The challenge
With increasingly efficient, user-friendly real estate apps and websites, most home buyers begin their search online. That’s wise, up to a point. Apps can be a double-edged sword: they give you search control for property listings and even access to public records, but they don’t provide you context to use the information to your advantage. Even the most savvy home buyers can end up wasting valuable time by:
- Looking at homes outside your price range––either too high or too low
- Filtering by neighborhoods that don’t serve your needs in the medium or long term
- Being unprepared to act when the right home presents itself
So what don’t the apps get you? And how do you know you’re taking a meaningful approach?
The solution: a Realtor you actually love to work with
We don’t start by talking about a house. We start by listening to you.
Before focusing on a house or condo, what’s the bigger picture you’re looking to fill in? We’ll think together about your animating needs and prioritize them by asking critical questions.
Here’s what an app can’t guide you through
- How do you determine what you can actually spend comfortably (aside from what an automated preapproval indicates)? And do you understand the after-tax cost of that monthly payment?
- What’s a meaningful downpayment in the current market?
- What’s the purchase-price difference between a comparable condo and single family?
- If comparing Boston, Cambridge or Brookline to other towns, have you factored in the residential property tax exemption of these communities?
- How do you calculate what subway proximity or a parking space adds to a property’s value in the current market?
- How do you estimate closing costs or a cushion for repairs?
- Have you explored all sources of financial contribution, such as gift funds from a family member?
- And how might this home––this asset––perform for you in two or five or ten years?
Our process begins with an earnest discussion of both your means and your needs. We also help you understand who you are as a buyer relative to your competitors in the market, and what your prospective seller’s needs might be.
From there, we build a search plan and buying strategy.
Our buyers meeting tells us where you fit in the current real estate market and helps focus your search. If that advising suits you, we’re here to help.
Engage your team early
We empower you with information and guidance from the get-go, with a full team approach. We partner with top-notch, client-focused experts––from the loan officer, attorney and home inspector to even financial advisors and contractors.
