As a realtor with many years of experience, here are 5 common buyer mistakes that I can help you avoid. 

1. Searching for a home before you’ve been pre-approved to buy. If you don’t have that pre-approval letter in hand, sellers are way less likely to take your offer seriously.

2. Assuming you need 20 percent down to buy a home. Different loan types require different down payments, so be sure to talk to a lender about your options before you set that budget.

3. Only getting a rate quote from ONE lender. You should always shop around to more than one lender. Different lenders offer different loan programs, so talk to a few before you make a decision.

4. Draining your savings to buy a house. There are lots of unexpected costs throughout the home-buying process, so be sure to leave a cushion in your account after that down payment.

5. Falling in love with a house based on its design without strongly considering its location and structural inadequacies. Location is everything — you can change the decor, but you can’t change the foundation and structure of a home. Don’t get distracted by that Pottery Barn furniture or the Anthropologie accents when you’re house shopping.

If you want to avoid these pitfalls, you need to hire a trusted real estate agent to help you through the home-buying process.

Reach out NOW if you’re in the market to buy. I’m always here to answer any questions you have!