Many first time buyers ask me whether or not they should obtain a pre-approval letter from a lender. What I can tell you is that it’s actually better to get two pre-approval letters than one. It makes our offer much stronger if you have pre-approval letters from two different lenders because sellers are skeptical if they are unsure that you are financially capable of closing on time. Also, sitting down with a lender before you make an offer gives you a chance to obtain financial advice from them. Most don’t consider their lender as a financial advisor and are simply shopping around online for the lowest rate, which can be misleading. Just because you could be pre-approved for $200,000 doesn’t mean you should pay that much money on a house. In this market, it is very important to get pre-approved so you can get the best home at the best price.
If you are interested in buying a home, please take advantage of the full home search on our website. Although sites like Trulia and Zillow may work nicely, they don’t include all the properties in the multiple listings service because many realtors don’t allow postings on those sites. We have many properties which we call “secret inventory” that are planning to go onto the market in the spring and are not currently on the market.
If you would like to see any of these “secret properties,” email me at bob@bobguest.com or call me at (512) 699-6911. Thanks and have a great day!