How to Be a Competitive Home Buyer in Roswell, GA

The real estate market in Roswell, Georgia is a competitive one, which makes it crucial to know how to make the best offers and ensure your bid remains at the top of the seller’s list of potential buyers. Through ample market and neighborhood research, finding a real estate agent you trust, and knowing what you want in a home, it’s easier to make your offer shine.

With Roswell, Georgia having many incredible homes on the market, it’s important to know how to secure one both effectively and efficiently. Here’s a list of tips to help you be more competitive when you’re looking to purchase a home.

 

When you get pre-qualified for a home’s mortgage, it can help you quickly get the finances you need in order to make an offer on a home you’re interested in. Getting pre-qualified also helps you establish a budget when looking for your dream home by knowing how much you qualify to borrow. In addition, you will know the actual amount you can spend and how much the average mortgage amount and property taxing amount will be per month. Qualification results are based on your income, how much money you use as a down payment, and your credit score. As such, there’s certain information you have to provide during the pre-qualification application process, including bank statements, pay stubs, W-2s, and proof of identity. Be sure to keep in mind that each lender has their own set of requirements; one might want more information, while another might need less.

After being pre-qualified, you’ll have a written pre-qualification letter to give in tandem with any offers you may make on a house for sale in Roswell. Your pre-qualification letter is very important for non-cash offers, as most sellers won’t entertain such an offer without a pre-qualification letter. This is because the sale could fall through due to financial reasons, and the letter is proof that you can afford the home. If you are unable to get pre-qualified right away, the qualification process can assist you in finding out what you do need to provide. Maybe it’s increasing your credit score or offering a higher down payment on a home.

For first-time homebuyers or anyone who’s behind on their finances, there are special mortgage programs you can apply for. And if you do qualify for one of these programs, you can receive a government-backed home loan, a low down payment mortgage deal, or help from a program that specializes in closing cost assistance. By getting in touch with a mortgage professional, it’s easy to learn if you qualify for any of these helpful assistance programs. Hence why it’s so important to keep in contact with your loan officer and your realtor. Staying in touch with your loan officer also keeps open a line of constant communication for you to ask any other financial questions as they may come up during your homebuying process. This ensures you’ll be prepared and ready to competitively act on a home that you’re interested in.

It also helps to look at any listings your Roswell realtor may send you as soon as possible to let them know if you’re interested or not. Realtors typically watch out for any and all new listings so they can show their buyer the homes that meet their criteria. If you’re interested in what the realtor sends you, then you can set up a showing with them, whether it’s an in-person private tour or a digital open house of the interior and exterior of the home. In addition, you may receive a home that’s not currently open for viewing or listed as “coming soon.” With these listing types, you can always drive by the house and look at its exterior and street as well as its surrounding neighborhood area. If you like what you see, it’s important to watch the time of when it will be available for viewing and to let your realtor know right away to get a viewing as soon as it comes on the market. Julie Altenbach is an experienced professional realtor in the Roswell, Georgia area that can help you take these steps in your homebuying journey.

What neighborhood do you want to live in? Are there any specific things you need or desire in a home? It’s important to comprise a list of areas you both prefer and are negotiable for your Roswell realtor to find you the best home available. It’s also crucial to do so with the features of your future home. Maybe you want to live in a specific school district but are willing to compromise on the exact location in the district area. Or perhaps you need a certain amount of bedrooms and are okay with getting a smaller garage in order to do so. This not only helps the realtor in their search, but it helps you narrow down your home choices in order for you to make a faster offer as well. Having a realtor that specializes in the types of homes and neighborhoods that you are interested in around the area is a huge advantage. If you are ready to begin your search, Julie Altenbach is one of those specializing realtors in the Roswell area.

Homebuying is a tricky, stressful process. Other buyers may beat you to a home that could have been perfect, or maybe your first offer on a home you loved wasn't accepted. That’s okay; hiccups happen, and that’s where persistence and teamwork come in. Meet with your mortgage professional and your realtor to come up with a new game plan that will make your next offer stronger. You may also want to revisit your list of boundaries and criteria if you aren’t having any luck. But don’t get discouraged. It’s important to be patient and put in offers until you are able to purchase the home of your dreams. Being consistent and revisiting your boundaries and criteria will help you make stronger offers.

There are other ways to increase the value of your offers as well. For example, if you know you’ve found your forever home, you could offer a larger down payment, a higher price, and let the seller choose what the closing date will be. You could also shorten the time frames for your contingencies to speed up the process and make your offer stand out. Contingencies may include anything regarding approval, inspection, insurance, and the home’s sale. Another helpful idea that some realtors may suggest includes writing a letter of intent, but be warned that this could have either a positive or negative impact on the seller. Either way, it’s good to create your best offer for each home. If a seller perceives you as not as serious as other buyers, they may reject your offer.

If you are looking for houses for sale in Roswell, Julie Altenbach is a professional Roswell realtor with extensive knowledge of the area. Julie can help you take the right steps to be competitive in your home offers and find the perfect home for you. Contact Julie Altenbach today to get started.