10/05/2026
1. Not getting preapproved before you start browsing-you NEED to do this before you start looking on Zillow because I guarantee you if the house is as cute and affordable as you think it is, everyone else making offers is ready to buy and has their preapproval letter already in hand. I require all my clients to have preapproval letters now before stepping in a house because I've seen people fall in love with a house, talk to a lender, then realize they can't actually afford the house. Now they're comparing every cheaper property going forward to their first love and it's always a recipe for disaster. Talk to a lender and thank me later (and if you need a recommendation, I got you!)
2. Not understanding the inspection period-on a normal sale after your inspection period, you can request the seller make repairs, drop the price, or provide a credit to cover your closing costs or buy down your interest rate. Many buyers then either fall into one of two categories-they want every single item on the inspection report fixed on a 70 year old home OR they think everything is fine and want to continue on without requesting anything. You can't get what you don't ask for, but you need to be realistic. Inspections are to uncover health and safety hazards in addition to any high price item (like a roof replacement or old HVAC on its last legs) so you can use that as negotiating leverage against the seller to get the best deal! While there isn't a set number of items, I would say 3-5 is a realistic number of items and I happily guide my clients through what to ask for and what to skip.
3. Sellers overpricing their homes "just to see what happens" - the market reacts to buyer demand, meaning if you overprice a home, serious buyers will skip it because they know what homes are worth in your neighborhood. With serious buyers skipping it, it then sits on the market for 30, 60, then 90 days and all the red flags pop up for everyone else who joins the buying pool later. By that point, buyers know they can negotiate and you've lost all your power and momentum.
4. Not calling me at 816-237-9418 (enough said)!
Brokered by KW Kansas City North 816-452-4200