• Don’t quit or change your job.

• Don’t buy furniture, a big screen TV, a car, or anything on credit.

• Don’t spend money on anything that you don’t need right now.

• Don’t forget the 80-10-10 Rule! If the home has 80% of what you want, 10% of stuff you can change and 10% that you can just deal with, put in an offer it’s a keeper.

• Do not consider a short-sale purchase if you need to move quickly or don’t have a flexible time table. Short-sale doesn’t mean quick sale.

• Don’t be unreasonable.

• Don’t believe what you see on reality TV.

• Don’t call other agents if you have an agent.

• Don’t cancel appointments without a really, truly, good reason.

• Don’t change your name while trying to secure a mortgage.

• Don’t co-sign a loan for anybody!

• Don’t forget the clock doesn't start ticking until the loan officer receives the contract, period.

• Don’t forget to get a home warranty.

• Don’t forget to mention you have a house to sell.

• Don’t give away your negotiation power by speaking to, in earshot of, or even in the home where you could be recorded by the sellers.

• Don’t hide anything from your mortgage company.

• Don’t ignore paperwork especially from me or your lender.

• Don’t let the right home slip away while you search for every other home on the market.

• Don’t make bank deposits with mystery funds everything needs to be traceable!

• Don’t order any utilities including TV, phone, or internet that will pull a credit check just as your mortgage is going through review.

• Don’t schedule a vacation at any time leading up to, near, or immediately following your anticipated closing date. If you do things will most certainly come up that require immediate attention just as you board the plane. Closing delays will occur and you won’t be able to move in as expected or may even lose the deal.

• Don’t seek out a lender with a rate that is too good to be true, need I say more?

• Don’t ever, never ever, skip a home inspection.

• Don’t sleep on the offer for the right home or you might not get to sleep in it.

• Don’t speak directly “off the record” with sellers; there is no such thing as “off the record”.

• Don’t start looking for your dream home before you are fully qualified. Nothing is worse than finding out you can’t afford it. Except finding out you could afford it, but since you weren’t prepared to place an offer somebody else bought it.

• Don’t stop believing in “love at first site”. Often one of the first homes you really like is the one you realize you love after spending weeks chasing every home on the market; only to find it is now under contract. 

• Don’t talk poorly about the home in front of the owners. It won’t buy you any favors when someone else puts in a competitive offer.

• Not getting a gift letter and a bank statement for funds from the person who is giving you a financial gift proving they had the money to give.

• Not informing your lender about child support, alimony, wage garnishments or any other payroll deduction.

• Not using your legal name on your mortgage application

• Not telling me what matters Most to you.