According to real estate expert Yvette Allen some buyers tend to get off-track while going through the often complicated process of buying a home. Allen offers some guidance to help buyers stay focused and improve their chances of getting a better deal while completing the purchasing process. She has been around real estate sales in one way or another for most of her life.
Her father was a full-time fireman and part-time Realtor specializing in land sales. “Since my father became a full-time agent 15 or so years ago he has consistently encouraged me to get into the business,” explains Allen. “As I was finishing up school at St. Mary’s University I was recruited out of college by a high tech company to work in their human resources department. I stayed with the company for over 6 years before finally pursuing my license in Real Estate.”
When asked about the current state of the real estate market in San Antonio Allen suggested that things are pretty challenging for consumers looking to purchase real estate. “We have a shortage of inventory at the moment so buyers looking for a home are unable to take a lot of time to ‘think’ about making an offer, ” Allen suggests. “The home will often be under contract by the time they decide or the seller may have already received multiple offers.”
As if the fierce seller’s market isn’t tough enough, Allen also describes another situation facing home buyers in her area. “Getting a home loan is also a challenge for many,” Allen states. “Buyers must talk to a lender before looking for a home. This helps them know how much home they can qualify for and gives them an idea on how much money they will need in order to buy a home.”
Though it doesn’t sound very promising for buyers in the San Antonio market at the moment, Yvette Allen does have a number of suggestions to ensure buyers can swing a transaction in their favor. “You usually have 7-10 days to get your home inspection and negotiate repairs so it is important to have your inspection scheduled within 3-4 days after signing the contract.” Allen continues, “Act quickly. The 7 to 10 days go by quickly so it’s important not to wait until the last day to set your inspection or negotiate repairs.”
Allen also has some excellent suggestions when it comes to securing a loan for a real estate purchase. “When the lender requests certain documents (i.e. pay stubs, retirement info, bank statements, etc.) it’s important to get them the documents in a timely manner.” More adamantly, Allen says, “Let me define timely. I mean ASAP! Or at least within a day. Waiting a week to get the lender documents can delay a closing.”
Allen shares another great tip, “Unless your lender says it’s okay-do NOT to make any big purchases that can affect your credit/debt to income ratios. Going out to buy that brand new car or new furniture usually should be put off until you close on the house.” Finally, to wrap up her advice to buyers looking for a loan, Allen offers this tidbit, “Do not change jobs during the transaction. Once again, talk to the lender but normally a lender does not like to see any lapse in job status or income.”
There is no doubt that buying a new home can be a complicated process – especially for the first-time home buyer. However, by following Yvette Allen’s advice and by consulting with an expert in the industry, home buyers can educate themselves and better ensure that they are getting the most home for their money.
Yvette Allen is the owner of Real Estate 210 and serves on the board of the San Antonio Board of Realtors. She has appeared numerous times on local TV programs discussing how to facilitate the smooth transactions between buyers and sellers. Yvette Allen can be reached by calling (210) 215-6897 or through her site http://www.realestate210.com.