Episode 33: House Hunting: Tips for First-Time Homebuyers (Part 2) with Realtor, Sydney Beckman

In our last episode, we talked to John Ragano of SWBC Mortgage to discuss financing a home. Today, I am joined by Sydney Beckman, Realtor at Jennifer Mack Properties of eXp Realty, to discuss the process of finding and buying your first home.

From your buyer's consultation to finding “the one” and finally making an offer, Sydney shares the ins and outs of buying your first home.

Sydney explains the first thing you need to do before starting your home search and the steps you can take to ensure a smoother transaction. Plus, why it's essential to work with a trusted real estate agent who can guide you through the process and help you make informed decisions.

Listen in to learn the most important factors to consider when searching for your dream home, what to know about new construction, why you shouldn't skip the home inspection, and more!

Interested in Real Estate as a career? Sydney shares the process of becoming an agent and the skills required to succeed.

Buying your first home can be a complex process, but with Sydney's guidance, you'll have the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions and navigate the journey with confidence.

Thanks again for listening to "Leaving The Nest." I hope you enjoy my conversation with Sydney!

Please leave us a review wherever you are listening and share this episode with others you know who are just Leaving the Nest.

In This Episode

[00:32] - Kathleen welcomes Sydney Beckman, a Realtor from Jennifer Mack Properties of eXp Realty, to discuss the house-hunting process today.

[01:48] - Sydney introduces herself and mentions that her team covers Northern Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia

[03:02] - The first step for first-time home buyers who want to work with a realtor.

[05:04] - Sydney walks us through her buyer consult with every new client, where they discuss budget, location, size and qualities to look for in a house

[06:41] - Sydney reveals a crucial aspect of working with first-time homebuyers: managing their expectations and how she guides them toward finding their dream home.

[07:54] - Sydney's recommendations to buyers to help them get a better understanding of what they want.

[09:26] - The benefits of going to open houses.

[10:54] - What you can and (probably) cannot change—Sydney shares the dos and don'ts of house hunting and the most important things to consider that will help you find the right house for you.

[13:19] - Kathleen shares her love for watching Fixer Upper with Joanna Gaines and how it relates to house-hunting

[13:38] - Kathleen discusses how buyers often miss little details during showings. Sydney offers her advice for going through things in detail—especially approximately how long you should spend with a home inspector at the house.

[15:14] - Don't rely on Zillow— how to really get the inside scoop on houses in your price range that will be coming up for sale (especially in this low inventory market).

[16:33] - Ready to buy? Sydney talks about what goes into making the right offer, the process of putting an offer on the house, and how to strategize the offer price based on the market and other factors.

[18:16] - Kathleen talks about the importance of finding a trusted realtor and the one piece of advice she has for first-time home buyers.

[19:18] - There's a house for everyone—Sydney recounts an experience with clients who initially were only looking at resale houses but ended up finding their dream home in new construction within their budget.

[19:56] - Kathleen talks about how she and Jason also wanted new construction, but the prices often skyrocket with added features.

[21:39] - The inside scoop on new construction: Sydney shares her own experience of finding and purchasing a new construction home and the process of selecting a lot and model, plus what to be mindful of.

[25:33] - Knowing the players involved in your real estate transaction and what happens before you receive the keys.

[26:37] - Putting your trust in your realtor for more than just finding your dream home—how to work with them to line up the other professionals you need to get the deal done.

[27:55] - The importance of using local lenders and title companies.

[30:21] - Thinking of a career in real estate? Sydney talks about becoming a realtor, the skills (and flexibility) required for the position, and her favorite part of the job.

[34:21] -If you'd like to work with Sydney, you can contact her via her profile or find her on Instagram!

[34:48] - To find your next job, visit us at ROCSjobs.com. If you are a business in need of help staffing entry-level positions in your office, please reach out to Kathleen directly at Kathleen@rocsjobs.com. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please call Kathleen at 703-579-6677.

‍Connect with Kathleen:

kathleen@rocsjobs.com

LinkedIn

Call: 703-579-6677

Connect with Sydney:

Sydney's Website

Instagram

LinkedIn

Connect with the ROCS Grad Staffing Team:

Visit our Website:

ROCS Grad Staffing

Current Job Openings

Give us a call at: 703-579-6677

Send us an email: info@rocsjobs.com

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