10 Proven Tips To Succeed in Buying Your Dream Home

Learn how to secure your dream home by keeping your finances intact.

How can you increase your chances of getting your dream home? Buying a house is a big decision, which is why it’s important to be prepared. Today, I’ll share 10 pro tips for a smooth home-buying experience:

This conference is special because Mike Ferry is going to be celebrating 50 years in the residential real estate coaching and training industry. I’ve worked with Mike for the past 30 years and have seen firsthand the value of partnering with a Mike Ferry-trained agent. Here are 10 reasons why you should consider working with one:

1. Get pre-approved. Before you start shopping for homes, get pre-approved by a reputable lender. This step will help you determine your budget by identifying your maximum and minimum price range based on your income and expenses.

2. Work with a buyer’s agent. Work with a buyer's agent like myself. An experienced agent will protect your interests and help you avoid buying a home in the wrong neighborhood.

3. Save for closing costs. Set aside funds for closing costs because these expenses can add up quickly. Including this in your budget will ease your mind.

4. Keep your job. Try to keep your job and avoid switching to self-employment during this time. Changing your job can affect your pre-approval for a mortgage and make it harder to secure financing.

5. Avoid big purchases. Hold off on large purchases, like a new car, until after you’ve settled into your new home.

"Every dollar counts as you prepare to purchase a home."

6. Don’t dip into savings. Avoid using savings or credit cards for non-essential purchases. It's important to keep your finances in check during this period.

7. Resist impulsive buys. Stay strong against impulse buys. Every dollar counts as you prepare to purchase a home.

8. Consult with your lender. To maintain a stable financial profile, always check with your lender before making any large withdrawals from your accounts.

9. Stick with your bank. Don’t change your bank accounts while buying a home. Lenders like consistency, so keep what you have.

10. Avoid co-signing loans. Don’t co-sign loans for anyone, no matter the reason. It can affect your financial stability and jeopardize your ability to secure a mortgage.

Maintaining consistency is important to successfully get your dream home. If you're ready to make one of the biggest decisions of your life, let's connect. Reach me at (978) 852-3001 or PBrouillette@LaerRealty.com. You can also visit our website at www.homesareus.com.  I can help guide you every step of the way right to the closing table.

What to Look for in a Real Estate Professional

Looking to buy or sell a home in Merrimack Valley? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (978) 852-3001 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Today I'm going to continue my series about things you should be looking for in potential real estate agents. Choosing someone to help you buy or sell a home is important because it's probably the largest financial transaction that you'll ever be a part of.

Here are four more important things to look for in a real estate agent.

1. Look for continued education: You would probably want your doctor or your lawyer to partake in continual education, and the same should be true for your real estate agent. Ask about any professional designations they have earned, or ask them if they are working to earn any extra certifications.

2. Real estate in today's market is much more consumer-centric. A good real estate agent should cater to the needs of a buyer or seller. Good customer service is the cornerstone to any successful real estate business. I value my clients, and I have three assistants with the sole task of serving you and exceeding your expectations.

3. In a real estate transaction, there are roughly 162 tasks that need to be completed. You'll need an organized, capable agent to do this work for you. I've been in real estate for 40 years, so I know I have the system down. I can't say the same for agents with only a few years of experience.

4. The company that your agent chooses is important. RE/MAX and Keller Williams offer different advantages to the people that work with them. I chose LAER Realty because I thought it would help me serve my clients at a higher level. They can be trusted, and there is a major focus on continued education.

So, if you have any further questions about what to look for in a real estate professional, please don't hesitate to contact me. I look forward to speaking with you!

I Can Help You Find Your Dream Home in the Merrimack Valley

Looking to buy or sell a home in Merrimack Valley? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price  Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (978) 852-3001 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.   

I wanted to talk about the American Dream today and the dream home. My question to you is this: Are you living in the home of your dreams? If your answer is yes, then congratulations.

If your answer is no, then why is that the case? I recently read a book by my broker / owner Stacy Alcorn. It is called Reach! and part of the theme in this book is that you can achieve anything you want in your life.

So my question is, how badly do you want to live in the home of your dreams? One of my favorite things about being a real estate professional is helping people achieve their dreams by finding them a perfect home.

If you haven't found your dream home, it may be a matter of not knowing what you want, or it may be a matter of money or timing. Whatever the case may be, if you or anyone you know would like to be living in a dream home and you haven't quite achieved it, then I would like to hear from you. I can help you achieve this goal.

You can reach me at (978) 256-3306 or email me at paul@paulbrouillette.com. 

Allow me to speak to you and discuss your future plans. Perhaps I could work something out and help make your dreams come true. So, if you need to buy or sell in Chelmsford, Lowell, Merrimack Valley, or New Hampshire, then please contact me.

6 Reasons Why 'For Sale by Owner' Properties Should Hire an Agent

Looking to buy or sell a home in Merrimack Valley? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price  Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (978) 852-3001 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions. 

If you're thinking about selling your property on your own, you might want to think again. In a study done by the National Association of Realtors, 'For Sale by Owner' properties sold for 17% less than what homes sold for by professional real estate agents. In an effort to save themselves money, these owner/sellers are actually losing on a big pay out. Real Estate agents will not leave any money on the table because they are professionally trained, seasoned & specialized salespeople.

6 reasons why 'For Sale by Owner' properties should hire an agent:

1. Owner/Sellers only reach a tiny % of buyers: Real estate agents have many connections and networks to reach clients locally, regionally, nationally, and even internationally. It's estimated that you will get 20-30 times the amount of buyers with a professional agent, as opposed to sticking a 'For Sale' sign in your yard.
2. Sellers cannot save on commission if a buyer insists on saving it themselves: By selling a home by themselves, owners are trying to save on commission costs to realtors, however, if a buyer realizes there is no agent getting this commission then he/she will probably offer 10-15% below asking price since there is no realtor involved.
3. Owner/Sellers are not protected by the Errors & Omissions Insurance Policy: This policy enables an agent to be protected by a million-dollar umbrella policy. Basically, this prevents any kind of lawsuit from impacting the seller based upon erroneous information that was passed along in the transaction. If you're selling your own property you would then be directly liable for any mishaps in the process since you took the reigns.
4. Exposure by 'For Sale by Owners' is not Pre-screened: What I mean is that when buyers come to us wanting to buy a home, we have to 'screen' them. This means making sure that they're pre-approved and that they can actually afford to buy the homes that they are looking at. Owners selling their own homes don't really have this opportunity because it's time consuming, and they will often find their prospective buyers may not even be able to afford their home.
5. Sellers Can't Always be Objective with the Sale: Selling a property can be emotionally draining, and when a buyer comes in with a low offer this can upset a seller. Real estate agents have no emotional investment in a property, so they can make more level-headed decisions throughout the process that will net you more offers and more money.
6. You will be working against an army of realtors: Realtor's associations will resist working with you when they see that you are selling a property by yourself. You will then be working against an army of realtors who will be advising buyers not to look at your property. However, you will be working with that army if you hire a real estate agent.

If you would like any further information on how to avoid the hassles of selling your own home, I would be glad to talk about these issues with you. Also, if you need assistance buying or selling in the Chelmsford, Lowell, Tyngsboro, or Westford areas, then please contact me. I can be reached at (978) 256-3306 or email me at paul@paulbrouillette.com