1. Get the right agent.
A good agent can relieve some of the stress of house hunting. Get recommendations from friends and co-workers in your area. Don’t just let the listing agent on a house represent you both, as his fiduciary responsibility is to the seller.  Interview a couple of agents to find the right chemistry and look over their record of sales in the past year. Once you have found somebody you like, make sure she is willing to communicate with you in the form you want (email, phone, text, etc.) and as often as you want.

2. Get preapproved for a loan.
“A preapproval letter — or lack of one – can mean snagging or missing the perfect home,” says agent Carol Dellynn Schimschat on MSN Real Estate’s Facebook page. It helps you stay realistic about price, puts you more at ease during the process and gives you an edge over other bidders.

3. Don’t look at too many homes.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed and confused if you look at too many homes or seek too many opinions from friends and relatives. Make a “must have” list with your immediate family for the features that are non-negotiable, versus just “wants” or “wishes,” says Jessica Edwards with Seas Coast Realty in North Carolina.  Have your agent help narrow down the field. There’s a lot of inventory out there, and you can’t or shouldn’t see it all.

4. Keep an open mind.
More times than they can count, agents say, buyers will start a search looking for that perfect Craftsman bungalow only to find that the features and amenities they crave are in a sprawling midcentury ranch house. Be open to suggestions from your real-estate agent, who might show you something you didn’t know you would love.

5. When you find a home you like, learn about the neighborhood.
A large part of your satisfaction with daily life revolves around the amenities, schools and neighbors where you live. “Once you find a home, go back to the street and neighborhood at different times of the day and on the weekend,” says Tony Geraci, broker/owner of Century 21 Homestar in Cleveland. “Try to meet some of the neighbors.”

6. Never buy without a home inspection.
As many agents pointed out, you can’t rely on what you see in a walk-through. Problems hide under carpeting and inside walls and attics. Always get that home you’re buying checked over by a certified home inspector and follow through on any additional inspections he recommends.You’ll be glad you did.

7. If you don’t understand something, speak up.
Ideally, your agent will have run through the homebuying process and what to expect at the outset of your search. But if you don’t understand any part of the paperwork, process or terminology, ask, says Denver real-estate agent David Simonson. So many people whiz through paperwork without understanding what they are signing. That can come back to haunt you.

8. Submit your highest and best offer upfront.
In markets that are doing relatively well, prime properties often receive multiple offers. “There’s no time to haggle,” says Maria Pena Morales of Re/Max Ranch & Beach in San Diego.  Make sure it’s a realistic offer and submit it with a list of comparable sales to support it.

10. Don’t get emotional. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and tension of bidding.

But you shouldn’t move past your predetermined price range, no matter how much you love the house. “Be realistic with your price range, don’t overextend yourself, and be comfortable with everyone in your transaction,” replied jlibman_MTGNews to @MSNRealEstate’s Twitter feed. And consider choosing a backup house that you like almost as much, says Todd Hetherington of Century 21 New Millennium in Washington, D.C. It might take some of the pressure out of negotiations.

For questions on this process-or to book your initial consultation, contact the Wan team today.

Testimonials

  • TONY AND JULIE FUDA

    You were a incredible help during our recently sold home! The photographs you took were brilliant stunning! Your expertise is second to none. Futhermore, you brought a full sized coach filled with possible buyers to our home for viewin. This is truly amazing! Buring our listing period, we view many offers from other agents. But they weren't able to get the price we desired. Together with yor trememdous connections fo clients, you brought just the right purchaser for our home. Finally it was listed and sold by your own clients, in which we were very satisfied with. Both of you were thorough an thoughtful and we will certainly recommend you to friends & family who are looking for an honest, sincere, experienced and hardworking realtor.

  • HELEN DAI - HOME OWNER OF WELDRICK RD. E., BAYVIEW HILL

    Hi Bonnie & Daniel - It is my pleasure to provide this testimonial as I am truly grateful for your exceptional services! See below my heart felt appreciation toward you and your team!

    We want to express our deepest gratitude to our amazing realtor Bonnie & Daniel Wan for their exceptional professionalism and expertise throughout our home selling process.

    From the very beginning, Bonnie & Daniel demonstrated an impressive depth of experience and a strategic approach that made all the difference.

    Their end-to-end services were remarkable, ensuring our home was in the best condition possible. From organizing renovations to staging, Bonnie & Daniel managed every details with precision and professionalism, which significantly enhanced our home’s appeal and market readiness.

    Their knowledge of the market and effective negations skills ensured that we were always in the best possible position. We received 10 multiple offers and sold our home in just 11 days, well above the asking price for half a million. We could not be happier with the outcome. Their commitment to excellence and personalized service truly set them apart. We are incredibly grateful for all they have done for us!!

