Why I love working with First Time Homebuyers!
Now, I am not saying that I don’t like working with other clients - let’s just get that said first and foremost. But first time home buyers are a totally different kettle of fish than working with move up families or down-sizing retirees or investors. And here is just a few of the reasons that I love working with First Time Homebuyers (FTHB).
I'm a TEACHER!
We are going to start off with that! If you know me, you know that in a former life, I was a math and science teacher. I remember a day when I was 6 years old, in Primary, in Nova Scotia - I can vividly remember the whole scene of being on the playground, watching my teacher in action. I knew on that day that I wanted to be a teacher.
I flirted with some other ideas throughout the years…surgeon (too much school and work), fashion designer (I actually have no fashion sense but I loved drawing dress designs), conservationist (save the wetlands). But it always came back around to teacher. I was even a teacher when I was in high school myself. The night before our grade 10 math exam, I had my friends over to try to teach them all everything they needed to know - writing the notes on my mirror with dry erase marker.
But ultimately, in the end, after several years of teaching, I had had enough of it. There were things that I did love about it but there was also things that I didn’t love about it. And when I moved back to PEI in 2014, I didn’t want to start all over again doing the rigamarole of subbing, contracts, over and over again for years, hoping to eventually land a permanent contract in Charlottetown.
Working with FTHB’s though does heavily lean into my teacher side. Working with them through the process of what to look for in a house, how to pick a mortgage, how to buy a house when you find one you like - I’m just instructing and guiding my clients, much like I hope I did my students.
From the moment I first meet with FTHB through the client consultation and then through looking at houses, you can see them gain more confidence with how they approach homes.
You see more houses!
Most people are not like Tyler and I who only look at a few houses before they buy. Usually with FTHB, there is a longer process of finding the right home and also, helping to keep them from getting frustrated by the process. And let’s be (more) honest here - I love looking at houses!
Talk about “alternative” options
Have you thought about buying a property that can then become a rental and generate more income and wealth for you? Have you thought about using the basement unit as an AirBnB instead of a long-term rental to help generate MORE income? Let’s get creative with how you can make your property work for you, not just provide you with a place to live.
When you are looking creatively at properties, rather than a place to get emotionally attached to, the process of shopping for properties changes entirely. I find that it also helps the buyer to be more rational when looking at a property. Because of this approach, I myself am not one to get emotionally attached to a property. It doesn’t make me sad that we no longer live or own the properties that I brought my babies home to, or where they had their first baths or took their first steps.
I do find that helping FTHB remain emotionally detached from the process can help them make better decisions, not get caught up in the emotions, and be more confident in their purchase and the price that they are putting on it.
Every buyer brings their buying history and expectations and it is my job to work with all that they bring to find the right next property. But finding their first property - that is an extra special project.