It looks like you're new here. I appreciate you stopping by! Feel free to throw down some graffiti on my wall by adding a comment to this post! And, if you like what you see, please subscribe to the feed and I'll deliver all my new content, right to you! Thanks for visiting!

Click here to view Part 1

We have found the property! After months (years?) of looking at properties and neighborhoods we have identified a nice little home that fits the bill for our current real estate needs. Like most young couples we have approached the purchase of a home as a long term decision because “we are going to live here a very long time.” The Realtor® in me knows we are likely to move, and purchase, again within the next few years, along with the rest of the country. This piece of information, and knowing we do not need to buy on a tight timeline, allows us to approach a contract offer from a more relaxed position.

One of the biggest lessons I have learned as a Buyer’s Agent in real estate transactions is to determine your goal, or target, and “choose your battle.” For most Buyer’s and Seller’s the most important battle is the Price, and at the end of the day it is the “Net Purchase Price” that matters. If a Buyer truly wants a house, and the house meets the real requirements, then bring a real offer based on the market education provided by your Realtor®. Presenting a simple and serious offer will always get a better response from a Seller than an offer full of concessions (Seller paid costs and buy downs). Some Buyers will load up an offer with numerous negotiation items thinking they can give up most as negotiating tactics with the Sellers. The problem becomes when the offer has too many concessions and the Seller’s reject the offer outright and you never get the chance to sit at the negotiation table.

Negotiations and Counterproposals are an opportunity! I always enjoy the opportunity to work towards an agreement between the Seller and the Buyer. It is interesting to me that everyone involved in a real estate transaction want the same thing, a satisfying transaction. Far too many Buyers and Sellers will get emotional, find an offer “insulting,” and simply shut down the deal. Using a Realtor® allows the principle parties to step back and consider advice before making a decision. The professional real estate agent is a 3^rd party that can work a deal through the emotional baggage and stress that arises due to both the financial and emotional investments the Buyers and Sellers bring to the table.

After presenting the initial offer, and a couple of rounds of “opportunity” back and forth, we have a fully executed contract to purchase a house in the location we want. Now we begin the due diligence on the property and getting the real numbers for financing the deal.

Stay tuned for the rest of the story!

My wife has a favorite saying, “Move is a 4-letter word!” Why in the world would someone purposely decide to compress their entire life into a stream of boxes and then carry all those boxes somewhere else? So from that starting point we have come to the conclusion that we are outgrowing our 2-bedroom condominium in Denver, Colorado. It is time to start looking for a housing upgrade, taking those steps to define our wants, search the desired neighborhoods, and determine how much money is available as cash and financing.

As an Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR), a full-time real estate agent who works exclusively with Buyers, this is a great opportunity to get into the perspective of my clients. As a licensed Realtor, I am very familiar with the multitude of steps involved in the purchase or sale of real estate, and I guide people through it every week. As a Buyer looking to run the gauntlet, it is a very daunting task full of tough decisions, possible missteps, and potentially positive gains, financially and in family style.

My wife and I each have roles in this job of finding our new home. Mine is to search the available market, preview the properties with potential for us, and finally to present to her only those homes deemed acceptable. We are looking for a location that supports a lifestyle not entirely reliant on the automobile. We have focused our attention on Old Town Littleton, Colorado. It is an established neighborhood with mature trees, large parks, and a business district offering restaurants and bars, galleries, and other commercial options. There is also a Light Rail station immediately adjacent to downtown with easy access to downtown Denver. Stay tuned for the rest of the adventure . . .