When Is the Right Time to Contact a Realtor?

One of the most common things we hear from buyers is:

“We’re probably still 6 to 12 months away. I don’t want to waste your time.”

That makes complete sense.

Most people assume they should wait to contact a Realtor until they know where they want to live, how much they want to spend, have spoken with a lender, and are basically ready to start looking at houses.

We actually think the opposite.

If you know you would like to buy a home at some point, you do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out.

Figuring those things out is part of the process.

And if you have a specific date you would ideally like to be in your next home, we generally recommend meeting with a Realtor about four months before that date.

Why Four Months?

From the time we initially start working with a buyer until they move into their home, the process takes around four months on average.

A very rough timeline looks something like this:

2 weeks to make a plan

We talk through your goals, timing, financial situation, what you are looking for, and what needs to happen next.

2 weeks to get your ducks in a row

This could mean talking with a lender, getting pre-approved, gathering financial documents, narrowing down areas, or handling anything else that needs to happen before seriously looking at homes.

4 weeks to search for a home

Some buyers find the right house immediately. Others take longer.

Around four weeks gives us enough time to look at options, learn the market, compare homes, and make a thoughtful decision without feeling like we need to force something.

4 weeks to clear contingencies

Once you are under contract, there is still quite a bit that needs to happen.

Attorney review, inspection, financing, appraisal, and other contingencies all have to be worked through.

2 weeks to get to closing

Once the major contingencies are cleared, we work through the final pieces leading up to your walkthrough and closing.

Can this timeline be compressed?

Absolutely.

People call us with much shorter timelines all the time, and we can move quickly when we need to.

But when we have the choice, we would rather create enough time for you to make good decisions than turn an already stressful process into a fire drill.

You Don't Need to Have Everything Figured Out Before Calling

A lot of buyers think they need to know things like:

• Exactly where they want to live
• Exactly how much they want to spend
• Which lender they want to use
• What type of home they want
• When they are going to move
• Whether buying even makes sense yet

You do not.

Those are some of the things we help you figure out.

If you came to us and said:

“I think I want to buy sometime next year. I have no idea where to start.”

That is completely fine.

The first conversation is not about picking houses.

It is about understanding where you are now, where you want to go, and what needs to happen between those two points.

What Happens When You First Meet With a Realtor?

At least in our process, the first conversation is almost entirely about you.

We want to understand:

Where are you now?

Where would you like to be?

Why is making a move important to you?

What have you already tried or learned?

What are you unsure about?

What is your biggest question right now?

From there, we can start building a roadmap.

Maybe the next step is getting pre-approved.

Maybe you need to sell your current home before buying.

Maybe you need to explore different areas before deciding where you want to live.

Maybe buying this year does not make sense at all.

The point of the first meeting is not to rush you into touring homes.

It is to answer your questions and help you understand what should happen next.

Not Sure If It's Too Early to Reach Out?

It probably isn't.

If you're thinking about buying, even if you're still months away, we offer a free 15-minute Buyer Strategy Session to help you figure out what your timeline should look like, what you should focus on next, and whether there is anything you need to do right now.

There is no obligation to work with us.

[Schedule Your Free 15-Minute Buyer Strategy Session]

Should You Talk to a Realtor or a Lender First?

Most people already know either a lender or a Realtor.

If you already know and trust someone, that is a perfectly reasonable place to start.

Ask them who they recommend.

Generally, though, we prefer buyers to meet with a Realtor first.

The reason is simple:

Different goals require different financing solutions.

A first-time buyer may need a completely different lender than someone who already owns a home and needs bridge financing.

An investor may need something different again.

Someone buying a condo could have different considerations than someone purchasing a single-family home.

Our job is not to give lending advice.

Our job is to understand your overall situation and connect you with the right people for what you are actually trying to accomplish.

What Happens If You Wait Too Long?

You can absolutely buy a home on a short timeline.

We do it all the time. (We recently met with a client for the first time and closed on a home. The entire process was under 30 days.)

But the shorter the timeline becomes, the harder it can be to slow down and make thoughtful decisions.

That matters even more in a market where good homes can move quickly.

