Some people are comfortable filing their own tax returns. Others are comfortable representing themselves in a court of law. Some of us even feel capable enough to tackle our own home renovation projects. And to all the “Do It Yourself” crusaders out there... we salute you!

But for the rest of us - we assign great value to our trusted advisors, our professional experts, and our experienced representatives. As business operators - we must rely on dozens of other professionals to help us deliver the best possible experience to our clients. We count on these people to provide our clients with specialized expertise - outside of our scope of knowledge and experience. 

These include our tech team, graphic designers, printers, mortgage brokers, notaries, building inspectors, photographers, home stagers, general contractors, builders, foundation experts, electricians, plumbers, roofers, brick masons, and on and on...

For us to think we could do it all ourselves would not only be irresponsible... but quite frankly impossible!

Too often, people make the mistake of trying to do things themselves, when finding someone else to do it for them clearly makes more sense.

In last week's episode I talked about some of the systems and protocols we put into practice to help protect our clients who are selling their homes. Our clients believe in this process and trust us to execute because we have the results to prove that it works. 

The same is true for buyers. Although the process and protocol is different - the concept is the same. 
 
We often meet new home buyers when we host open houses, and we're always surprised to see how many of them are still trying to navigate the process on their own. Some people believe that buying a home is simple and easy, and that they have access to enough information and knowledge that they can do it themselves. But the knowledge and kind of experience we have, has been learned the hard way... often in the form of tough lessons and costly mistakes. This is the value that we bring to the table, and you simply can't find it by reading a few articles and blogs, or by browsing through Centris on your iPad. 
 
Our buyer’s specialists - Desiree Ofter and Alex Power - operate within a carefully designed system based on years of combined experience and practice. When they meet with a new home buyer for the first time - they don't start by taking them out to show them properties right away. That would be like teaching someone how to swim by throwing them into the deep end without a life jacket!

Our process starts in the shallow end. We book a face-to-face meeting with every client where we sit down and explain the process from A to Z. We go over the details of financing and pre-approvals, we conduct a thorough interview to determine search criteria and key objectives, and we cover every aspect of the purchasing experience including best and worst-case scenarios. The last thing we ever want to hear from a client is, "I wish someone had told me that sooner!" 

This is especially true in today’s highly competitive seller’s market, which now seems to be moving so fast that many buyers are being left out in the cold.

Buyers are realizing that there isn’t a whole lot to choose from based on what they can afford. Those who started thinking about buying a year or two ago, but who hesitated or took their time,  are now discovering that the types of properties they saw while window-shopping on Centris back then, are no longer within reach. 

When buyers do eventually find a home they like within their budget, it’s becoming increasingly likely that the home already has either one, if not several offers on the table.  
 
Without proper advice and guidance, it can be extremely stressful and difficult to negotiate successfully when there are multiple offers in play. Naïve buyers often make fundamental mistakes when they get caught up in the hype and excitement of a bidding war. Emotions can run high and that’s when caution gets thrown to the wind – exposing vulnerable buyers to all kinds of risks and potential problems.
 
We always recommend that buyers take the time to meet with a real estate broker and choose to work with someone who they trust, are comfortable with and who they know will look out for them and protect their interests every step of the way.

Signing off...

Captain Mark