Closing Chaos

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6 Things Homebuyers Should Avoid Once They are Preapproved for a Mortgage

You have done the hard part in the home-buying process and chosen a lender and a real estate agent to work with. You have also gone out and found the home of your dreams! Best of all, your team has done a great job of negotiating the best deal for you.

Now, as a buyer, all you have to do is sit back and wait for your loan to close … right? Wrong!!

Getting a home loan these days is a very interactive process. I am always amazed by how many clients I work with who come to me unaware of all the pitfalls they face during the loan process. To help avoid any surprises while waiting for final approval, I provide my clients with a short list of "do's and don'ts" to follow.

Let's start with the "do's" ...

1. Do keep the process moving by responding to your loan officers' requests for documentation as soon as possible.
2. Do make decisions as soon as is reasonably possible.
3. Do convey questions or concerns you
4. Do continue to make all of your rent or mortgage payments on time.
5. Do stay current on all other existing accounts.
6. Do continue to work your normal work schedule with no unplanned time off.
7. Do continue to use your credit as normal.
8. Do be prepared to explain any large deposits in your bank accounts.
9. Do enjoy purchasing your home but remain objective throughout the process to help make decisions that are best for you.

After you have been preapproved for your mortgage you will want to refrain from the following...

1. Do not make any major purchases (car, boat, jewelry, furniture, appliances, etc.).
2. Do not apply for any new credit (even if it says you are preapproved or "xxx days same as cash").
3. Do not pay off charges or collections (unless directed by your loan officer to do so).
4. Do not make any changes to your credit profile.
5. Do not change bank accounts.
6. Do not make unusual deposits into your bank accounts or move money around from one account to another.

Follow these simple rules and you will help to make your loan closing as smooth and hassle-free as possible! Good luck!

Resale ROI - Return On Investment

Who Are The People In Your Neighborhood?

Marriage Equality Opening New Doors

The Lowdown on Down Payments: Everything a Home Buyer Needs to Know

Ask most people what’s the biggest obstacle to buying a home, and hands down they’ll say it’s scraping together enough money for a down payment. But understand a key point: This is not a separate and distinct issue from landing a mortgage. 

Lenders, after all, like to see clients lay down a sizable chunk of change before they fork over a mortgage, because this shows you have skin in the game and lowers the odds that you’ll default on your loan. 

So how large a down payment do you really need?

Why a 20% down payment is best
Most financial planners recommend that home buyers make a down payment amounting to 20% of the price of the home.

Sure, that’s a lot of cash, which may explain why one survey by NerdWallet of 2,000 Americans found that we spend an average of three years shoring up our finances before buying a home. But there’s good reason to start pinching pennies early: A 20% down payment enables you to avoid paying private mortgage insurance.

What is private mortgage insurance?
If you have good credit and can put at least 10% down, you can still qualify for a conventional loan. The catch? You’ll need to pay private mortgage insurance, a premium that protects the lender in case you default on the loan. PMI ranges from about 0.3% to 1.15% of your home loan. But with interest rates being as low as they are, buying now can be a smart move from a long-term savings perspective.

“Mortgage insurance has gained a negative connotation, but it enables many people to buy homes who wouldn’t otherwise be able to,” says Barbara Carrollo-Loeffler, director of consumer and residential lending at Provident Bank.

Another silver lining: Once you have at least 20% equity in your home, you can ask your lender to cancel your PMI. And once you have 22% equity, the lender is required to automatically cancel the coverage. (One caveat: Some lenders require homeowners to get a home appraisal before they’ll remove it.)

Of course, purchasing a home now also means that you’ll start gaining equity in the home, rather than continuing to burn money on rent. You can use realtor.com®’s Rent or Buy calculator to see how much you’ll save each month.

Don’t have 20% or even 10%? Here’s what to do
Don’t have that kind of cash lying around? You have options. Depending on your credit score and income, you could qualify for one of over 2,200 down payment assistance programs nationwide, which help out home buyers with low-interest loans, grants, and tax credits. While a certain portion is geared to low-income buyers, you don’t have to be down and out.

According to Jonathan Smoke, chief economist of realtor.com: “Most consumers do not know about these programs, and those that do assume it’s more difficult to get than it is.”

And the savings can be substantial: Home buyers who use down payment assistance programs save an average of $17,766 over the life of their loan, according to a report by RealtyTrac. But we’re talking even bigger cash in expensive housing markets such as Los Angeles, where the average down payment assistance is a handsome $40,598.

