Buyer Process
It’s Paige Schulte with AskPaigeSchulte.com and Team Schulte & Co. over here at Neighborhood Experts Real Estate. Today we’re going to talk all about what it’s like to buy a house and our process with Schulte & Co.
First Meeting
We would usually meet in person—in person’s always the best—but we can also meet via Zoom or on a phone call. When we connect we’ll find out if you already have a lender or if you need our lender connections (shopping local for a lender and an agent is always the best way to go), and then find out exactly what you’re looking for. We have an amazing “Dream Home” buyer survey to collect what your hopes and dreams are for your next house adventure. And then we’ll connect your communication preferences with your lender.
We have two agents for every buyer, because right now in the low inventory market that we’ve been experiencing over the last few years, we want two agents that are always able to run to meet your needs based on your timing and availability. So once we find out what your needs are and a little bit more about yourself, what your communication styles are, what your availability is based on your work schedule or your family life, we’ll connect you with these agents. Two experts for you. . .because two heads are better than one!
Before we hit the ground running, we take a little bit of time to look at an overview of what inventory we have and what the market temperature is and how fierce it is out there. We’ll talk through how to craft an offer and how to prepare you for what options you have as a buyer; for instance, will you need to prepare to get a pre-inspection, because we always want you to do your due diligence and sometimes we have to do it before we write an offer, and sometimes we do it after we get the contract accepted. So we want you to have that lay of the land before we get into the pressure cooker of falling in love with a house and having to write an offer in the moment. So we like to have that conversation and that meet-and-greet all at one time, whether it’s in person or on Zoom.
Showing You Around Town
Next we’re going to hit the streets. We’re going to go check out all of the rabbit trails that you’re going to travel on. So if schools are something that you’re interested in, we’ll show you the area schools. We’ll show you where the library is, where the movie theater is, where the grocery shopping is, where Costco is, where Pilates is, where to get your nails done—whatever you’re interested in, we’re going to show you what it looks like to live in Gig Harbor and give you a tour so you can get a lay of the land. So when you hear the word Artondale, then you’re going to know where that is on the map.
We will also give you some hot tips on where to eat. We have our own coffee table book that provides an inside look and a feel for what these restaurants and local mom-and-pop shops are all about. These are the fabric of our community.
And then we are going to go take a tour inside homes, and get a feel for what you love and what you don’t love. This will help give you an idea of what a Pacific Northwest home looks like, what a Gig Harbor home looks like, and whittle down your options which will help us narrow down the selection of a home that’s perfect for you.
We’re also going to hook you up with the Team Schulte & Co. app that you can download in the Apple Store. It comes straight from the MLS and has everything you need to know about shopping for a house in Gig Harbor, just like Redfin or Zillow. We love those apps too, so if that’s what you prefer, go ahead and send us listings from there as well. And then, even after you’ve fallen in love with a house and you’ve completed the home-buying process, that app is going to be an amazing resource for you as a Gig Harbor resident. In the “About” section, it has every contractor you could ever need—there are 140 different contractors—there’s a list of all of our videos about the local schools, there’s information on restaurants—like what’s open on a Monday in Gig Harbor—everything you could ever imagine is in there. And then there are also some open invites to all of our client parties and stuff like that, which happen all year long.
Writing An Offer
So you’ve fallen in love. You have the home of your dreams in your sights, and now we’re going to write that killer offer that beats out every other offer that’s on the table. Or if there are no other offers on the table, we’re going to strategize how to get it for list price or less. This is when we communicate with the other side. We use all of our local relationships to leverage knowledge and to give you power to write the best contract possible to get you the best terms and the best price. We’re going to talk about everything from getting a pre-inspection to an inspection, we’ll talk about some of those contingencies that we think are really important to give you the time to do your due diligence, and to make sure that this house is exactly what you need, that it pencils at the end, and that it’s something that you want to and can afford. So that’s going to be our process of making sure that you’re buying the right house and not a money pit.
Wrapping Things Up
Once you’re in contract, we’ll introduce you to two of our awesome transaction coordinators, Shelby and Reina. They are phenomenal at keeping you in the loop and keeping your paperwork on track between escrow, us as the agents, and in your file. So we’re going to keep everybody, including your lender, all synced up. There are a lot of moving parts on the back end, and we’re going to make sure that we as your agents also are in communication with you in the preferred ways that you want to be contacted.
We’re also going to help you with scheduling your final walkthrough, any measurements you might want to make sure that your new couch fits, and we’re going to help you with the transition to getting your utilities set up and any other odds and ends as we get closer to closing day. We’re also going to guarantee that the seller is doing their part in making sure that your house is ready for their new owners—and that’s going to be you.
Note: As a gift from your agent, we cover the cost of a home warranty for all of our buyers. That gives you a little bit more peace of mind in that first year that you’re not going to have anything really major come up with any appliances, plumbing, or anything like that.
As we wrap up this entire transaction—and the whole process, really—we’re right here by your side and super excited to celebrate closing day with you. As your buyer team, we’re here to welcome you to your new home and your new town. We’re here to help you tell the kids that moving day is coming, and to get you started on “50 Great Things To Do” in your new community. So if we have the privilege of partnering with you, we would love to help transition you to your new home and your new neighborhood.
Paige Schulte, top real estate agent in Gig Harbor and your neighborhood expert, has all you need to know about our wonderful community. Visit Paige’s Gig to learn more.
If you want to meet with us, go to AskPaigeSchulte.com to schedule a buyer consultation, or feel free to call or text us to get in touch.