If everything is happening at once, you may be trying to:

Get pre-approved.

Choose an area.

Understand the market.

Tour homes.

Evaluate properties.

Learn how contracts work.

Make an offer.

Negotiate.

And make one of the largest financial decisions of your life.

All at the same time.

That is when the process can start to feel chaotic.

Reaching out earlier gives us time to establish what your goals actually are.

Then, when a decision needs to be made quickly, we can come back to those original goals and ask:

Does this house actually move you closer to what you said you wanted?

That is very different from simply reacting to whatever property happens to be available that weekend.

When Should You Reach Out Even Earlier?

There are certain situations where more time is especially helpful.

You Have a Home to Sell

Buying and selling at the same time adds another layer to the process.

We may need to think through timing, financing, preparing your current home, whether you should buy or sell first, and how to coordinate the transactions.

The earlier we can make that plan, the easier the process usually becomes.

You Know You Have a Specific Moving Date

Maybe your lease expires.

Maybe your kids are moving out.

Maybe you're relocating for work.

Maybe you already know when you want to be in another city.

If we have a date, even if it is far away, we can work backward from it.

That means you do not have to constantly wonder when you should start doing something.

We already know.

Our job becomes reaching out when the next step needs to happen.

You're Moving From Out of State

If you are relocating to the Chicago area, more time gives us the ability to explore different towns and neighborhoods before narrowing things down.

You may know you want to live in Chicago's western suburbs without knowing whether Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Elmhurst, or another community makes the most sense for you.

You should not have to figure that out from Google Maps and property listings alone.

You Want to Buy an Investment Property

Investment purchases usually require more information upfront.

We need to understand what you are trying to accomplish, what type of return matters to you, your financing, your risk tolerance, and what kind of property fits the strategy.

More time gives us the ability to build those criteria before you start looking at deals.

Is It Ever Too Early to Contact a Realtor?

In our opinion, no.

You could call us three years before you plan to move and say:

“Here is where I would like to be three years from now. Can you help me figure out how to get there?”

We would be happy to have that conversation.

It does not mean we are going to start sending you houses tomorrow.

It might mean we talk for 20 minutes, establish what needs to happen, and tell you that the next meaningful step is six months from now.

That is still useful.

One of the biggest benefits of having a plan is that it takes some of the mental energy off of you.

You no longer have to keep wondering:

“Should I be doing something right now?”

If nothing needs to happen yet, we can tell you that too.

“I Don't Want to Waste Your Time”

We hear this all the time.

And we understand why people say it.

Sometimes what someone really means is:

“Now just isn't the right time for me.”

Maybe work is crazy.

Maybe something is going on personally.

Maybe they know they are going to use a family member when the time comes.

Maybe they simply do not want to meet yet.

All of those are completely fine.

There is no obligation to work with us.

There is no cost to have an initial conversation.

But if the only thing stopping you from reaching out is that you think your questions are too early or you might be wasting our time, don't worry about that.

Our full-time job is helping people buy and sell real estate.

We spend every day inside this market.

And there is an enormous amount of information online that is outdated, incomplete, overly generalized, or simply wrong.

Part of our job is being available to answer questions and point people in the right direction.

A Realtor's Job Starts Long Before Opening Doors

If there is one thing we would want you to take away from this, it is this:

A Realtor's job should not begin when you are ready to start touring houses.

It should start much earlier than that.

A good agent should help you understand your options, identify your goals, build a plan, connect you with the right professionals, and prepare you to make good decisions when the time comes.

Then, once you start looking at homes, opening the door is just one small part of the process.

And the job continues long after that door opens.

If you're thinking about buying and you're not sure what your next step should be, reach out.

You do not need to know exactly where you want to live.

You do not need to know exactly what you want to spend.

You do not need to be pre-approved.

And you definitely do not need to have everything figured out.

That's what the plan is for.

Thinking About Buying?

If you have a goal, a rough timeline, or even just a question, we'd be happy to talk it through with you.

Our first conversation is simply about understanding where you are, where you would like to go, and what the next step should be.

There is no obligation to work with us and no cost to meet.

[Schedule Your Free 15-Minute Buyer Strategy Session]

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