Another option is a government-backed mortgage, if you qualify. Federal Housing Administration loans let borrowers put down as little as 3.5%; if you or your spouse served in the military, you’re truly in luck: Veterans Affairs loans are available with 0% down. You’ll need to meet certain income and credit requirements—FHA loans call for a minimum credit score of 500, and VA loans require a minimum score of 620—but these loan programs could allow you to purchase a home with less than 20% down.

The downside to small down payments
While making a small down payment may seem dreamy, keep in mind that there are some drawbacks. For one, the amount of money you’re borrowing will obviously be larger, which means you’ll have to make larger monthly mortgage payments. Making matters worse, loans with down payments under 20% typically come with higher interest rates. Therefore, you’ll need to tighten your spending more than if you were making a 20% down payment, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing if it enables you to clinch the keys to a home now, is it?

To get a ballpark figure of the mortgage you can afford and how your down payment affects your finances, punch your salary and other numbers into a home affordability calculator.

Offering Over Asking Price on a Home: When to Pull Out the Cash and When to

One tried and true method for standing out among hordes of eager home buyers is to offer more money than the asking price. 

It's a tactic that makes sense: When a well-priced house in a great neighborhood goes on the market, you'll need to do something to get the seller's attention. 

Extra cash could be just the thing to make yours the winning offer.

But before offering more money than the sellers are asking for, buyers should consider several factors, says Michele Lerner, a real estate expert and author of "Homebuying: Tough Times, First Time, Any Time."

“First, you must be completely comfortable with the larger monthly mortgage payments,” Lerner says. “Before you make a higher offer, you need to find out exactly what the financial impact would be."

Additionally, she says, you need to be honest with yourself about how much you want the house.

“Sometimes buyers get caught up in the competition and don’t realize that they’re spending more than they want for a house.”

Disadvantages of offering over asking price
While offering above the listing price can help you outbid the competition, there are also some potentially negative outcomes.

“You could write this crazy high offer, and it turns out you had no competition and could have purchased the home at the original asking price,” says Chantay Bridges, a REALTOR® with Real Estate Professionals World Enterprise Marketing in Los Angeles. “And you could be paying more than what it’s really worth.”

How much over asking price should you offer?
If you decide to offer over the asking price, determining just how much over can be challenging.

“There really is no magic formula,” says Rick Snow, a broker with Exit West Realty in El Paso, TX. “It would depend on the market.”

Your real estate agent can help you come up with a competitive offer.

“They are the ones in a position to truly understand the market," says John Powell, chief development officer of Help-U-Sell Real Estate. And the concept of "sweetening the deal" really does take on a different meaning in different regions.

"In Arizona it might be 5% over; in California it may be 10% over asking,” he says.

Sometimes you need to take a big step back and try to see the bigger picture—and it isn't always just about price. One seller, for example, might want a strong buyer who can close escrow quickly above all else. Your real estate agent can help you navigate this, and help you determine the buttons to push in getting your deal accepted.

Remodeling Revisited

Moving With Kids

How To Invest In Real Estate If You Have Bad Credit

It seems like every time you turn on the television, there's a new home improvement show dedicated to flipping houses and making bank—a popular way to invest in real estate. 

Investing in real estate and turning it for a profit might be tempting. But if your credit score is below 601—the number the credit bureaus mark as the dividing line between “fair” and “bad” credit—you might have a tough time finding funding.

So, is investing in real estate out of the question for someone in that bunch? Not necessarily.

Buying an investment property vs. buying your own home

No matter what you've seen on TV, purchasing real estate as an investor is a lot more complicated than doing so as a homeowner if you are turning to a lender to help finance the deal.

"Those looking to finance the purchase of real estate as an investment—as opposed to a primary residence—can expect a higher interest rate and more stringent lending criteria from lenders before getting a mortgage," explains Bruce Elliott, president of the Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association and a broker associate with Regal R.E. Professionals in Orlando, FL.

Lenders typically require more money down and a better credit score for a real estate investment loan than for an owner-occupied home loan.

"They also look very carefully to ensure that investment home buyers are financially capable of sustaining the mortgage over an extended period of time in the event that the property doesn’t resell, and they even have formulas to calculate for shortages in expected rental income," Elliott explains.

Can you invest in real estate with bad credit?

Unless you have spare cash or a loan from a friend or relative to finance your investment, obtaining a loan will likely be difficult.

