3 Mistakes NOT to Make When You Tour Homes for Sale in Lakewood

When you’re buying a home for sale in Long Beach or Lakewood, be careful not to make these three big mistakes – you could miss out on the perfect home if you do.

3 Mistakes Not to Make When You See Homes

Your real estate agent will be happy to take you to see as many homes as you’d like – the ultimate goal is to get you in the perfect house for your needs. But even if you find your dream home, making one of these three mistakes could cost you the deal:

• Worrying about the wrong things

• Waiting too long to make an offer

• Believing the seller will only accept the highest offer

Mistake #1: Worrying about the wrong things

When you tour houses, you’ll find some that are all wrong for you. You’ll also find some that are almost – but not exactly – perfect.

Here’s the deal, though: No home is 100 percent perfect. Sometimes the only thing wrong is that a house needs a fresh coat of paint, new carpet or something simple. If you find a home that is nearly there, but there are a few aesthetics that are off, you can do one of three things:

• Forget about the house and hope to find something better

• Use the issues to negotiate with the seller

• Buy the house the way it is and make changes on your own

One of the smartest things you can do is to use what you don’t like about the house as a bargaining chip. There’s nothing wrong with asking a seller to make minor improvements or upgrades – and the worst he or she can do is say no.

Mistake #2: Waiting too long to make an offer

When you love a house, make an offer. Don’t sleep on it.

That’s because if you loved the home and it’s in your price range, there’s a safe bet that there’s another person who feels exactly the same way. There might be multiple people who feel that way.

And if they make an offer before you do, they have an edge. That’s especially true if the seller sees the offer and accepts it right away, without holding on to see what else comes along.

Mistake #3: Believing the seller will only accept the highest offer

In many cases, offers are about more than just the highest price. For some sellers, of course, it is just about the cash – they only want to take the highest offer. However, in other cases, it’s not always the highest – it’s the one that’s structured best. A good offer is a combination of the right timing, the price and contingencies that the seller can live with.

Are You Selling a Home in Lakewood or Long Beach?

If you’re selling a home in Lakewood or Long Beach, we can help. Call us at 562-882-1581 to find out how we’ll market your house to all the right buyers so you can sell it quickly and at the right price.