Fonville Morisey Buyers Agent >> Attention Buyers - Show your agent you're ready, willing, and able to BUY now

I've been working with some buyers from New England since May of this year. I got them to sell their house back home and now they are renting short-term in Holly Springs until we can find them the perfect home. My clients are looking in the $300k price range and, in this price range, homes tend to move quickly. In a hot market buyers must be prepared to buy. Even the best agents on the planet can't help a buyer that's not prepared to buy.

I guess the big question is "How badly do my clients want to buy a home? I've tried to explain to my clients that if they want me to work really hard for them, then they have to be ready to buy.

These are a few things that I recommend to my clients to demonstrate they are ready, willing, and able to buy a home.

1. They get pre-approved for a mortgage. Buyers need to demonstrate their ability to get a loan. A pre-qualification letter is nice, but in this day and age with credit standards the way they are I'm looking for a pre-approval letter.

2. They are loyal. Agents admit they work harder for loyal buyers. Be honest and upfront to your potential agent. Agents don't mind if you interview other agents as long as you let them know where you are in the process. Once you've made up your mind be willing to sign a buyer agency agreement for a period of time. Bring your agent's cards to new construction. Sign-in at open houses with your agent's information. Demonstrate loyalty to your agent that your agent demonstrates to you.

3. They know their priorities. I find it incredibly frustrating when buyers start off telling me that they want 4BR, 2.5Baths, 2 Car Garage, and a minimum of an acre in Holly Springs and then the next week it's 0.25 of an acre in North Raleigh w/a 3-Car Garage. I ask my clients to write down what is a "must have" vs. a "nice to have" and try to have families work out these issues before heading out to find a home. The more specific the clients are the better an agent can be at meeting their needs.

4. They are open-minded. Being able to see through shag carpet, hideous paint, and god awful wallpaper takes vision. Clients that can see through small cosmetic issues have a better chance at finding a good value. Agents often have contractors that they work with that can help clients get past these "minor" issues prior to moving into the home.

5. They are ready to act fast. Some buyers are ready to move right away and others take their sweet time in making up their mind. People who are planning to move sooner rather than later have a higher priority in my book. In this market clients that don't have a home to sell where they are coming from also get my attention.

Buyers that have demonstrated these characteristics are a priority over clients that are just shopping around.