“Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match!” Now more than ever, I find myself singing this catchy tune from Fiddler on the Roof. And while I have introduced a few couples in my time, I’m singing about buyers and sellers right now. It’s VERY applicable, I promise.
This Greater Lafayette market is TIGHT right now! That’s been true for a while, but it’s just getting tighter. There’s so little inventory (I know I sound like a broken record, I’m sorry!) and a line of buyers out the door! Demand is so high, and interest rates are so low, that homes just can’t come on the market fast enough to satisfy the buyers who want them.
Almost daily, top area brokers reach out to me to ask, “Do you have any new listings coming up in (insert neighborhood, school district, price range)?” And, though local real estate rules dictate what information we can and cannot share, this is one of the ways buyers are getting an edge in the race to find the perfect house.
So, in a time when having a great real estate agent is more crucial than ever (and in honor of Valentine’s Day), what makes a good real estate matchmaker?
Understands a Buyer’s Needs and Wants
As you get ready to buy, you’ve likely done a LOT of thinking about what you’re looking for! These include things like size of home, number of bedrooms, and desired neighborhoods. A good agent understands exactly what you need AND what you want and is always keeping those things in mind as new homes pop up. If an agent knows you NEED a fourth bedroom, he or she will know not to even bother showing you that cute three-bedroom home that just came on the market. If he or she doesn’t know that crucial bit of info, you might see that cute three-bedroom and be totally bummed that it’s not quite right for you, which leads to disappointment and possibly even buyer’s remorse.
Your financing is critically important, as well. Does what you’re looking for exist? What’s your timeline? Do you need a short-term rental? The best real estate matchmaker will be helping you to get ahead of these potential dilemmas and will encourage you to get pre-approved before you even start looking at homes. In this market, it’s essential.
Cultivates Local Connections
A good real estate agent cultivates local connections like it’s a full-time JOB (oh wait, that is our job). Working with a broker who lives, eats, educates, worships, and works out where you want to live is HUGELY helpful in a market like this. You need someone who is rubbing shoulders and having everyday conversations with people who live where you want to live. By hiring just any agent, you won’t have a shot at the “inside scoop.” You won’t know what’s coming on the market until it IS on the market. This point is the single biggest differentiator in hiring the right real estate matchmaker.
You might wonder what the problem is if you wait until a home comes on the market. Well, just the other day, I had a client who was interested in seeing a home that was just listed. It already had two offers and eighteen showings scheduled, which makes it all but impossible to compete for the home.
Understands Local Market Conditions
Every real estate market is LOCAL! Your experience in a different state or city could be drastically different from what’s offered in Greater Lafayette. Do you understand local market conditions? Do you know if what you desire is attainable in your desired price range, neighborhood, or school district?
The best real estate matchmaker is a local broker who can tell you the honest truth about where you’re house hunting, not just what you want to hear! Telling you only what you want to hear sets everyone up for disappointment. Someone with local knowledge also helps you craft the best, most competitive offer and ensures that you don’t get taken advantage of.
Communicates Well
In a market like this one, agents have to do some serious work on behalf of their buyers. This requires the agent to be at the top of the game when it comes to communicating well. If your agent doesn’t communicate well, you might miss out on your dream home. If you’re waiting hours for a response, that’s not good.
Make sure your agent’s communication style works well with your own. If you feel annoyed, rushed, or like you’re not being listened to, pay attention! A good agent will also ask how you prefer to communicate and use that method to stay in touch with you about what’s happening.
If you’d like to have some help with some matchmaking of your own, give me a call at (765) 427-7000.
[…] more than ever, it’s critical to find, interview, and hire the right local real estate agent. In this market, you need an expert. You need someone who rubs shoulders with people who might be […]