S P E C I A L P R O M O T I O N S
Buying a home can be complicated, especially when it’s your first foray into the world of real estate. That’s why we’ve
asked some of the state’s most trusted realtors to share their top tips (and non-starters) for prospective homeowners.
EDITED BY KAITLYN MURRAY
OF FINDING YOUR HOME
“Before setting up an appointment to look at
a house, take a drive by and also check it out
online to find out all that you can about the
property before actually touring it.” — Paul A Leys
of Gustave White Sotheby’s International Realty,
gustavewhite.com
“Think long term: ‘Where do I see myself in five
years?’ Also, think location, location, location before
locking in those amenities that you want. It will pay
off in the long run!” — Mary Ann Lisi of Residential
Properties, Ltd., residentialproperties.com
get someone different to help you! Buying your
first home can be a lot of fun, so be engaged
from beginning to end!” — John Chapski of
Coldwell Banker Realty, nemoves.com
The Don’ts
OF FINANCIAL PREP
“Don’t apply for any new credit or make any major
purchases on credit before your sale is final.”
— Arianne Tanasio, Broker of Tanasio Realty
Advisors, tanasiorealty.com
represent you.” — Kim Fleming of Gustave White
Sotheby’s International Realty, gustavewhite.com
“Don’t go directly to the listing agent to make an
offer; they do not represent you, they represent
the seller.” — Arthur Chapman of William Raveis,
raveis.com
“Don’t work with multiple agents. When you
work with multiple agents, it’s hard to develop a
relationship and get to know each other.”
— Rachel Jones, Sales Associate at Lila Delman
Real Estate, liladelman.com
“Focus your search to two to three areas — it can
get overwhelming if you are not targeting specific
cities, towns or neighborhoods. Allow your realtor
to help decide which might be best given your
budget, desires, etc.” — John Moretti of
Williams and Stuart Estate, williamsandstuart.com
“Understand your needs, i.e. number of beds,
number of baths and viable cities, but also look
for potential — your sweat equity could yield
great gains!”— Edward Rayden of Residential
Properties, Ltd., residentialproperties.com
“Know that the value of property will always rise.
It may seem like a rollercoaster, but it’s the best
investment that you can make. Home ownership
is the great equalizer in every income bracket —
it always builds wealth.” — Robert Rutley of the
Blackstone Team at Mott and Chace Sotheby’s
International Realty, mottandchace.com
OVERALL
“Keep an open mind and listen to the professionals.
It’s a tricky market, and sometimes there
are a lot of ‘outside’ experts who like to give real
estate advice.” — Kim Fleming of Gustave White
Sotheby’s International Realty, gustavewhite.com
“Set realistic goals, listen to your agent’s guidance
and find a team (banker, attorney and agent) that is
communicative.” — Michelle Snoeren of Residential
Properties, Ltd., residentialproperties.com
“In this tight market, bid competitively from the
get-go.” — Arianne Tanasio, Broker of Tanasio
Realty Advisors, tanasiorealty.com
“Be sure to ask questions. Many buyers feel they
are bothering their agent by calling them and
asking for help. An experienced real estate agent
has a wealth of knowledge and is a great resource
of information. Use this time to learn as much as
you can. It benefits everyone if all parties are
communicating in a fruitful manner.” — Elise Vetri
of Keller Williams Northern RI, elisevetri.com
“Know that it’s okay not to know things and if the
realtor, lender or home inspector doesn’t have the
time to explain what’s going on, then you need to
“Don’t change jobs. Job stability is key until your
purchase is closed.” — Holly Prentice of Keller
Williams Realty of Newport, kwnewportbeach
estates.com
“Don’t make an offer on a property until you have
a proof of funds or a pre-qualification in hand,
it can be very disappointing if you lose out on
a property because you were not prepared, or
in a financial position to buy.” — Kim Fleming of
Gustave White Sotheby’s International Realty,
gustavewhite.com
“Don’t go into a transaction unrepresented — this
is one of the largest purchases most of us make.
Make sure you have good advice and counsel.
Zillow and the like are not substitutes for a good
realtor.” — James DeRentis of Residential Properties,
Ltd, residentialproperties.com
OF SELECTING A REALTOR
“Don’t try to search for a home on your own.
Always hire an agent so you have someone on
your side who is looking out for your best
interest.” — David Travers of Keller Williams
East Bay, kw.com
“Don’t just go online and choose a realtor from
a real estate website — meet with a few different
folks from various companies. Attend some
open houses in your target area or that might be
in your desired price point to meet realtors who
understand that market. It is very important that
you have trust and a comfortable rapport with
the person who will be representing your fiduciary
best interests!” — John Moretti of Williams and
Stuart Estate, williamsandstuart.com
“Do not hire the first agent you come in contact
with. Ask to interview them or, at the very least,
ask about their experience and number of
homes that they have sold.” — Elise Vetri of Keller
Williams Northern RI, elisevetri.com
“Be careful when you are searching for listings on
third party websites. Often, you are not speaking
with the agent representing the property. Don’t
feel you are obligated to work with an agent who
contacts you, it is your choice who you want to
“Do not sign a buyer’s representation agreement
before being 100 percent comfortable with
the agent.” — Michael Russo of RI Real Estate
Services, 401sold.com
OF FINDING YOUR HOME
“Don’t set your heart on a specific style of home.
Be open to anything and buy for location first.”
— Mary Ann Lisi of Residential Properties, Ltd.,
residentialproperties.com
“Don’t let the pictures online fool you — many
times the house in reality is much different than
online. Sometimes better, but also sometimes
not as nice. Go and see it for yourself.”
— Paul A Leys of Gustave White Sotheby’s
International Realty, gustavewhite.com
“Don’t be afraid to wait for the house that checks
all of the boxes. This market is unique with all that
is going on right now. Home buying is a process
and you may have to wait until more inventory
comes on the market to find the perfect home
for you. But when it does, be ready to jump on it
and be sure you get it. Go all in as you will have
competition!” — John Chapski of Coldwell Banker
Realty, nemoves.com
“Don’t skip the home inspection on your first
home. This is your time to understand everything
about this big purchase.” — Holly Prentice of
Keller Williams Realty of Newport, kwnewport
beachestates.com
OVERALL
“Don’t be afraid to ‘stop the music!’ If you are
having second thoughts on a purchase, just say
so and walk away! This is especially important
during the home inspection phase of the
purchase. A good realtor will work quickly to get
your deposit back and get you onto the next
property showing ASAP. I’ve hand-delivered
return deposits rather than letting them float
around in the mail. If you’re not happy, speak
up, change direction and find something else to
buy!” — John Chapski of Coldwell Banker Realty,
nemoves.com
* Note: Answers have been edited for clarity and/or length.
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l JULY 2020 69