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Check out these informative videos about San Francisco consumer real estate issues! Topics include:

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Be Flexible and Realistic.

Use conservative monetary calculations. Make sure you have a little extra money to work with, just in case. In the San Francisco home buying market, anything can happen between contract acceptance and closing. It could be the inspections reveal areas of concern that the seller in unwilling to fix (and that you are okay taking on) or repair costs are higher than the amount negotiated in the contract.

OR, the interest rate changes before you have locked in your rate, affecting the necessary down payment and closing costs. Your real estate consultation (myself or someone else), will strive to tie up loose ends as quickly as possible, but remember that nothing is perfect.

Most buyers feel a bit overwhelmed when taking on a mortgage and the responsibilities of a new home. I’ve seen many buyers get angry when it seems like the cost just keeps going up.

(Of course, if you are too financially conservative, you won’t be able to become a San Francisco homeowner. Be smart but be realistic. If you are waiting for 20% down, a year’s worth of income reserves, and the ability to afford a 30–year, fully-amortized loan, you may be waiting forever! Not to mention, that this is not the best long-term wealth-building approach but that’s another story! For now, just think about having great credit, 5–10% down payment, and at least 3 months of savings in reserve.)

Anger is caused when reality doesn’t match expectation. If you anticipate potential pitfalls and extra costs in advance and keep your expectations in check, you won’t need to get angry. You will hope for the best, prepare for the worst. In fact, the process will likely go more smoothly than you expected.

You’ll notice how I over-estimate the potential problems for just this reason. Your transaction may be seamless, but just in case, you’ll be ready to tackle any issues that arise!

(The same holds true for escrow time lines. Please, for your own sake, do not schedule the movers for the day of close or even the next day! Put wiggle room in your calendar for unforeseen events. There are many, many people involved in your home purchase who can potentially cause a delay. It’s not the end of the world when you’ve planned for a delay. It can feel like it when you’ve lost an unrefundable moving deposit!)

Begin with the end in mind. Have an Ultimate Scenario of where you are headed. What will life be like when you get there? How will it be better than where you are now? What is your ideal new living situation? What do you really, really, truly want?

Focus on that picture and write it out, filling at least a page about how it feels to be living in your home. This is imperative.

Having your goal in front of you at all times energizes you to achieve it, in spite of setbacks and frustrations. Emotions will run high and you need an anchor. This written statement will act as your anchor when anxiety threatens to get the better of you.

Buying a home in San Francisco is no easy feat. Be informed, be prepared, and know what you want. Don’t get sidetracked or let our human nature to procrastinate block you. We tend to get in our own ways. We state a goal and then do everything we can to NOT reach it.

Keep your dream in front of you and you will be home soon. We promise!

We want to work as a team to achieve the most successful results AND provide the most rewarding experience for you.

Two very different types of needs arise when people are moving. First, there are the transactional needs, like finding the home that is just right, finding a seller who is realistic, being able to negotiate the lowest price, filling out all of the paperwork, handling the escrow, and arranging for the move.

The second set of needs are the emotional ones. Often, these emotional needs are more stressful than the transactional details! Any competent real estate agent will handle the transactional details, but if your emotional needs are unmet, you’ll be frustrated and may not act in your own best interest.

The ideal real estate agent is one who is competent with paperwork & numbers but can also guide, direct, and counsel you through the emotional ups and downs of moving.

In upcoming posts, I’ll share the 6 best ways to beat the stress.