That said, there are other options to help you one day become a real estate investor, Elliott says.

• Improve your credit score. Resolve any collection-related issues uncovered by a credit check, and pay down existing balances. And be smart about other investments: Now is not the time to finance additional purchases such as a car or to open additional credit accounts of any type.
• Find a hard money lender.
No, this isn't a back alley deal-maker. Hard money lenders are private individuals or groups who will put up cash for real estate ventures, and they are often more amenable to making a deal with someone who has poor credit. Of course, there will be some drawbacks: "Generally, these lenders will require anywhere from 40% to 60% down to purchase or close outright," Elliott notes.
• Skip putting money down.
It might sound like a pipe dream, but Elliott says this is often the story behind those roadside “home for sale” signs that specify "cash only.” "The investor simply has purchased an option or received permission from a homeowner to try to sell the home," he explains. "The investor makes money either from a back-to-back closing or from payment directly from the ultimate buyer."

If you want to invest in real estate, bad credit can be a stumbling block, but it doesn’t have to derail the whole train.

Telecommuters Tell All

Before Buying, Real Estate Pros Insist on Doing These 4 Things

One house you’re looking at has the wraparound porch you’ve fantasized about, but it’s on a high-traffic street. The condo you like has a doorman in the lobby (you can order online now!), but it has no dedicated parking. What to choose?

It’s not every day that you buy a home and make decisions about the next three, five, or 10 years of your life. Since you can’t exactly take a home on a test drive, how do you decide? That got us to thinking about real estate pros. When they’ve seen practically everything on the market, how do they choose?

Four pros who’ve seen it all share their advice and their stories of hunting for just the right home.

Compromise for Your Priorities

Veteran real estate agent Nancy Farkas knew exactly what she wanted in her home: ranch style, three bedrooms, high ceilings. But you know what she bought? A two-story Colonial.

Huh?

For Farkas, an associate partner with Coldwell Banker Heritage REALTORS®, in Dayton, Ohio, the home’s location and price trumped style. “I had a dog I had to go home and walk at noon, and the house was close [to work] and the right price,” she says.

Her advice: Make sure your practical and functional priorities don’t get lost in all the home buying hoo-ha (sparkling granite counters, new hardwood floors, a steam shower!). Remember, you can always add the hoo-ha, but you can’t make a home fit all priorities, such as location and price.

Dig Into the Details (Dull, Yes, But Worth It!)

When Grigory Pekarsky, co-owner and managing broker with Vesta Preferred Real Estate in Chicago, was looking for his first home, one of his priorities was to minimize his maintenance costs. He made sure to find out if the house had a newer roof, good siding, and a newer furnace. But he recommends you go even deeper to uncover a home’s not-so-obvious maintenance costs:

• Scope out the sewer line - especially if you’re interested in an older home — to make sure there aren’t any tree branches or other debris clogging up the works. Otherwise, you might find some nasty sludge in the basement.
• Look at the trees. How mature are they? Roots from older trees can invade the sewer line; untrimmed branches can pummel your gutters during storms.
• Know what's not covered by homeowners insurance.“I learned seepage isn’t covered. Shame on me,” he says.
• Ask how old the appliances are.You might need to budget for something new in a few years. Sellers are only required to fix what the inspector finds is broken; they’re not going to upgrade working appliances for you.

Seek a House That Matches Your Lifestyle

Having lived the high-rise apartment life as a renter, Pekarsky knew a single-family home was just what he wanted. He was tired of living in a relatively small space with no yard. He wanted a house he could “grow into in the next three to five years.” That meant multiple bedrooms and bathrooms for the family he plans on having. So what he bought — a three-story, single-family with a finished attic bedroom (shown below) on Chicago’s North Side — suits his lifestyle perfectly.

In addition, “you get the biggest value from owning the land,” he says. “In a single-family [home], people aren’t telling you what to do with the investment.”

On the other hand, Matt Difanis wished he’d bought a condo when he bought his first home, a small bungalow ranch in a charming, historic neighborhood in Champaign, Ill. It was first-home love — until it rained.

“If I didn’t clean out the gutters before every rainstorm, the basement would leak,” says the broker-owner of RE/MAX Realty Associates in Champaign. He didn’t realize that taking care of a single-family home wouldn’t be his cup of tea. “I should have opted for a condo without gutters to clean and a lawn to mow,” he says.

