How to be a Good Buyer

Are you ready to be a homeowner? If you’re reading this the answer is probably yes. But before we start our work together here is some collected wisdom based on our buyer successes.

1. Be open. The right property may not be in the right area or have the right price. It may not have the right bed-bath configuration. It may be painted a strange color. It’s likely mispriced in today’s market). But certain things are easily changed like paint color while other things like bathroom count or parking are difficult to change. But we’ll never know if there’s an undiscovered opportunity out there if you don’t look.

2. Be responsive — things move fast here. San Francisco properties sell, on average, in less than 30 days. This means from the time a seller accepts our offer to when you have keys in hand is about 3 weeks with most properties having no more than 2 weekends of open houses. This means that we may need you to make decisions quickly and we need you to be okay with that too.  

3. Be prepared. Just as property preparation may have taken weeks, months or years, being credible buyers whose offers are taken seriously also takes some focused effort to become a prepared, credible and successful buyer. This involves getting pre-approvals, looking at properties and keeping up with what’s happening and why in the City.

4. Be unafraid to ask questions. It’s a lousy feeling if you second-guess your decisions in real estate. While anxiety and nerves are part of San Francisco real estate we strive to prepare our clients by educating them about the marketplace, the buying process and the bigger picture. It’s a lot of stuff to process and digest and we want you to know that we’re happy to answer questions so you can make the best and informed decisions.

5. Be patient. Buying property can become an all-compassing process that can take less than a week or more than a year. Getting frustrated because you get outbid or that there’s a lack of inventory is a common reaction we see. But have faith that we are working hard for you and that the right property and opportunity will come along soon enough; some faster than others.