How would you rate yourself as a Buyer from 1 to 10, with 1 being no immediate need and 10 being you are ready?

What are the benefits of being a “10” and how to get there? It is great when your offer gets rave reviews from the seller and accepted without hesitation. When you work with the Scott Hollinger Team, your success in your real estate purchase is our goal. (Read a few letters from clients.) After all, you’ve spent time learning about the various properties for sale and finally decided that you are ready to find just the right one. Paired with the Scott Hollinger Team’s negotiating skills and market knowledge, these steps are recommended to position you as a “10” Buyer:

Step 1: Don’t schedule showings until you are prepared to buy.
Because the market changes on a daily basis, it is best to continue to watch the internet and if local, drive by properties until you are ready to purchase within about a three month time period. Physically visiting property (going on showings) before you are really ready only creates frustration if you are not prepared to make an offer. If you are not ready and then you find your “dream” property, you will only be disappointed that you cannot buy it and will always be comparing other properties to the “One that got away.”

Step 2: Get a qualification letter from your lender of choice.
Whether or not you actually finance your purchase with a loan, it is like a gold certificate to a seller that you are pre-qualified. Sending it along with your offer may be the deciding factor to a seller between yours and someone else’s offer.

Step 3: Enjoy the preparatory buyer counseling session.

a. What you are looking for?
The best way the Scott Hollinger Team can help you find the property of your dreams is to be ready to share what are called your “Needs” and “Wants.” Being clear on what you absolutely can’t live without in a property (Needs) along with those characteristics that you desire but could live without (Wants) is really important to choosing those to see. Being candid about your daily life, lifestyle, activities and hobbies truly assists the team in making the most out of your time on showings. The goal is to spend time only at properties that meet your Needs and hopefully, many of the Wants.

b. Review of and understanding Montana State Law
Montana State Law requires the disclosure of the agent’s relationship with you and the seller. This discussion needs to happen reasonably soon in the real estate relationship. The Scott Hollinger Team will explain the duties and obligations to the buyer and seller and in what cases they would be working for you as a Buyer’s agent or a Dual agent.

c. Timely scheduling of Showings
It is recommended that you schedule your buyer counseling session the day before actual showings. This gives the Scott Hollinger Team time to schedule appointments at homes or properties and it also allows a grateful seller time to prepare their property for you. Last minute or same day showings can sometimes convey the message to the seller that the buyer isn’t that serious or they would have planned better. It also can imply that the showing agent could not possibly have had the time to prequalify the buyer.

Step 4: The benefits of creating a mutual commitment
Loyalty to one another creates a united front. The commitment to exclusively work together is bonded not just with a Buyer-Broker Agreement, but the benefits that go along with it.

The Scott Hollinger Team commitment to you is best expressed through:
Their competence in educating you about the market and real estate process. Communicating with you immediately about the best properties as they come on the market.

Their skill at negotiations on your behalf with over 50 years of experience.
Their communications with all involved parties from the initial contact to closing and then follow up after the sale. Their ability to bring the transaction through closing in a stress-free way. Living up to the confidentiality and trust placed in the team.

Your commitment to the Scott Hollinger Team is best expressed through:
Your availability for the buyer counseling session.
Being a “10” at the point when showings are scheduled.
Your candor and clarity throughout the process.
Having your pre-approval letter from your lender on file with the Scott Hollinger Team.

Step 5: It's OK to want to buy the first one!
If you supplied comprehensive answers during the buyer counseling session about your Needs and Wants, it may just be that the first property visited is the right one. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t visit the other scheduled properties, but you should have your checkbook ready with your earnest money!

Step 6: The Power of working with a real estate team
It makes perfect sense! Just like a surgeon with a skilled team around the operating table, the Scott Hollinger Team is constructed of dynamic, highly skilled members, each handling their specialized role to serve our sellers and buyers. How much service can you get from an agent who tries to do all things themselves? And how experienced do you think they can be when they can only handle a limited number of clients and transactions each year? With more than 50 clients served each year, the Scott Hollinger Team has the track record and expertise to handle your transaction with skill and care.

When you work with Scott Hollinger and his team, you get the energy and synergy of 3 people instead of one! Find out why they have been recognized as one of Montana’s leading real estate teams year after year!