Agent Amy Smythe Harris of Urban Provision REALTORS®, in Woodland, Texas, bought a home with a sizable downstairs suite her parents could use now (and she could use years from now). She says her millennial clients aren’t forward-thinking about their lifestyles. Some are childless and say they don’t care about schools, pools, and tennis courts. Then they become parents a few years later and have to move.

“Once they have kids, the first question [they] ask is about school districts, and the second is about where the parks and pools are,” she says.

The pros’ bottom-line advice: Think of your lifestyle preferences and how those might change in the next few years. After all, the typical homeowner lives in a house for a median of 10 years before selling, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® data shows.

Look at the House Through the Lens of Resale

All the real estate pros we talked to — no surprise here — emphasized resale. Take appraiser Michelle C. Bradley of Czekalski Real Estate Inc. in Natrona Heights, Pa. When she built her current home — a 2,200-square-foot ranch — she included a full, unfinished basement, even though she has no use for one and rarely ventures into it.

Why would she do that? Because basements are standard in her southwest Pennsylvania market. But Bradley’s not going to finish the basement until she’s ready to sell. That way, she avoids having to clean it and ensures she’ll install the most fashionable bathroom fixtures at sell time.

Her advice: “Don’t buy or build something unique that you can’t resell. If you’re not in an area with log homes, don’t choose a log home. If you’re not in an area with dome homes, don’t choose a dome home.”

Likewise, don't buy a home that's not in line with the neighborhood's average price. When you go to resell, you'll find yourself in an uphill battle to maintain your higher price.

Other advice from the pros: Watch out for unfixable flaws that could affect resale, like:

• What's next to the home, such as vacant land that could be developed, high-traffic businesses, noisy power generation stations, a cell tower, etc.
• Lot issues, such as a steep driveway that could double as a ski slope in winter, or a sloped yard that sends water special delivery to your foundation.

Of course, a home isn’t just about resale. It’s just one factor to consider. Remember the first point: Be willing to compromise for your priorities. If the home meets your priorities and you’re going to stay there awhile, then resale might be where you compromise.

Avoid Real Estate Regrets

5 Small-Home Upgrades You’ll Regret Even Thinking About

The moment you walked into that adorable bungalow, you knew it was “The One.” It wrapped its cozy, snug-as-a-bug feeling around you and practically whispered, “Buy me.”

So you did!

Now you’re ready to make your dream-home Pins happen for real.

But, as a small-home owner, be cautious. Follow the wrong inspirational trend, and you could end up designing a too-teeny-to-be-comfy space.

Beware of any home project that calls for:

#1 Ceiling Lights

That’s because overhead lighting (including recessed lighting) illuminates the room — emphasizing its size. And when you don’t want to emphasize a room’s size (we’re looking at you, tiny living room), it’s better to break it up into individually lit areas that draw the eye to different spots.

So you may want to rethink that vintage mid-century light fixture you’ve been lusting after at the ReStore.

Think table and floor lamps, says Toni Sabatino, a Long Island interior designer, who reminds us to not forget about the function while transforming the form. Where will you sit to read? How much light do you need over the dining room table?

“Task lighting adds not only function,” she says, “it adds charm and visual interest.”

#2 Painting Every Room a Wildly Different Color

In large houses with large rooms, each room can be its own color universe. Yet, the same tactic will only make your smaller home look like a whole world of crazy.

The colors really should coordinate, since you usually can see into more than one room at a time in smaller homes, says Sabatino.

But that doesn’t mean you have to go with just one neutral color. (Could anything be more boring?)

Think one color palette with a few colors and stick with it, Sabatino says.

#3 Sliding-Glass Shower Doors

Glass doors on your tub have got to be better than that mold-growing shower curtain you’ve got now, right?

Plus, won’t glass (because it’s see-through) make the room feel bigger?

Not really.

While a traditional glass-door tub enclosure may seem like a good idea, it’s really more like putting up a permanent wall. It divides your already-cramped bath into two even tinier spaces. Never mind how to get all the soap scum off those yucky parts where the doors overlap. And when you blow-dry your hair? Hello, bruised elbow.

Instead, add a glass panel that goes one-third to halfway across the tub. They’re not that expensive (starting around $250), especially for the expansive feeling they’ll add to your bath without you actually having to knock down walls.

And cleaning? Super easy because a) some panels swing out a bit to make tough spots easier to reach, and b) there’s less to clean!

