So what is rigmarole?  Here’s the dictionary definition:

rig·ma·role

/ˈriɡ(ə)məˌrōl/

noun

1. a lengthy and complicated procedure.

“They went through the rigmarole of buying a house.”

 

Other similar meaning words are “hassle,” “bother,” “fuss,” and “hullabaloo.”  Whatever you choose to call it, there’s no doubt that buying or selling real estate can be a complicated, drawn-out and stressful undertaking.  This blog will be an attempt to help buyers and sellers experience less of a “rigmarole” during their buying or selling process.

A 2018 housingwire.com report declared that “buying a house is the most stressful event in modern life.”  I believe that the good folks at housingwire.com may be over-stating by declaring it the “most” stressful event when you consider other things that happen in our lives:  job loss, death, financial obligations, divorce, bad boss or a chronic disease.  The list of possibilities is endless, but there’s no doubt that a real estate transaction presents many opportunities to produce stress and should probably land in the top 5 most stressful events in life.

How then do you make this important event a little less stressful?  A major part of accomplishing this is choosing the right people to work with.  In my experience, the two parties who most impact the buyers’ stress level are the real estate agent and the mortgage lender.  Both of these people can greatly lessen hassle for the buyer by setting expectations, being organized and timely and being accessible to the buyer.  Let’s break down what I mean by these three attributes:

1.  Setting expectations – both the real estate agent and the lender should prepare you for what happens in the process.  For most people, this is not a frequent occurrence in their lives.  Buying a home isn’t something you do every day, week or year.  Even for those who are not first-time buyers, it has likely been years since they last experienced the process.  Good agents and lenders are adept at laying out what comes next and explaining the importance and order of each step in the process.  Knowing what lies ahead makes the journey much less scary.
2. Organization and Timeliness – Real Estate Agents and Mortgage Lenders who are unorganized forget things that need to be done or are always making last minute requests.  There is nothing worse than getting a call the day before closing that informs the buyer that closing has been delayed because the lender is behind on getting the loan package to the closing attorney’s office.  You may have given notice to a landlord, lined up a mover, planned delivery of new furniture, etc. and now it all has to be re-scheduled.  Receiving bills after closing, because your Realtor forgot to send invoices for inspections to the attorney are also a major aggravation.
3. Accessibility – an early warning sign that you should not use a particular Realtor or Lender is the inability to get in touch with them.   In today’s world with mobile phones, text and email, there is no excuse for a business professional to be hard to reach.  If before you have a formal relationship with them, they are unresponsive, they most certainly are not going to suddenly become accessible when you are locked into a relationship by contract or after you have spent money with them.  They are earning your business, not the other way around.  Make sure the people you deal with are eager to help you and they demonstrate it by returning your calls, texts or emails.  This doesn’t mean they answer the phone at 8:00 p.m.  They have a private life to.  But it does mean that you don’t go days or weeks without having your needs met or your questions answered.

Whether you are buying or selling…It is a big deal. The decision to buy or sell your home is momentous and you deserve an agent who treats is as such – someone who makes it less of a rigmarole.  Contact me today for more information about the process.