If you are buying a home for sale in Tahoe Keys this spring, you will want to get the process started now. Yes, I know, it is still winter but as the saying goes “The early bird gets the worm!”. With Tahoe Keys real estate forecasted to be a competitive market, there are steps you will want to take as a potential buyer to ensure your success this spring.

Find a buyer’s agent

This truly is the most important step when it comes to a successful Tahoe Keys real estate transaction. Picking someone who has years of knowledge and local experience is absolutely priceless in the world of real estate. The extra perk to knowing that you have a loyal professional working on your behalf is that they can keep an eye out for properties and will hear of homes that will be available before they hit the market. Which means you have a good chance of previewing a home before other buyers. If you are specifically focused on one neighborhood, you will want to pick a specialist who knows the community like the back of their hand. As a Tahoe Keys Realtor that lives in the neighborhood, I make it a point to know what is happening in my neighborhood at all times.

Figure out your financing

If you start this process in winter, you have a good chance of being prepared and pre-approved by spring. In fact, before you even start house shopping, you should start lender shopping. Lenders will let you know how much you can actually afford, which saves you (and your agent) time and possibly some heart ache. Imagine touring a dream home and then finding out you can’t afford it? This happens all the time so spare yourself the disappointment and “know before you go”. The other perk to this is you can find out what your financial situation is and take the next few months to clean up any errors on your credit report. Better credit means better financing. Not to mention, interest rates are on the rise so you will want to lock in the best rate while you can.

Know the difference between “need” and want”

Everyone has dream Tahoe Keys real estate features, but do those things fit in your budget? Figure out beds, baths, location and other deal breakers and write them down on a list. Then write down your desired “wants”. This may be a hot tub, a wine cellar or even an office. By having it all written down on a list, you stay focused on what is important.

Location, location, location

If you have your heart set on a specific neighborhood, winter is a spectacular time to check out whether it is a good fit for you. You can see how the roads are with all the snow, when the snow plows come through, how much light you get, etc. You can also see if there are any weird noises from local businesses, the actual proximity to amenities like the beach or trails. Online profiles are great, but if you are serious about buying you will want to drive through your desired areas to see how they are in real life. This will also help you note which neighborhoods fall into the “Need” category mentioned above.

Start the Tahoe Keys real estate search

After you have picked your agent, been pre-approved and have your neighborhood and home “musts” all dialed in, sit down with your Tahoe Keys realtor and have them pull a list of the available inventory. This will give you a good idea of what the market is like and what you can get for your budget. Plus, your criteria may change once you start the home buying process or you may realize you need to be a bit more flexible.

Don’t rule out early buying

Speaking of being flexible, you may find Tahoe Keys real estate you want to purchase earlier than you had planned. If you are pre-approved, don’t miss out on a great opportunity because it didn’t fit your timeline. Buying in the winter has perks that spring and summer do not…..like less competition which means less bidding wars.  Tahoe Keys is also currently one of the few neighborhoods that is still considered a buyers’ market. What type of market it is, is determined by the month supply of homes. Tahoe Keys real estate is one of the few that is right on the border. This summer could change and the inventory may flip to be in the sellers favor.

If you have more questions on buying real estate in Tahoe Keys, give me a call at 530-308-4331.