Have you been a buyer in this real estate market within the last year? If so, you will likely resonate with this message.
These last few months have been nothing short of exhausting for local buyers.
Let’s be honest, Guelph is a wonderful place to live, and the pandemic made for a lot of out of town buyers wanting in on the city we know and love. How can we blame them? This in turn created a high demand for homes, and not enough homes for sale.
I am a newer local agent that has been in this career for a few short months. The real estate landscape already looks completely different for buyers today than it did 3 months ago. Although I am early in my career, being a part of the Hudson Smith Real Estate Group has really helped me accelerate my growth as a new agent. I am grateful to be working alongside like-minded individuals with over 30 years of combined local real estate experience. With that said, I want to share a couple of key takeaways I have learned so far about a buyer's journey.
I want to start off by saying that even with the increased competition we all know and have heard about, there were still many local buyers who were successful with their real estate goals the last 12 months.
How, you ask?
No, it didn’t always mean submitting offers that were hundreds of thousands of dollars over their budget or the value of the home.
Their goals were realized by having their journey treated as more than just a transaction. By having their goals heard and understood. By feeling seen, and not just on the other end of a Zoom call, but really seen for who they are as a human, who their family is, where they are from, and what motivates and excites them. The thing that set these buyers apart was how they were being advised and guided. It was a matter of taking those goals and being creative with ways to achieve them. It's also important to be ready to act quickly for the right opportunity, with expert guidance on your side.
Buying a home isn’t a simple transaction for a buyer, it's about finding the home that’s going to bring them the lifestyle they’ve always wanted for themselves and their family.
It’s easy for a buyer to say they need a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom detached home with a backyard. It’s another thing for them to spend time with their realtor who listens and understands their needs and wants.
Which window is their favourite cozy chair going to go in front of so they can see the sun rise as they sip their morning coffee? Where do they picture themselves having family games nights, or movie nights? Is there enough space for their dog to run around outside? Which school do they want to be nearby so that their kids will get the best education? Does this home have the layout to support their elder parents moving in when the time comes?
These lifestyle goals are all important things to consider in the buying journey, and that journey can be ever changing. It's important for buyers to start with a clear vision in mind, but then be open minded and ready to act quickly when the market changes or their lifestyle changes, which it will, sometimes within a matter of a week. There may be times where we aren't successful on offer night.
However, being consistent and on the same page is key here.
Buyers who have that relationship with their realtor will be able to act quickly and see the process through together.
The spring market is officially upon us. Which historically means, more homes for sale, thus, spreading out buyer competition. We’ve already started to see that shift happening. There’s no time like the present to start your buyer journey!
