Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've moved 4 times in the last 6 years, so certainly understand where the OP is coming from. I think it also may be best to rent your first year at a new city. This person hasn't even decided on the city yet, I'd stick with Zillow/Redfin. That's what I did. I looked at the nighborhoods and the schools. Once I figured that out, I reached out to a RE.
That's a good way too. Some people like to do their own investigating, some like to talk to somebody.
Different strokes for different folks. :-)
I do agree with the advice above... for this purpose at this stage of the game, one pre-approval with a nationwide company is fine, and far better than submitting info to three different lenders. If those lenders do real approvals, you don't want the multiple inquiry hits on your credit report.
If there's a list of perpetual tire kickers going around, I just must not be on the right mailing lists!
I appreciate those who say don't waste agent time unfairly, but it is quite possible for you to start investigating homes in three markets.
Just be honest that you're still in very preliminary stages and aren't positive where you'll be going. It IS likely you'll have more luck and better service from a relatively new agent.
It doesn't take THAT much work to have a good long phone call with an agent about market and area considerations, have that agent set you up on an MLS search, and begin to see what you can get for your money in each of these cities. I've certainly had that conversation with many clients who didn't end up coming here. It happens. That much is fair.
We considered several different cities before we settled on one. It took 3 years to sell our house, so I communicated with several agents over that time. Exchanging emails to keep in touch with a potential buyer doesn’t seem like that much work.
When we eventually sold, we had one week to find a house and about a month and a half to close. We went with the real estate agent who I exchanged emails with for 3 long years. Bless her heart. She drove us around for 3 days. That was when the real estate market was in the toilet, in 2010, so she was not exactly busy anyway. She still gives us a pie on thanksgiving.
Just look online at homes until you decide on a city. Not fair to waste 2 agent's time (assuming you will use the 3rd agent to buy), when you havent even decided on a state. If you wouldn't be willing to make an offer on a home that meets your needs, you are wasting people's time. And for agent's time IS money.
Assuming you will visit those city for few days when you will check out the neighborhood and some house, i don't see any harm in having an agent show you few houses over a weekend. I am sure agents waste much more time on undecided buyer. This will help you figure out location city.
It is clients like you, that have no qualms about wasting an agents time, that convinced me before entering the business to work with investors, not personal home buyers. In all my years from 1972, until I finally retired, I averaged less than 1.5 showings per sale. That included single family homes for rentals, to large ranches and irrigated farms. That included apartment houses and commercial.
A large percentage were never even shown to buyer, but sold as they fit their needs. I handled clients like a a stock broker handling their investment accounts buying, selling, and exchanging tax free, over and over again.
In fact I sold 14 homes in one day on the telephone all sight unseen. Thirteen were in a infill small 13 home subdivision, and one a VA repo, that was to be foreclosed on the next work day. All calls sold from 2 to 5 homes to an investor, and all contracts signed both sides by 5 p.m.
The idea of showing homes to someone that does not even know where they want to live, is repulsive to me. I never had time to waste on people like you.
You are one of the reasons, that 80% to 90% of the people that enter the real estate business as an agent fail out of the business according to NAR. Too many waste time on non buyers who are maybe someday I will make up my mind and buy something, spending their money and time that should be spent looking for serious buyers. The thing is, they have not learned the difference between serious buy a home now clients, and time wasters like you who have not even made up their minds on what area of the country they want to buy a home in.
So is it possible to work with 3 different realtors in these areas and do the whole pre-approval process in those areas at the same time, or do I just need to suck it up and pick one before I start the process?
I work with multiple realtors even in the same metro area all the time. I make them compete with one another for my business. I am completely open and honest about it.
I go with the one who gives me the best bang for the buck.
Some years back my wife and I decided to retire to Charleston SC area. We visited one time between Xmas and New Years. We strolled into a Century 21 office near our hotel to collect info. There was one agent working. I explained we were 2-3 years before retiring ans just wanted to collect some information thus not to waste his time on us. He said it is a quiety time of the year in my business and I have time to show you around. He did. Over the years we would visits and spend some time with him. He was most gracious. I told him when we get ready, you will be our agent.
The story has a sad ending. Some 6 months later when we were ready, I called his office only to find he had died of a heart attack. He was a class act.
We ended up buying new construction from the developer so never used any agent.
The idea of showing homes to someone that does not even know where they want to live, is repulsive to me. I never had time to waste on people like you.
Seriously dude? Uncalled for. I was simply asking if this is even possible, I am not going to do it but even if I did, "repulsive" is a bit much. I am in the very early beginning stages of deciding where I want to move to and as someone who is self employed I have a lot of flexibility. Never said I would waste anyone's time.
Major eye-roll with some of these holier than thou comments. Give me a break. Sounds like a lot of misdirected frustration.
It is clients like you, that have no qualms about wasting an agents time, that convinced me before entering the business to work with investors, not personal home buyers. In all my years from 1972, until I finally retired, I averaged less than 1.5 showings per sale. That included single family homes for rentals, to large ranches and irrigated farms. That included apartment houses and commercial.
A large percentage were never even shown to buyer, but sold as they fit their needs. I handled clients like a a stock broker handling their investment accounts buying, selling, and exchanging tax free, over and over again.
In fact I sold 14 homes in one day on the telephone all sight unseen. Thirteen were in a infill small 13 home subdivision, and one a VA repo, that was to be foreclosed on the next work day. All calls sold from 2 to 5 homes to an investor, and all contracts signed both sides by 5 p.m.
The idea of showing homes to someone that does not even know where they want to live, is repulsive to me. I never had time to waste on people like you.
You are one of the reasons, that 80% to 90% of the people that enter the real estate business as an agent fail out of the business according to NAR. Too many waste time on non buyers who are maybe someday I will make up my mind and buy something, spending their money and time that should be spent looking for serious buyers. The thing is, they have not learned the difference between serious buy a home now clients, and time wasters like you who have not even made up their minds on what area of the country they want to buy a home in.
Seriously it must be frustrating enough when a client doesn’t know what neighborhood they want but op can’t even figure out what state she wants to live in. Yes I’m sure she’ll find some agents in each market but at least two of them will get hosed.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
