Professional Buyer Representation

First Steps

The Internet and real estate professionals are the top two resources most buyers turn to when searching for a home. (1) You likely don't want to go it alone. Sure, you can scroll through endless websites for property, or you can use my services for focused searches directly from the MLS, which is often the source of those 3rd-party websites.

When it’s convenient for you to speak directly with a real estate professional, we can help improve your overall home-buying experience and provide the guidance to reduce stress, save time, and make you a savvy, successful consumer.

A CENTURY 21® Agent is ready to make a full-time commitment to help you capitalize on current market opportunities and assist you in making an informed decision.

To ensure you make the right choice for the long term, a CENTURY 21 Agent offers extensive knowledge in:

Neighborhoods, schools, and market conditions
Mortgage specialists who can assist you with your financing
Technology that gives them an edge, along with multiple resources available just for you on century21.com

Would you like to receive more information on the home-buying process? Contact me for a personalized home search alert or Search the MLS now

(1) 2020 National Association of REALTORS

Looking For A Home

The single biggest reason most people buy a home is the simple desire to own a home. (2) At the same time, homeowners accumulate wealth for the future while enjoying the benefits of a residence that they can use, improve, and enjoy. What’s different is each individual’s wish list of essentials; from public transportation to the number of bedrooms, we can help you create a comprehensive list and go from there. We do way more than just open doors.

(2) 2020 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers

Forming a Team

We will assist you with assembling the team you need to get across the finish line. With almost three decades of experience, I know which vendors work in your best interests and which pose obstacles.

A great lender with financing options that meet your qualifications and a skilled, licensed home inspector who will address any concerns you have about the home's condition.

A fabulous closing attorney who will work with you from reviewing the purchase & sale through to the closing day. Along with all of these great folks come Title Examiners, Appraisers, and other inspectors as needed ( Pest, Radon, Lead, Water, etc)

Pre-Approval

Before you start looking at property, it’s best to speak to a lender. (Unless 100 % of your funds are coming from cash - then you will only need a copy of a Bank Statement showing available funds or a letter from the bank holding the funds stating you have sufficient assets to close with no financing required.)

No matter the amount of your loan, you will discuss your financials with a lender and you will need to produce, Proof of income or employment via copy of any Pay Stubs, or if you are self imployed- 2 Years of Tax Returns, etc and proof of any assets (401 (k), investment accounts, cash, etc) a copy of your most recent Bank Statements ( All Pages -even the blank ones) And they will ask permission to pull your Credit Score. Mortgage banking requires a certain credit report, so the one on your credit card app wont work for mortgage lending purposes

Be sure to get a Pre-Approval letter, not a Pre-Qualification letter. A good lender will provide you with a pre-approval that states that they have already reviewed your credit, assets, and income. A pre-qualification is merely a letter stating that the lender had a conversation with you and, if what you said is true, you may qualify for a loan.

Without a pre-approval, the process cannot continue. Most property sellers require pre-approval before showing. This way, they know you are a BUYER and not a Shopper.

My Preferred lender allows you to apply online 24/7, and from the convenience of your home/office, you can securely upload these documents for her review. Then you can buy with confidence.

Onboarding Session -Reviewing Property Disclosures, Agreements and Forms

Next, we will schedule our onboarding session. In this session, we meet with ALL of the decision-makers and review commonly used forms and state-mandated disclosures, along with representation agreements. This is a necessary and required part of the process. You get to know my skills and qualifications, where I can be helpful and where I will excel, as well as the legal boundaries I will not cross.

You get to share all of your home-buying needs, questions, and concerns with me. I will share market information with you for the Towns/Cities you are searching, and we will set you up for targeted notifications of MLS listings.

We will prepare you for home buying in a Seller's Market or a Buyer's Market so that your offer has the highest likelihood of being accepted with the best price, terms, and conditions for you. An informed buyer is the best buyer !

This session is held via Zoom and is best attended on a computer, as there will be a shared presentation. Depending on the questions, this session could be as long as 90 minutes. I may introduce you to my team members if they are able to attend.

More on the On Boarding Session

During this session, we will also cover: how to read what a listing is really telling you and what it is not showing you; how we will schedule showings for properties you are interested in; and how and when showings occur, so that each of us can set aside time/plan for them

Does the home you are looking for actually exist? Making sure your budget matches what is being offered in the Towns/Cities you would like to live. Do you have at least 5% of the purchase price for Escrow ? How do we deal with it if you don't?

