My wife and I have decided that we want a new puppy. We have not had a puppy in a while so after making the decision all of the realities of puppy ownership come flooding back. The similarities to a real estate transaction I hope you will find amusing.
First step: Choose a reputable breeder. Anybody can throw two dogs together and make a puppy. A reputable breeder often has a long list of accomplishments and awards, a reputable track record with no complaints and a high quality product. There are some breeders who are just puppy mills. They try to produce as many puppies as they can with little regard for the health and welfare of the dogs they sell or the happiness of the clients that purchase the puppies. There are also first time breeders who do not know the in’s and out’s of breeding dogs.
In real estate agent terms, the agent is the breeder. At our team we have bred a lot of puppies, have a reputable track record with no complaints and produce a high quality of service. We are heavily experienced and we produce at a high level but not so much so that we lose track of the fact that each and every client is important and deserving of individual attention by my wife and I and not a huge team of assistants.
Second Step: I always forget before we get a new puppy just how sharp those puppy teeth are: The puppy is likely to have a few accidents, chew up the furniture and as they get older probably shed some unwanted hair. Understanding and patient with these problems that of course the puppy cannot help, go a long way towards producing a well behaved dog.
The home buying process is very much the same, the day you pick the absolutely beautiful little puppy, it is an emotional decision and generally you have forgotten or never experience the trials and tribulations of owning a puppy. Problems on the qualification process, hiccups in the home inspection from either the buyer’s or seller’s perspective as well as the just general stress of the process can soon sour the emotional view of that cute little puppy.
Third Step: Hire a good trainer. The most perfect pedigree of a puppy means nothing if the dog grows up to destroy the house, ends up being twice as big as you expected or barks at all times day and night. A good trainer can solve almost all of these problems and make the puppy and its growing up process as good as it can possibly be.
At our team in addition to our expertise, we have a team of professionals in the form of a lender with huge experience, a title person with enormous experience. a home inspector that is better than all of them and a team of repair specialist who will repair items as inexpensively as possible. Even the potential buyer or seller with the perfect pedigree (credit) in today’s process is going to have problems or at the least questions with regard to the significant changes in the real estate world. Sourcing down payment, negotiating home repairs with our experts, writing letters of explanation for things that don’t need to be explained all add to the frustration of trying to buy a new puppy. My team of experts cannot guarantee that there will never be an “accident” or a chewed leg of a chair or even a quick pass through the unintended garbage. We can however, in almost every situation, repair the chair, clean up the garbage and unfortunately clean up the “accident.”
Fourth Step: Don’t choose your dog, your dog trainer or your dog breeder least a purchase that just does not let you feel good about the entire process.
At our team, even though I have assembled a team with over 100 years of experience and professionalism, we do not, by choice, charge more than others in our field. I am sure there are puppy mills where you can get a small discount but you may be dissatisfied.
Fifth Step: Don’t buy a bed, kennel box, toys or other accessories for you puppy until you know you can both afford the puppy and know what the puppy needs. We have bought may toys for our current dogs that the pet store says are indestructible, will last forever and most importantly will be appropriate for our dogs. NONE of them has lasted longer than a full day with our Jack Russells.
Bottom line, buying furniture, appliance and other accessories for your new home may be premature and in some cases actually can affect your ability to purchase the home. Once you acquire the home, then you can make judgements about what you actual utility bills will be, how much maintenance you can expect and the other ongoing expenses associate with a home. You can actually see the home with your furniture in it and make informed decisions about what you will need and what will fit in the home.
Finally: If you choose a good breeder, an appropriate breed and good trainers, veterinarians and other professionals, feed and care for the dog appropriately you can enjoy your puppy as it matures into a well behaved dog that will probably be as devoted and unconditionally loving of you as is possible in a dog’s life. Remember that poor puppy has to sleep at your feet when you are home and watch closely at the door for your return when you are away but will always be excited to see you when you return.
If you choose the right real estate team with a team of highly qualified professionals for all of the aspects of a transaction, the dog will be wagging its tail as I hand you the keys to your new home or wave goodbye as you drive away from the old one.
If you need help buying or selling your current “puppy” and you want it done right give us a call or shoot us an email!