Gearing up for a home purchase? Heed this advice from our buying expert.
Today I’m joined by the one and only Sean Coffey, who’s been the top buyer agent on our team for the past five or six years. Sean has sold at least 150 to 200 homes since he’s been with us. Though he dabbles in listings as well, he’s an expert on the buying process; from optimizing your home search, to competing against multiple offers, to smart negotiation, Sean is a buyer’s best resource. That’s why I’ve asked him to help me break down some of the most common mistakes buyers make when looking for a house. As Sean explains, it’s all about striking a balance between being aggressive and playing smart.
Cited below for your convenience are timestamps that will direct you to various points in the video. Feel free to watch the full message, or use these timestamps to skip to topics that interest you most:
0:57 — Mistake No. 1: Jumping into the market without representation
1:54 — Mistake No. 2: Settling for an inexperienced or ‘just alright’ agent
3:06 — Mistake No. 3: Relying on public sites alone or underestimating the MLS’ power
4:00 — Mistake No. 4: Having unrealistic expectations on price
5:22 — Mistake No. 5: Not trusting your agent when it comes to negotiating
6:45 — Mistake No. 6: Not working with an agent to save money (Hint: It costs you nothing)
As Sean stressed, if you don’t have an experienced real estate professional in your corner, there are so many wrong turns you can make along the way—that’s especially true for first-time buyers. We agents have amazing tools to get you access to homes that most other buyers aren’t aware of yet.
If you have questions about this or any other real estate topic, reach out to us at The Downing Group via phone or email. We’re always willing to share more in-depth information and resources with you. Thank you for your support; we look forward to hearing from you!
