House hunting and home buying have gone virtual and I’m here to walk you through the process. With the current travel restrictions, out-of-town buyers can’t always make it for a home tour. There is also a limited supply of homes, many of which are selling in 72 hours or less.
Virtual home tours are here to stay. But can you really fall in love with a home and buy it sight unseen? Without stepping foot inside? Opening the closet doors, checking the soft close kitchen drawers, or turning on the faucet to see if it’s running?
You will be responsible for making decisions about lots of details, which can be overwhelming when you see all the possibilities.
That’s why I am guiding you through my process taking away the stress.
While the details are fresh in my mind, I want to walk you through the best way for you to approach your search for the perfect home.
Can You Build a Home Virtually?
The person helping you find the right home for your lifestyle needs to not only get into your head, but your heart. What’s important about the things you’re asking for in a home and community and why it matters to you.
Yes, it’s important that I know how you live, how you spend your weekends, what activities you enjoy, if you have small kids, big kids or no kids. Your plans for now and for the future.
Knowing what stage of life you’re in, what you’re leaving behind and looking forward to are some of the biggest factors as we work together to find your next home – whether it’s a starter home, your forever home or somewhere in between.
How to Find The Best Community When Building a Home Virtually
Before we get into choosing homes and setting up virtual tours, our very first meeting will be on a discovery call. This gives you an opportunity to ask questions, and we can get clarity on what you’re looking for.
There’s nothing like truly living in a house to become clear about what you want and don’t want when you move into your new home. Here what we’ll be talking about:
Your likes
The House: What’s working for you in your current or something you had in a previous home? Have that list ready – in the excitement of finding a new place, you may forget to mention something. One of my buyers had heated floors in her bathroom and she’s officially spoiled.
What about the outdoors? Yard space? Room for the dog to run and the trampoline for the kids or a place to create a backyard sanctuary for the adults with a play area for the kids.
The Community: It is walkable, near the dog park, close to the stores, or do you like that it’s tucked away in a little enclave? Do you have school-aged children and kids the same age so they have best friends you don’t have to drive miles for a play date?
What are you excited to have in your new place and how you want to feel when you’re at home?
Your dislikes
The House: I know you have a list! From dragging the laundry up and down the stairs to having the smallest pantry known to man. Let’s not mention a kitchen floor that shows all the dirt, this is your chance for a re-do!
That open floor plan you saw on every episode of HGTV might not work during a pandemic. Buyers are asking for more rooms with privacy with everyone at home on Zoom calls.
The Community: From noisy streets to houses that are too close together. Maybe there is only street parking and you’re tired of hauling the groceries from the curb and up the front steps.
Tell me what is not working for you.
Your must-haves
The House: There are some things that are non-negotiable.
Someone with a disability or elderly parents means a house with no stairs. Want to cut down on your commute to spend more time doing what you love – location matters. Interested in certain school districts because you want your child in a certain program, let me know.
The Community: It could be a matter of lifestyle.
If you have a kayak, canoe or bike then being near a biking trail or having access to a lake gives you a quality of life you work hard to enjoy. Is it safe for the kids to play? Maybe you want a gated community.
What are your non-negotiables?
Your Wish List
Now, tell me about THE ONE!
I want you to dream BIG. I’m not talking about the house you need. Tell me what your heart desires about the house you swoon over every time you see it. The one with all the space you want, with every finish, upgrade and design you can imagine.
Dream closets, butler pantries, kidney-shaped pools, luxurious soaking tubs, top-of-the-line chef’s kitchen with a waterfall edge island. Tell me about your man caves, she sheds, and the backyard oasis with a pool and the hot tub.
Sometimes we limit our vision because we don’t know what’s out there and there’s a fear of going over budget. I’m not saying we’re going to get that dream house now, we live in reality with budgets and limitations, however, you can get some of the things with a little creativity!
Describe everything in your dream home or share your Pinterest board with me.
Let’s get started
The home buying process is not simply about where you want to live and the kind of house you want to live in. It’s about how you live, and the person helping you buy your home needs to know your “why”. I want to live in that neighborhood because…
You’re not just buying a house. You’re buying a place to build memories. A place to unwind from the world. To be yourself. To raise a family or finally be on your own.
It’s also an investment of your finances and into your future.
Start on the right path by downloading your home buying checklist. Start adding to it whenever you think of something. This will be a big stress reducer and save you loads of time when we hop on our discovery call.
