Happy New Year everyone! Thank you for following our blog, today we are diving into goal setting and how it can apply to buying real estate here on the Monterey Peninsula. Whether you are a vacation home searcher, future Monterey Peninsula retiree, or a first time buyer, this outline could pertain to you!

Steps to Buying Real Estate in 90 Days

The many steps to buying a property can be overwhelming to say the least, but when we break it down into steps and set achievable milestones, it’s really not so bad. The important thing to consider is much of the learning process is free, and the learning process is key. For example – it is free to go to a lender and find out what you can qualify for. It’s also free to call a Realtor and ask about the market. It’s free to have a Realtor show you properties, and you don’t have to sign anything in order to do that. You’re not wasting our time, it’s our job. It’s free to research past sales on Zillow in neighborhoods you like. It’s free to call a friend who has done what you want to do and ask their advice on how you can get started. So, step number one, make one phone call this week. Make another one next week. I bet you’ll be hooked.

Once you’ve made a few phone calls, step two would be taking the time to meet with someone in person, whether it be a lender to discuss financing, your private banker or financial advisor to discuss a cash purchase, or a Realtor to discuss your interests in the local market. This in person meeting could lead to a pre-approval or maybe a date set to view some properties with your agent through a private tour. Or, it could lead to you and your significant other perusing open houses on a Saturday – another free, fun way to spend a day, and a great learning process. This also gives you a chance to interact with Realtors and see who you like!

This process can absolutely be done in 90 days, but go at your own pace, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Whoever you work with needs to be prepared and willing to educate you every step of the way! Once you are pre-qualified and you have found a property, you can make an offer, go through due diligence, and conceivably close escrow in 21-45 days depending on the lender.

Will 2020 be the year you fulfill your goals of owning real estate on the peninsula? Let us know what we can do to help!