“I don’t even know if you are the right person to talk to….”

I hear this phrase from almost every first time home buyer. The first time someone purchases a home, they may not have any idea where to start. “Do I need to talk to a bank first? Should I find a Realtor? Is it good for me to go to a bunch of open houses before I start really looking? How do I start this whole process?”

The good news is that there really isn't a wrong place to start. All of the above will get you started on the path towards home ownership. However, I do have a few suggestions on how you can speed up your process, or just help you feel more informed as you proceed.

#1. Talk with your banker first. – He or she will help you get approved for a mortgage, figure out how much you can spend, and set up a financial plan for success. They will also let you know about any limitations you may have as far as condition of house, location, or other loan specific limitations.

#2. Connect with a Realtor who you feel listens and responds to you. – If you call a real estate agent and they take more than 24 hours to call you back, I’d move on to the next one. If you talk with an agent and you feel like they spent the whole conversation looking online or texting or in any way ignoring you, move on. Find someone that you feel really understands you and you feel a good personal rapport with

#3. Go look at some houses. - Whether you want to go look at open houses or have your Realtor take you through for personal tours, schedule a little bit of time to start familiarizing yourself with what you really like.

#4. Write and negotiate an offer, do inspections, close, and move in!

The beauty is that if you are going to open houses and you find a Realtor that you just hit it off with, you’ve knocked out two birds with one stone. If you haven’t talked to a banker yet, your Realtor can refer you to one. If you don’t know where to find a Realtor you might hit it off with, your banker may have some suggestions. Of course, if you live in the Sioux Empire, I’d always recommend interviewing me to see if you and I could be a good fit! So whether you start at the bank or start at a home, just start!