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No matter how perfectly you can picture yourself in your future home, your agent isn't a mind-reader. To get the most out of your relationship with your agent, share information about what you want for your new home. You know to cover the basics - price range, neighborhood, style of home - but think broadly, too. Here are some questions to get you started:
- What are your plans for the future? You're probably thinking ahead to the day you'll move in to your new home. But living in a new home doesn't end with the excitement of moving day. How is your life likely to change during the years you'll be in the home? For example, you might start a family, send your last kid off to college, or have an aging parent move in. You might be planning to start a home business or go back to school. Look ahead 5 or 10 years, and then share that vision with your agent, who can help you find homes that have the potential to accommodate your plans.
- How will you use the home? Maybe you need a home office or workshop. If you entertain frequently, you might want a house with a formal dining room or an open floor plan. If you're an avid gardener, you need space for your garden to grow. Think about the activities you'll do in the home, and your agent can focus on homes that match your preferences.
- What problems have you had in your past homes? If you can complain for hours about the time you lived next door to a noisy nightclub or the drafty old barn where you shivered though an entire winter, your agent can help you avoid similar problems in the future.
Agents have tons of experience matching homebuyers with homes that suit their needs and their lifestyles. Your agent may be able to see the potential - and potential problems - in homes that you might not. The more your agent knows about you, the better she can focus on finding homes that are a good fit.
