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Advice From Our Team
The San Francisco Bay Area is home to one of the most desirable and competitive real estate markets in the world, and we understand that making the decision to buy real estate here can be an overwhelming experience. From navigating the home search when listings seem to sell the moment they appear, to budgeting and planning for closing costs, there's a lot to learn, especially if you are a first time home buyer in the area. We have helped hundreds of buyers to find the right home in many of San Francisco’s neighborhoods, and we are happy to share our best practices with you to help you in your search. Our team provides the insight and navigation skills that only long-time Bay Area real estate professionals can, and we’ve listed out below what you can expect as a home buyer when working with us.
Measure Twice, Cut Once.
In other words: preparation is key, and we won’t waste your time rushing you to see a home without first finding out what it is you are looking for. We’ll sit down with you for a buyer consultation to discuss the purchase process and timeline, local market conditions, and make an organized search plan to ensure you feel confident about your next steps with us. We’ll want to know your search criteria and budget so that we are prepared to weed out listings that don’t match you. After this meeting, we enter all of your criteria into a custom Compass Collections search that will send you listings that meet your criteria in real time.
Home Shopping
For many, this is the most fun part of buying a home. We’ll take you to view properties that match your criteria, using both our custom search and our wide network of local real estate resources. Viewing properties, especially for first-time home buyers, helps us to understand what you respond to enthusiastically (or not) and narrow down exactly what feels right in a home to you. We also use this as an opportunity to give you valuable insight into properties, advising on details like value, maintenance, and resale. As we narrow down your home requirements, we start looking at potential off-market homes that match your wishlist. Through our relationships with the brokers' community, we have access to off-market listings that cannot be seen online. Off-market properties can offer a number of key advantages to both buyers and sellers compared to traditional listings on the MLS. Listings are private, which means there is less competition from unqualified buyers, and both parties can take the time to put together a beneficial deal.
Making an Offer
When you are ready to make an offer on a home, we verify the home's value and advise you on offer strategy, negotiation, and paperwork. Our job here is to get you your home with the best price and terms possible for you. We have years of experience helping hundreds of clients craft winning offers, and can walk you through contingencies like counter offers with confidence.
Managing The Transaction
Now we want things to run smoothly for you. We work proactively to prevent issues before they arise, ensure your deposits are always protected, and keep you informed on new developments and any next steps. We make sure you have the best team to assist you as you make this important purchase by providing top-notch referrals for lenders, home inspectors, and attorneys if needed.
After you've purchased your home, we will stay in touch and are always available for questions or advice. Whether you'd like suggestions for home improvements and their effect on the resale value or need a referral for a good contractor, we're here to help. If you think you are ready to begin a home search or would like to schedule a free buyer’s consultation, contact us here.