How to Buy a Home Online in Seattle

You’ve decided to become a homeowner in Seattle. But what now? 

Tradition dictates you start saving earnest money for a down payment, explore local lenders and home loan options, set a budget, and then search listings. The one thing these steps have in common is that, one way or another, you will likely find yourself online. 

Whether you’re looking up your credit score, exploring high-yield savings accounts, or searching for your future home in the Emerald City, you’ll probably do so from a smart device. 

But, the convenience of shopping for a home online can be cut short if you work with an antiquated brokerage. Though there is a charm in scheduled phone calls and email exchanges, the modern market sometimes requires a fast approach facilitated by online tools, both for buyers and sellers. 

Below, the team from Prevu Real Estate breaks down everything you should know when buying a home online in Seattle. 

What kind of homebuying experience do you want?

Just as you outline your budget based on your needs and wants, so should you approach buying your home online.

The beginnings of your homebuying journey may already start online, as you swipe through home listings near Lake Union or West Seattle, for example. From there, the rest of your online buying experience depends on your needs as a buyer.

Do you want control over scheduling property tours? Do you want a professional broker you can reach out to easily via an online chat or phone call? Do you want these features to be in one place?

Once your needs are outlined, you can search for brokerages that cater to them. 

Many buyers who work with agents generally partner with the first broker they meet. But this approach can limit your experience in many ways, so you should interview multiple brokerages. 

You may end up working with traditional real estate agents that do things the old way – meaning they schedule property tours and send you listings they think will fit – and you can miss out on brokerages with a streamlined approach to buying a home online. Explore your options as best you can before committing, and focus on finding the perfect fit. 

Work with a brokerage that offers online tools

Partnering with the right brokerage can be the difference-maker for your homebuying experience.

A broker should be your partner on your buyer’s journey, guiding you through every step and keeping you informed throughout the entire process. Coupling this relationship with an online platform geared towards a buyer’s needs brings it to another level of productivity.

Prevu’s digital buying platform is one of the first things buyers experience when choosing to work with us. It immediately gives access to a few essential tools: a dedicated agent reachable via online chat or phone, control over the search listings, and an option to schedule a property tour that fits their schedule.

This helps put a buyer in the driver’s seat, where your agent is a friendly guide in the early miles of your search and a meticulous expert in the decisive final mile of making an offer. 

As a buyer, you shouldn’t wait for an agent to send listings as you provide them with criteria. The process moves faster if you fully control your search, as your agent helps guide it when necessary. 

Be firm about your needs and ask questions to understand how a prospective brokerage works. This will help you choose the right agent and make online buying easier.

Prioritize fast and easy communication

Fluid communication with your agent during a real estate transaction is crucial. 

It is essential during the later stages of a home purchase and equally important in the beginning steps of your home search. Your brokerage should be able to provide such communication whenever you need it.

Prevu’s platform prioritizes communication between buyer and agent to enhance the collaboration necessary for a smooth transaction. 

Once you identify a listing or two you like, you can immediately reach out to an agent to ask about the property without leaving the platform. You don’t have to draft an email or jot down a phone number to send a message. The option is there for you to quickly get the information you need with a click of a button. 

When connected with an agent, you can seamlessly reach out to them again when needed, all via the comfort of the platform. For example, if you want to move forward and schedule a property tour, you can do it while chatting with your agent. From there, you can reach out to them whenever you have any questions.

This ease of communication is pivotal when you get closer to closing or are in the middle of negotiations. It helps facilitate the speed of information you exchange with your agent and keeps you in the know every step of the way.    

Schedule property tours with a click of a button

A property tour of your potential home is one of the most important and emotional parts of your buyer’s journey. 

It allows you to envision what your home might look like, ask essential questions about the property, and work closely with your agent to decide whether the house fits your needs.

That’s why it’s vital that scheduling a property tour is the least complicated part of the whole process. The antiquated method of an agent sending you possible times, getting back to the listing agent, and circling back to you to confirm, is a thing of the past. It drains time from your schedule and gives you an extra problem to worry about.

Prevu replaces this old-school process in favor of an online platform that gives buyers control over scheduling a property tour. You choose the time and date that works for you, and the platform confirms via text and email. You receive updates and reminders as the date approaches and only have to worry about touring your potential home.

It’s an invaluable online feature that makes it easier to buy a house. Prevu’s platform serves as a personal concierge through which you can stay in the loop every step of the way.

Securely share documents with your buyer's agent

Browsing through Seattle real estate listings is a unique experience. 

You may find yourself falling in love with the waterfront bliss of Ballard or the luxurious homes of Magnolia. But once the leisurely search is over, you’ll have to face the paperwork involved with buying a home. 

Many important documents may be required as you get close to making an offer. Those can be a mortgage pre-approval, proof of funds, or an offer letter. Of course, you may need to arrange others before the offer is sent, but you can imagine how hectic it can get when handling all the paperwork.

Prevu’s platform allows fast and easy upload of documents to be shared instantly with your agent. This means a quick scan or download of the necessary paperwork and a few clicks to upload the document. It also means saving buyers the headache of scrambling to print all the required papers, arranging them in a folder, and delivering them to an agent.

As you consider which brokerage to work with, be on the lookout for agents with a similar system. An online tool that allows safe and easy upload of necessary documents keeps everything organized and in one place. 

Unlock savings when buying online

Arguably the most important benefit of buying a home online is saving money.

Online tools help modernize the homebuying experience, but they also allow buyers to unlock significant savings via a commission rebate.

Prevu’s agents are salaried, meaning they aren’t solely dependent on commissions when working with a buyer. This unique approach allows Prevu to allocate a portion of the brokerage’s commission back to buyers, helping them save in demanding real estate markets.

When you interview buyer's agents, asking about commission rebates should be at the top of your list. As you explore what online tools they work with, ask whether they offer rebates and how that process works. The rebate should work in tandem with a fluid online platform to combine professional service with savings for the buyer. 

Savvy homebuyers use this approach to help save thousands of dollars, offset closing costs, and replenish savings after closing.

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Interested in buying a home in Seattle? Learn how much you can save on your purchase with Prevu’s Smart Buyer Rebate.