#4 Filled-Up Rooms

“I talked to a brilliant architect who designs tiny houses and he doesn’t look at square feet, he looks at cubic feet,” says Suzanne Felber, a designer in Dallas.

When you look at a room that way, you realize things like winged armchairs, sofas with overflowing cushions, ornate hutches, decorative what-nots (and clutter!) all have extra bulk that make a room feel overfull.

Minimalist furniture that maximizes function, not flair, and a clutter-free strategy will make the room feel spacious — and still be super comfy.

Sabatino suggests using streamlined sectional sofas and tables that can have pieces pulled out and moved around, making it easier to entertain larger groups, and then rearranged for a more intimate setting.

#5 The Stark, Dark Kitchen Look

You looooove the look of today’s modern, dark kitchens — especially their espresso-colored cabinets. So rich-looking. So statement-making. You also love Scarlett Johansson’s pixie cut, but that doesn’t mean you can pull it off.

There’s a reason designers use light-colored cabinets in small spaces. Light colors reflect light, making a room seem larger. And dark colors, well, they do the opposite.

Does that mean that you mustn’t even consider those espresso cabinets? Not necessarily.

If you incorporate them more as an accent or focal point, they can work. “If you have dark cabinetry, and [lots of] white walls it can really pop, says Felber.

But if your kitchen walls are all cabinets (lucky you, storage-wise!) with hardly any blank wall space, “you’re going to end up with a cave,” says Felber.

Please Don't Call

Financial Priorities

Opting For The Outdoors

The 5 Best Things to Do When You Move into Your New Home

Moving into your dream home can be a daunting task. Between unpacking, cleaning, and trying to find that stray roll of toilet paper, it may feel like you’ve lost your mind in a sea of Bubble Wrap.

Here are five simple things that you should do during the first month in your new home. 

These may feel like back-burner tasks, but really, they’ll help you sleep better at night and make your new place feel less like a house and more like your home.

After cleaning and unpacking, what‘s next?

This handful of to-dos walks you through each of those tasks and why you should tackle them first and foremost.

Let’s get to it!

#1 Lock It Up

Security is the No. 1 concern for most people in a new environment. You can easily switch out your locks and deadbolts to your new home to protect your valuables and your family.

Now’s the time to consider the lockset finish, and the options are endless. When it comes to exterior locks, make sure you choose something that looks timeless and can be cleaned easily.

A new security system is also a good idea. The options for this are endless as well. Systems with online monitoring, smartphone compatibility, thermostat control, and even video monitors for the interior including the baby nursery are super helpful. Even if that room is empty now, it might not be in the future – so go ahead and secure it!

#2 Remove Toilet Seats

Some folks may think it’s unnecessary to replace toilet seats, but my point here is to simply remove them. By removing your toilet seats, you can really deep clean under the bolts and hinges where the “yucks” like to hide. Your goal is to make sure your royal throne is YOU-worthy.

You can reinstall your existing seat or opt to shop for a new one. New versions with night-lights, padding, or even child-sized attachments are available. Either way, you’ll know your favorite seat in the house is ready for your entire family.

#3 Improve Your Home's Air

Changing an air filter is a three-minute task, and it should be done right after moving into a new home – even if the previous owners swear the chore was just done. Changing out a filter can help improve the performance of your air conditioning and furnace and help with any allergens in the home.

This inexpensive fix can also save you money! The U.S. Department of Energy says that replacing your dirty air filter with a new one can lower your A/C’s energy consumption by 5 percent to 10 percent.

It’s a good idea to write the replacement date directly on the filter when you put it in so you can be sure you know how long it’s been since the last change.

Also, take the time to test and change out batteries in all your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. These are often tested during inspections, but the batteries can die and tampered-with units aren’t uncommon, especially if a house was left vacant.

#4 Paint Your Front Door

Painting your front door (or freshening it up with a coat of oil if it’s wood) can show your new neighbors that you’ve arrived on the block and are investing in your home. This simple task is so easy!

After you do proper prep work, which includes sanding the surface, make sure you pick an exterior-grade paint and use a high-quality bristle brush to give it multiple thin coats for the best coverage. It’s a great time to show off your personal style, and these days any color goes!

Every day you walk in through your newly made-over door, you’ll feel welcomed into your new home and inspired to keep creating a space you love.

#5 Choose Your Signature Scent

Every house has a smell. You know what I’m talking about. It’s that “other people smell” that’s definitely not your own particular brand of aroma. Even if the smell isn’t bad, it just isn’t yours, and that makes you feel like an intruder in someone else’s space. Make your dream home even more dreamy by filling it with your signature scent.

