Besides getting married and having a child, they say that purchasing a home is one of the most stressful things you will do in your life. I am not sure who they are, but they have said it a lot because I have heard this statement on many occasions. I believe it is true, but not just because they said it. For the last 11 years, I have worked as a mortgage professional for a number of different companies, and have been party to literally hundreds of home purchase transactions. Some transactions have been an absolute dream. Others have been the sort of dream likely to be found about halfway through a Stephen King novel.

To make sure your experience is not the type that leads to needing years of therapy, the most important thing you can do is pick your team wisely. Your team will likely include the following service providers: a realtor, a mortgage professional, a homeowner’s insurance agent, and a home inspector. I am not going to detail what each of those folks will do for you; you can find that info elsewhere. Rather, I want to give you a couple of tips to help you find the best folks to help you.

#1. Trust counts. As you are making calls and shopping services, do you believe what the person is telling you? Or, do you get that gut feeling that either they aren’t being honest, or maybe they just don’t know what they are talking about? A professional should feel confident and trustworthy to you. You should feel good about trusting that individual with a transaction that could mean several hundred thousand dollars or more. Trust your gut, and check references.

#2. Local is good. The more local, the better. What does someone in Minnesota know about hurricane insurance in Florida? Probably not a whole lot. Big national companies do some things very well, like importing low quality clothing from China and selling it at crazy low prices. Specializing in local products is not usually something they are equipped to do. Knowing what is going on in your zip code is not the forte of a mega-bank. Talk to providers within your state or county, preferably companies or individuals that deal primarily in that area. There is no substitute for local knowledge.

#3. Accessibility is paramount. Does this person answer your calls or emails and get back to you in a timely manner? Buying a home is on a strict time line. There are contract dates, interest rate expiration dates, and there can be steep monetary penalties if you don’t close on time. Having service providers that are not responsive can cost you a fortune. If someone is not timely or responsive when they are trying to sell you their service, do you think they will suddenly become more responsive after they have your money and you are tied in to them? Pay attention to this. This is probably the single biggest factor in determining whether you have a good or bad home buying experience.

#4. Sometimes the worst thing you can find is a great deal. The old adage “You get what you pay for,” is often true with service providers. You wouldn’t pick a doctor for a major surgery just based on price. You would want to know that you had hired someone with really good credentials and lots of experience and success handling your kind of situation. And, once you found that doctor with those credentials, you wouldn’t expect her to be as cheap as the first year resident working at the community hospital. There are times to save a few bucks and there are times to make sure you are hiring a competent professional. Make sure that price is not the only consideration as you pick who you use.

Surround yourself with a team of competent, responsive and trustworthy professionals, and you should wind up with a home buying experience that is nothing like a Stephen King novel.

Guest Post via Dave Lashbrook, Ponte Vedra, Florida (Mortgage Loan Officer)

Read more about Dave Here: www.davelashbrook.com