1. The Arizona Association of Realtors publishes a Buyers Guide with a tremendous amount of information about what documents are used when buying a house, what are some of the things to look for in a house or a neighborhood, and other useful sources of information. We give this guide to all our buyers and ask them to read it thoroughly. Click here to request a free copy of the Buyers Guide via email.

2. Get pre-approved (not just pre-qualified) by a lender before you go looking for houses. Failure to qualify for a mortgage is the number one reason why houses "fall out" of escrow. You can eliminate this risk (and make your offer more attractive to sellers) by getting approved for a loan subject to finding a property. Besides, most contracts are going to call for you to show a conditional loan approval, so you might as well get a head start. Your Realtor should be able to recommend lenders in your area who can provide this service, or visit our Service Providers page to see some lenders whom we've found to do very good work.

3. Are you buying based on the Neighborhood? the Price? the Floor Plan? the Features? Understand that the combination of these variables will ultimately determine the availability of your dream home. You can save yourself a lot of time and emotional energy if you can identify what is most important to you. This is very easy for some buyers, while others aren't exactly sure until they've seen a few examples and "kicked some tires." We can help lead you through this process and show you what homes are available - click here to get the Phoenix Area Real Estate specialists working for you.

4. Use your inspection period wisely. This is the only opportunity you'll have to inspect the house and negotiate further &/or cancel the contract. Does the house have hidden structural damages? Do the neighbors practice their rock band in their garage? What's the neighborhood like at night or on the weekends? This is generally a "use it or lose it" clause in the contract.

5. Don't sweat the small stuff - buying a home can be a very emotional process, so much so that people have walked away from their dream house over a disagreement about who was to pay for a minor repair, or whether a ceiling fan was supposed to stay with the house. We try to advise our clients to keep the big picture in mind; you wouldn't drop the purchase if your loan rates went up from 5.75% to 6.00% and changed your payment by $25 per month; why would you throw away the perfect house over whether a $300 washing machine stays with the house? If you're on that tight of a budget, maybe you're buying too much house. If you're caught up in the spirit of negotiating and are "drawing a line in the sand," maybe we need to take a step back and look at the big picture - you're buying this house because it's the "right" house, right?

6. Demand value from your Realtor. Even though you may not be the one paying your realtor's commission, you are the reason he's getting paid. You are also going to rely on his knowledge, expertise, and service during your buying experience. You should set very high expectations, and discuss your expectations with your Realtor. Ask lots of questions - what are the public/private/charter school options? What is the zoning in my area (what is going to happen to the beautiful views of the mountains?) We tell our clients to expect superior communication (follow-up and follow-through), a proactive approach to the whole buying process, and the highest standards of ethics. Click here to see what some of our past clients have to say, or click here to get The Butterworth Group of Arizona Realtors working for you!

7. Build a timeline for your purchase transaction, and have your Realtor help you (this ties into demanding value from your Realtor, too.) What are you required to do, and when do you need to do it? What & when can you expect others to do? Having a timeline or a calendar of events available to follow will help you avoid important events slipping through the cracks. We set up an electronic calendar for each of our clients, so that we're reminded of important events and time sensitive follow-up items before they're missed.

8. Help your Realtor help you. Sometimes addressing your wants and needs isn't sufficient. By understanding why these are your wants and needs, your Realtor may be able to come up with solutions you haven't thought of. In addition, background information such as credit history or monetary concerns can aid your Realtor in guiding you to the right lender. Open communication from the very beginning can go a long way towards reducing the stress of buying (and moving into) your new home.
9. Read what you sign! Or at least have your realtor explain it to you in enough detail that you know what you're signing. Some buyers believe that since the purchase contract is a standardized form they don't need to read it. This document is legally binding. You need to understand your rights and obligations in the transaction - failure to understand your rights does not relieve you from your obligation to perform! We provide our clients a sample contract to review prior to making an offer whenever possible. This allows you a chance to read the fine print at your convenience and ask questions about anything you don't understand.

10. Communicate - Open communication can be the key to success. You should feel free to call your Realtor whenever you're thinking about your house (and he should be calling you as well - beware if you don't hear from him for awhile once you sign a contract!) Why did you like one house better than another? Is the floor plan becoming more important to you than the neighborhood? Talk to your Realtor and to each other so that everyone stays on the same page. We find that by communicating early and often we are able to uncover any potential problems while there's still time to address them.

11. Get pre-approved (not just pre-qualified) by a lender before you go looking for houses. Failure to qualify for a mortgage is the number one reason why houses "fall out" of escrow. You can eliminate this risk (and make your offer more attractive to sellers) by getting approved for a loan subject to finding a property. Besides, most contracts are going to call for you to show a conditional loan approval, so you might as well get a head start. Your Realtor should be able to recommend lenders in your area who can provide this service, or visit our Service Providers page to see some lenders whom we've found to do very good work.