Don’t have a signature scent? Check out a candle store or the air-freshener aisle to peruse the options, and then regularly use your favorite in your new home.

In homes that have particularly distressing “stanks,” try getting the carpets cleaned before moving in the furniture. It can eliminate the smell as well as remove allergens, dirt, and stains.

5 Secrets To Get Sellers to Choose Your Bid in a Hot Market

Touring prospective houses can feel like wandering through an infinite, imaginary desert: You’re tired, you’re cranky, and you’re not sure if the experience is EVER. GOING. TO. END.

So when you’ve finally found “The One,” it’s an amazing feeling. You can already picture your first brunch in its adorable breakfast nook.

But wait. Before you summon the moving truck, your dream home’s seller has to pick you, too. Luckily, the key to locking down your ideal abode doesn’t always mean offering the most cash. Here are five ways to tip the odds in your favor.

#1 Negotiate with a Smile

Unlike most commercial real estate transactions, the buying and selling of a home is complicated by all kinds of emotions, explains Sara Benson of Benson Stanley Realty in Chicago. Often, how the seller feels about you can be more important than your money.

“People tend to do business with those they like and trust,” she says.

One of Benson’s favorite examples of this phenomenon occurred when one of her clients was second in line for a home. While the first-place bidders were negotiating their contract, they whipped out a long list of unreasonable demands for the seller.

“This infuriated the homeowner, who finally told them, ‘My property isn’t for sale to you at any price!’” Benson recalls. The seller ended up offering Benson’s clients the house, even though their bid was $10,000 below that of the first buyers.

Lesson learned? “Don’t nitpick over items that are insubstantial, like a torn window screen or a $50 valve on a hot water heater,” says Benson. “This will anger a seller more than anything.” And that, she says, could be a deal breaker.

#2 Get Personal

Bruce Ailion, an agent with RE/MAX in Woodstock, Ga., agrees that profit isn’t always the seller’s primary motivation. He recalls a recent deal in which he was representing an older couple selling their long-time family home.

“We had two offers: one from an investor paying cash, the second from financed first-time buyers.”

Despite Ailion’s recommendations, the sellers chose the first-time buyers, even though the cash offer was higher and would have been a much simpler transaction. Ultimately, what mattered most for Ailion’s clients was to pass their beloved home on to a deserving young family.

#3 Figure Out the Seller's Unique Motivation

Understanding why the sellers have put their home on the market is yet another powerful tool a buyer can bring to the negotiating table, says Ailion.

“Some sellers want a quick sale; others need time to find a home. Some are focused on price, others on certainty,” he says. “There are so many intangibles. It takes a deep understanding to make a good deal for everyone.”

See what information you can glean about the seller — from your agent or even from the seller’s neighbors — to arm yourself with as much information as possible.

“The more flexible a buyer can be on closing and possession, the more likely they’ll be able to negotiate a lower price,” agrees Benson. “They’re giving the seller peace of mind and the comfort of not having to rush out.”

#4 Write a Love Letter

Sometimes, a heartfelt note from a potential buyer can make all the difference, even when the chances seem pretty slim.

Darcey Regan, a Chicago-based HR executive, had already bid on another home when she and her husband stumbled upon a gorgeous old Victorian. Instantly, they were smitten. “I grew up in an old house, and the sellers had done a really great job of maintaining and renovating this one,” she says.

Unfortunately, multiple people had already placed offers on the house, including several developers who were planning to demolish the property. Regan felt her only hope was to write the sellers a letter. In it, she talked about growing up in a similar house, and how much she respected the owners’ efforts to preserve their home.

Within 24 hours, the sellers told her the house was hers. “It turns out they really wanted someone who would keep the house rather than tear it down,” she says.

Though it felt like a long shot, Regan believes her note was successful because it was genuine. Her advice? “Write a letter only if you’re really in love with the house, not because someone told you to.”

#5 Work With a Pro

It also helps to have a knowledgeable, well-respected pro on your side — someone who understands market realities and who will work well with the seller’s agent.

How do you find that seasoned pro with the sterling reputation? “Ask for referrals from your personal and professional network, and interview at least three different [agents] before you choose the one you feel most comfortable working with,” advises Benson.

Residential real estate is a game of both head and heart. Smart buyers who employ both are the ones most likely to win the home of their dreams.