Determining if you are a competitive buyer ;

o Pre-Approval from a Local reputable Lender

o Large Deposit for Escrow

o Low Loan Amount

o Low-risk loan product or Paying Cash?

o Waived Inspection ( if permitted)

o Waived Appraisals

o Waived Mortgage Contingency

o Signing a P&S agreement in less than 10 days?

o Is your offer subject to the sale of a home?
*If yes to the above, is your home on the market and under contract with a buyer who already has their loan commitment?

o Are you flexible with the closing date?

o Or do you have to close on a specific date due to a lease, etc.

o Are you allowing the Seller to leave certain unwanted items in the home?

o Are you offering over the asking price or market value?

and so much more.......

Making Offers, Negotiations, Inspections and next steps

As a holder of the RENE (Real Estate Negotiation Expert) designation, I bring advanced negotiation strategies to every buyer transaction. Buying a home is about far more than submitting the highest offer; it's about understanding the seller's motivations, identifying opportunities to strengthen your position, managing risk, and negotiating favorable terms throughout the entire process.

From purchase price and inspection issues to appraisal challenges, repairs, financing, and closing timelines, I advocate for my clients every step of the way. My goal is to help buyers make informed decisions, compete effectively in any market, and achieve the best possible outcome with confidence.

All offers will be prepared and presented by your REALTOR; they must be in writing and are traditionally accompanied by a $1,000 deposit. This can be in the form of a personal check or an electronic transfer. Some deposits can be made electronically for a fee. (No Venmo, Cash App, or Zelle) Your REALTOR will prepare the offer; be sure to review the details, such as the length of time the offer is valid, the closing date, and any contingencies (mortgage, inspections, house to sell, etc.). You will likely complete the signing of an offer via an e-signing platform. Your REALTOR will keep you updated on the status of your offer and any counteroffers. The buyer does not contact the seller or the seller’s agent.

It is not guaranteed, but it's possible for the seller to come back with a counteroffer that has different terms, whether financial, time-frame, or contingency-related. All negotiations on behalf of the Buyer and Seller will be conducted only by the listing agent and the Buyer’s Agent. If we are unable to reach a meeting of the minds, the deal is off, releases are signed, and deposit checks are returned. If you successfully negotiate a deal that all parties accept, then it’s time for … inspections

In our onboarding session, we will also discuss Home Inspections, Lead Paint, condo fees, and flood zones; a real estate attorney; purchase and sale signing; loan application ( different from pre-approval); buyer's remorse; keeping your credit scores; not changing jobs; final walk-throughs; closing; and more

So after all of this........Are all agents prepared to represent buyers?

Definately NOT!

I am a Certified Buyer Representative (CBR) & an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR). With these two Designations, you can be sure you are in the right place with the right Broker/REALTOR®. I am happy to put my years of experience representing buyers to work for you. I only work with Buyer Clients with written authorization. That means we will have a representation agreement , you will be my client, and our relationship is fiduciary in nature. I will discuss how I am compensated, and you will be fully informed.

As your Buyer's Agent, I am NOT here to sell you anything; instead, I am here to HELP you buy.

You are about to make the largest purchase of your life, and you deserve Professional Representation from a skilled, trained professional. Do you really want to rely solely on someone who sits in the cubicle next to you at your full-time job, who got their real estate license a short time ago, and who said, "Hey, go find a house, and when you do, I can help you"?

Remember, in MA, it only takes 40 hours of classroom time to sit for the REAL Estate Licensing Exam. It's likely that the person who cuts your hair has more classroom time than most Real Estate agents in MA. Click here to see my qualifications.

The pitfalls when buying a home are many. Allow me to share my strategies and knowledge with you so that you can avoid them. I've got plenty of stories to tell you about those buyers who were NOT properly represented and how it all went wrong.

I will point you in the right direction to a Mortgage Lender that has proven themselves time and time again. I will also share with you over 2 decades of experience I have had with BAD Mortgage lenders... and you might not believe who is at the TOP of the LIST!

During our buyer consult session, I will review everything in the buying process from: Assembling a Team to Searching for homes, How to read what a listing is REALLY telling you, Real Estate Terms and MLS Codes, my own home search app, how to present a winning offer, the value to homes in the area that you are interested in, the importance of due diligence, why you don't want to rely on a non-instrument survey, the questions to ask when considering hiring a home inspector, buyers remorse and how to avoid spousal arguments when the inspection is over. And of course, all the details about maintaining your excellent credit right through to the day of the closing . And a whole lot more!

In addition to all of that, I will be sure to position you properly if:

You have a home to sell first
Your down payment is coming from an investment account or a gift
You are making an all-cash offer and wish to waive financing contingencies
You have VA or FHA Financing that requires the home to be in a certain condition

There are so many steps to buying a home that I'm not sure why you would do it alone or with someone who isn't properly trained or capable of negotiating on your behalf.

Call/text me to understand how you can go from being just a Customer to my CLIENT, and in many cases, the Brokerage Fees are rolled into your purchase. 781.844.8870 ( be sure to check out my testimonials page)