.

As your real estate agent, I’m committed to getting you into the right home, and I’m with you every step of the way.

What to Look for when Viewing a Property

Here are a few questions and ideas to consider when viewing homes to help make the process easier and more productive:

• Does the home have your “needs” features (those features you must have)? (For example, number of bedrooms, closet space, kitchen size, etc.)
• Does the home have any of your “wants” features (those features you’d like to have but would be willing to forgo)? (For example, large backyard deck, spacious family room, etc.)
• What is the general condition of the home? (Are there signs that the owners have kept up with repairs and maintenance?)
• Will the home need any major repairs, remodeling or renovations? Is there anything, such as the furnace, that may need to be replaced soon?
• What do you like most about the home?
• Is there anything about the home you don’t like? Can that be changed with a remodeling or renovation now or in the future?
• Take a walk around the neighborhood. Are the homes well-kept, indicating pride of ownership?
• Do you like where the home is situated in the neighborhood?
• Does the neighborhood have what you want? (For example, access to public transit, shopping, local parks, etc.)

Viewing properties should never be a frustrating ordeal. It’s my job to help make the process easy and productive for you, so you can find the home you want.

Ready to get started? Call or email and let me know more about the kind of home you’re looking for. Or, submit the form below and I’ll get back to you.