Help Clients Start Smart in Their Home Search

As a real estate agent, you probably understand that there are many steps involved in getting ready for a house hunt. Your clients need to prepare their finances, scope out floor plans and neighborhoods online, gather documents for pre-qualification and—in the case of first-timers—conduct the research necessary in order to feel comfortable with such a big purchase. These tasks, plus the many others associated with the homebuying process, may feel intimidating for your buyers. However, with the right tools and information on their side, house hunters can start this journey feeling confident and knowledgeable. That’s where our Start Smart resources come in!

Blog articles: A wealth of online information

Our Homeward™ blog is home to a diverse range of articles that cover topics relating to buying a home, selling a home, financing and insuring, life at home, packing and moving, and more. Buyers at every stage of the process are sure to find useful articles within our library. Here’s a glimpse at a few recent blogs of note:

To find additional handy information, be on the lookout for the Start Smart logo on articles throughout our blog.

Guides: Roadmaps to homeownership

After over four decades in the homebuilding industry, we’ve learned a thing or two about the buying process, and we’ve compiled that knowledge in a series of complimentary guides for your clients. These resources are akin to roadmaps, walking homebuyers through the major milestones of their journey. They’re filled to the brim with worksheets, checklists, FAQs, tips and other tools designed to help house hunters stay organized, informed and on track. Regardless of your client’s stage in the process, we have a guide for them. Some popular guides include:

• Military Homebuyer Guide: We are honored to work with members of the armed forces and understand the unique aspects of buying a home as an active military member or veteran. In this guide, we share information on VA financing, relocation and more.
• 8 Credit Score Management Tips: Credit scores can play a significant role in obtaining a home loan, so it’s important that buyers keep theirs healthy. This guide offers quick tips that could help improve their credit before they begin the mortgage process.
• How to Choose the Right Floor Plan for Your Lifestyle: With so many options to choose from, finding the right floor plan for their needs can be a challenge for clients. This guide may help them streamline their search!
• Frequently Asked Questions About Insurance: Don’t let your clients forget about insurance! This guide addresses common questions about policy shopping, coverage options, how to save on premiums and more.

Agents, we didn’t forget about you! Our Selling New Homes Guide contains tips and tools to help you effectively leverage the many selling points of new-construction homes.

Homebuyer Resource Center: Assistance every step of the way

Researching communities and browsing floor plans can take up a significant amount of time and energy—for both you and your clients. With the overwhelming number of options out there, it may be challenging to narrow them down into something manageable, especially if your buyers have specific requests or a tight budget. But what if you had a personal assistant to help relieve some of that burden? That’s where our Homebuyer Resource Center comes in! Our New Home Specialists are ready and eager to use their expertise to help you help your buyers find their dream home that checks all of the boxes.

These local experts will take your client’s wish list, timeline, and budget, then use them to narrow down neighborhood, floor plan and listing options in your area. For buyers who aren’t yet sure what they’re looking for, a New Home Specialist can assist with homing in on their wants and needs to determine what kind of home would best accommodate their lifestyle. Once they determine the best contenders, our home search pros can schedule home and community tours for you and your clients.

To get started with our Homebuyer Resource Center, all you need to do is reach out online or by calling 888.996.3060.

Affiliated companies: Streamlining and simplifying the process

Purchasing a home is one of the most significant financial decisions your clients will ever make. With so many moving parts, it’s important that house hunters have access to reliable resources and professionals who can support them. Beyond selecting a real estate agent (that’s you!) and a homebuilder (that’s us!), buyers usually also have to decide on a mortgage lender, an insurance agency and potentially other service providers as well.

At Richmond American, one way we help buyers Start Smart is by offering a “one-stop shop” experience for all of their needs. We work closely with our affiliated lender and insurance companies (and, in some regions, an affiliate title and escrow company) to offer a streamlined homebuying experience from start to finish. These affiliates have an in-depth knowledge of our homes and can offer your buyers competitive pricing options, decades of experience and personalized, dedicated service. This collaboration not only simplifies the process for your clients but also helps them feel supported at every stage of their journey. It can eliminate some of the stress and confusion that may come from working with multiple independent companies.

Quick move-in options: Designer homes on shorter timelines

We want to make it easy for buyers to get into a brand-new home quickly, which is why we offer listings that are completed or nearing completion at communities across the county. These homes have been thoughtfully curated by our team of professional designers, boasting fixtures and finishes that blend timeless elegance with versatile functionality. The end result is a space that’s just waiting for your buyers to add their personal touch with furnishings and art!

For clients, benefits of these quick move-in options can include a shorter timeline, less interest rate variability and fewer surprises. For you, they might mean a quicker commission in your pocket! To find available listings in your area, be sure to visit the Start Smart page and use our drop-down regional search menu.

Takeaways

As a real estate agent, you play a pivotal role in helping your clients navigate the complexities of homebuying. By leveraging the Start Smart resources available on our website, you can provide your clients with useful knowledge and tools to guide them along their journey.

Sharing these resources—whether through social media, email or another method—can position you as a trusted expert and a valuable source of information for your prospective buyers and existing clients alike. The more prepared and confident your buyers feel, the more likely they are to find the home that meets their needs and make a successful purchase.