Look Honey, It Has a River of Chocolate and a Money Tree!!!

How many times has this happened to you? You're driving around and find the perfect house....everything you've been looking for plus it has a money tree and a river of chocolate in the back yard! So you call your Realtor to take a look. Yep, this is the one. So you call your lender to get the pre-qualification letter and before the lender can get back to you, a cash buyer swoops in and steals it. Okay, I embellished a little but some lenders really do take an entire day to issue a letter.

I know what's going through your mind ..."Steve, there's no such thing as a money tree." Yes, you're correct, but it is true that you should have your pre-qualification letter before you look at one house. If you're working with a Realtor, then you shouldn't have this problem since most Realtors will require it before ever taking you to one listing. But, in the event you aren't working with a Realtor, preferably me, at least call a reputable loan officer and get the letter out of the way. This will do two things for you. It will tell you what price range to look at, plus it makes you ready to buy, with no delay.

Sellers want to know they're dealing with a qualified buyer and banks won't even look at an offer without a prequal. And with over 40 percent of the market bank owned or short sales, this is a must. Trust me, there's no worse feeling than finding the perfect house and losing it because you weren't ready. Do the work up front and good luck!

www.SteveSellsGwinnett.com Steve Rider, CDPE Realtor with Keller Williams Lanier Partners in Braselton Georgia. Covering Barrow, Jackson, Gwinnett and Hall Counties in Northeast Georgia. If you're looking for real estate in Gwinnett County please contact me at 404 663 7063 or steverider1@gmail.com.