5 Ways to Find Your Ideal Home Before Anyone Else

1. Search Diligently

The best and most obvious way get your foot in the door first is to check listings every single day. The most dedicated house hunters are virtually guaranteed to beat out those who only browse through opportunities a few times a week. Most popular house searching apps can be configured to send you alerts for listings that meet your preferences, so you’ll always know when there’s something worth checking out.

2. Lean on Your Agent

Professional real estate agents can sometimes see listings 12-24 hours before they’re available to the public on the most popular online aggregators. Let them know what neighborhoods you’re interested in so they can tell you about good prospects early. If you aren’t working with an agent yet, tell your loan officer—they can connect you with a great fit.

3. Make the Most of Current Listings

Visiting a listed home may not lead to a purchase, but it can be a great source of information about other houses in the area. Ask the seller, their neighbors, or their agent if they know of any other homes for sale in the neighborhood.

4. Take a Closer Look at Life Events

Know anybody going through a major life change, like getting married, having kids, or starting a new job? These events often come with a need for a new housing situation. Pay attention to what’s happening with people in your personal network and look for birth or wedding announcements in local papers and online forums—you can talk to a seller before they’ve made their decision public.

5. Reach Out to HOAs

If you’re interested in a specific building or community, contact their HOA. Someone might be able to tell you about available properties or properties that will be available soon.

Be proactive and you’ll put yourself at the front of the line when a new home becomes available. Let Envoy know how else we can help!