Click on the “View My Listings” link to the right of this page to look over the homes I’m currently marketing, or click on the “Login To My Virtual Office” link to search the Topeka MLS. There are lots of other useful links available on this site. I advise you to take them all!

Buying a home is exciting. It’s easy to let your excitement cause you to make mistakes, and not make the best possible decisions. What is the number one mistake most buyers make? A large percentage of home buyers start looking for a new home before they sell the home they currently own! Most don’t know the current value, or the average days on market for their subdivision. It’s OK to sample the market by looking at a few homes in an area you like. Just don’t spend too much time looking at homes that will most likely not be available when you really ready to buy. Sellers don’t like to tie up the sale of their home by accepting a “contingency” contract. If they do you’ll probably pay a premium.

Let me suggest the following:

1. Go to a mortgage broker to see how much home you qualify to buy. This simple step will save a lot of wasted effort. I can help you with a lot of mortgage brokers I recommend. This can be done by phone!

2. Obtain a CMA, Comparative Market Analysis, from a Realtor you trust on your current home. Knowing how much you can qualify for, and how much equity you have in your current home will point you in the right direction. I would be happy to provide you with a CMA for your home.

3. Ask your Realtor to show you a few homes in the price range determined by steps 1 and 2, and in the area you would like to move to. Limit the initial looking to two, or three homes. A lot of preliminary searching can be done right here by clicking on the links to the left of this page.

4. Decide: Are you committed to selling your current home, and buying another?

5. Find a Realtor you trust to list your home for a price that will allow the sale in a timely manner. Be sure to click on “Seller Services That Really Help” to avoid a lot of pitfalls.

6. Save your energies for fine tuning, and showcasing your current home. Making and keeping your current home looking it’s very best should be your primary concern. Make sure to read the information posted on “Seller Services That Really Help.”

7. Wait until you have activity on your current home. Don’t waste your time looking at homes until you’re ready to buy. One of the most deflating experiences is to find the perfect home, and lose it to another buyer that is able to move quicker than you can. While you're waiting, to be sure to read the information in “Buyer Services You Shouldn’t Be Without” to prepare you to make the best deal.

8. Find a good Realtor to act as a “Buyer's Agent” on your behalf. A Buyer’s Agent can guide you each step of the way to prevent costly errors. Failure to find out about defects in the property, or the actual value of the property can be an expensive mistake.

If you are not receiving buyers representation there is much more at stake than price. Did you know that as a buyer you have about a dozen legal outs? In other words, if the contract blanks are filled in with the buyer’s interest in mind, then the buyer holds the cards and can recognize the fullest protection. I will be happy to educate you in these areas so you will have peace of mind in knowing your interests are being protected. (A listing agreement is designed to protect the seller.)

9. Look! Your home is under contract! You have an advantage. You have moved up the ladder from “Looker” to “Buyer.” All sellers know that separating the “Lookers” from the”Buyers” is 90% of the battle. They’ll welcome you and your offers differently. A “real” buyer isn’t easy to let go of. Your offer will be well received by the seller where you can show your house is under contract and your loan has been approved.

10. Don’t worry. The process of finding the right home can be so much easier with the right Realtor. A good Realtor has special computer software that will narrow the search to homes that fit your needs.

11. Smile. You’re made a good buy at the right price. You weren’t pressured to sell your previous home too quickly for less than market value in order to buy another at higher than market value.

12. Enjoy! It takes discipline to buy a home that you’ll not only be happy with now, but be happy when you decide to sell that same home. You did everything right! You made a wise investment, and not an emotional, impulse buy. I’m proud of you.