    Thank you Bonnie & Daniel for making this experience so positive and successful!!


  • HECTOR & ROSANNA CHEUK - HOME OWNER OF 88 LYTTON BLVD, BAYVIEW HILL

    Bonnie & Daniel, we can't find enough compliments to say how much we appreciated your hard work in selling our Bayview Hill property for us. Your ongoing communication with us has been superb, and we felt like you were not only our real estate representative, but a close friend as well. In addition, home renovation can be a very overwhelming process for all home owners. But you two were always one step ahead and provided us with everything we needed without overwhelming us in anyways. It was so impressive seeing a coach of 30 potential home buyers came into my house for showing. This is so fascinated and incredible. We never saw any other agents selling houses like this! I believe this could only be done by your because of the years of experiences and you guys are truly the real estate pioneer of Bayview Hill.

    Within one week after listing, our home was sold for the price above our expectations! We would highly recommend you to anyone either selling or purchasing. You are very passionate and we have found you to be the best real estate agent we have had the please of dealing with. Thanks again for everything you guy did for us and congratulations on a job well done!

  • ND - MEADOWCLIFFE AVE, RICHMOND HILL

    We would like to extend our gratitude for your professionalism and hard work in selling our house in less than one week. We were highly impressed by your knowledge f the local market and key community contacts, which assisted us in selling our house quickly and efficiently. It was a pleasure working with both of you, as you each brought your unique skills and expertise to the table. With Daniel's excellent negotiation skills and Bonnie's keen eye for design and detail, the two of you make the ultimate realtor team.

    We would highly recommend your services to anyone looking to buy or sell !

  • JOESPH AND ANTOINETTE MODICA - 37 STEPHIE COURT, BAYVIEW HILL

    I would like to recommend both Daniel and Bonnie for their professionalism in the services they provided us during the sale of our home in Bayview Hill located in Richmond Hill.

    They were both very helpful in assisting us to ensure that we are ready to put our hoe on the market along with their expertise in knowing what our home should be listed at. Can't imagine that they can produce much higher than asking price and more importantly that the sell price is higher that other local agents quoting us!

    Both my husband and I would recommend their services as theya re experts in their field, they were very ethical in how they managed the sale of our home. We have deep impressions of the integrity of Daniel: walking his words. Both Bonnie and Daniel, the # WAN team works very closely at every issue personally. Most definitely we would recommend them to anyone who wants true professionalism, honesty and mostly that they work for the seller.

  • STUART BERKOWITZ - 48 ALEXANDRA WOOD, BAYVIEW HILL

    Dear Bonne and Dan,

    First of all: THANK YOU BOTH for every way you have helped us accomplish out goal of selling our home for the highest value. When we decided to sell our home, where we have lived for 25 years, we inerviewed 5 real estate agents with signs in our neighborhood. The Wans had far more knowledge, experience, and success in our area than anyone else, wih 22 years in Bayview Hill and over 1000 homes sold -- plus they live here, have raised their chrildren here, and care deeply about our community. We also related to your enthusiatic, tireless, supremely ethical style of work. Our home needed some preperation before listing. Again your expertise in identifying, prioritizing what to do (and what not to do) and even finding an independent contrator to complete the work excellently, on a tight time schedule was amazing. The contractor was as gracious and as tireless as you both, working 16 hour days to finish on budget, on schedule. Also, your community contacts and stellar reputation in the town of Richmond Hill were invaluable in overcoming any issues. Selling any house seems very stressfull, and you were there for us, no matter what time of day (or night), no matter what issue. We never met anyone who works harder than you. Even after our home went under contract, you stayed in touch constantly, communicating and strategizing to ensure completion of the sale in a way which met OUR interest to value our home at the highest possible price. While we noticed other agents lower prices, perhaps to meet their own needs during the process. But the best bonus was far more important than money; as a result of our admiration and joy in working with the Wans, we became friends, a friendship we hope lasts a lifetime. By the way, if we ever have another house to sell, we will choose Dan and Bonnie again, for all the best professional reasons.

    THANK YOU.

  • DR. ZEESHAN NABI - 88 BOAKE TRAIL, BAYVIEW HILL

    Bonnie and Dan,

    Let me first thank you for working os hard and late to make this sale possible. I first did not appreciate your offer to help and took your honest effort with suspicious.

    You have to understant that after previous two "sales" and countless other agents who decieved us and wasted so much of my time I was hesitant to give try to someone unknown to me.

    I am glad I chose you. I am sorry again for not realizing you as a hard working and outstadning gentleman.

    I appreciate your work and will recommand you two to anyone looking for the house to buy/ sell.