With financing out of the way, it’s time to get down to business! For most people, this is the fun part. Since you now have a better idea of the price range you want to stay in, we can set you up on a search through the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, or the NWMLS. The MLS is where homes that are listed by an agent are posted. It’s regulated and updated far more accurately than other popular third-party sites. You know the ones. Narrowing down your wants and needs is an important step because I will use that criteria to set up the parameters of your search. Whenever a new home is listed that matches the pre-set search, you’ll get an email notification. In the MLS portal you’ll be able to conduct your own searches, mark homes as favorites, leave notes for me, or send a listing to the trash if it won’t work for you. Keep in mind that as you see homes, your criteria will very likely change. Updating your search is easy as can be, so always let me know if you’d like something adjusted.
Grab a notepad and make an actual list. You might even try rating your wants and needs from 1-5 with 1 being “would be nice” and 5 being “won’t buy a house without.” Putting your thoughts on paper will help you realize what may or may not be important to you.
Price: What price range would you prefer to stay in?
Desired Location: Where would you ideally like to live? What look and feel do you want in your neighborhood? Do you need to be in a specific school district?
Home Requirements: Single family or condo? Split level or rambler? New construction or old charm?
Interior: How many bedrooms? How many bathrooms? How much square footage would be enough? What other interior features are important?
Exterior: Garage? Fenced backyard? Room for a garden or pool? What other exterior features are important?
