How Long Should It Take For Me To Buy A Home – 2 Success Stories

I had two fun closings this past week that I wanted to talk about, on completely opposite ends of the spectrum. Most buyers at some point apologize to me for being the most difficult. The truth is, I absolutely love what I do, and sometimes it takes longer than others to get people into their next property, and sometimes it is simpler than expected. In the end, it all balances out, and I am just happy to be able to help.

The Out of Towners

The first involves some very special clients that I have had the wonderful opportunity to get to know really well over the last couple years. These two reached out to me a few years back when they were staying for a brief time in Petaluma and thinking about making it their future landing spot. We connected for coffee and started communicating about the market, etc. over the next few months, sometimes over Zoom and sometimes just through text or phone calls. A few times, they even came to town just tour neighborhoods and get a better sense of Petaluma. It was great getting to know them.

The hurdle for these two was that they weren’t local. They lived 6 hours away, up in the mountains, so it simply wasn’t feasible for them to see every house in person that hit the market or piqued there interest…not to mention the fact that there simply hasn’t been that much on the market the last couple years that really fit their needs. So, as opportunities came along, I would shoot video tours for them to give them a better sense of the neighborhood and floorplan than listing photos show. We would review and discuss disclosures and talk about whether the properties were worth it for them to make the drive out. A couple times they were, but mostly we were able to save them the trip.

We had a couple near misses, and they started to get frustrated. However, when “the one” finally came on the market a few weeks back, they pounced on it and wrote an amazing offer that the seller couldn’t refuse. We just closed escrow this past week, and I was able to finally get them the keys to their new home. They even came out to eat at one of my Dining Out For Life restaurants! I am so excited for them to start their new lives here in Petaluma. Congrats, you two!

The Strangers

This is a fun one, too. On the polar opposite end of the spectrum, I had some clients purchase a home whom I had never actually met in person when we wrote our one and only offer together.

I received an out-of-the-blue message one day last February from someone who had found me online and was considering their options in Sonoma County. It was a brief interview call, and they were pretty early on in their planning process, so I wasn’t able to get a great sense of what they were looking for and didn’t really know how to be of much help. They started receiving these Market Update Emails, and I would occasionally send a text or email about a property that might interest them. The extent of the relationship was really just a couple phone calls and occasional texts…we had never even met via Zoom…

…until about a month ago when I received a text that they had visited an open house in Petaluma and wanted my help in preparing an offer and representing them in their purchase. There was a bit of a waiting game, as the seller wanted a lengthy on-market period before reviewing any offers, but we were eventually able to submit a terrific offer package that was accepted without a counteroffer. The property needed a lot of work, but they were the perfect buyers for it, with he being an architect and her being a designer.

And, now, just a few short weeks later, they just closed escrow on their next project and forever home…a darling bungalow close to downtown Petaluma. It will be wonderful to see the transformation! I can’t wait for my invite to their first bbq.

The Moral of the Story

I tell you these stories not to brag, but rather to show you that both of these stories are “normal”. There are no set rules about the process and timeline when it comes to buying a home. The most important things are to be patient, be diligent, and be ready when the right opportunity finally comes along, and I’ll be in it for the long haul with you no matter what it takes.