Don't Keep Looking After You Find The Home You Want

The Boston Globe Magazine published an article June 10, 2007 entitled "10 Mistakes Buyers Make."

The article, written by Janice O'Leary, provides some excellent advice and information for potential home buyers.

One mistake discussed in the article was "Looking Even When it's Time to Stop." This a common mistake among first-time home buyers. Looking at 10 or 15 homes even after the fifth home met your wants and needs in your price range doesn't make you a wiser consumer. In fact, if that ideal house goes under agreement while you're looking at your 12th and 13th property, you'll be a pretty disappointed consumer.

I think many home buyers expect that such a major financial transaction must be a long and painful process. It does not have to be that way, especially if you are working with a buyer agent you trust. After a few showings, an agent looking out for your interests should be able to help you narrow your search and and shy away from looking at properties that are a waste of your time.

“Buyers become anxious if they haven’t looked enough ... One client lost the property that fit her needs because her friends had looked for a long time before finding their home, so she thought finding this one so early on was too easy.”

Of course waiting to see if something better comes on the market is the same mistake, just a different way to make it.

One way to avoid the mistake of needlessly looking at more homes and possibly letting a good one get away is to have a good understanding of what is available in a particular market within a particular price range. A buyer's agent certainly can help you with that.

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