How to Take the Stress Out of Buying a Home in Buffalo: Where to Start and What to Expect

HostFor many, owning a home is a major milestone in their lives, but the process of buying one can also be a major headache. Joining me now with details on how they can ease the stress of becoming a homeowner is licensed real estate salesperson Austyn from the Enas Latif Team, as well as Enas Latif. Welcome — thanks so much for joining me, ladies.

Enas LatifThanks for having us.

HostFirst, I’ll have you talk more about your team and what you do.

Enas LatifOf course. Our team started about 12 years ago now, and we serve Buffalo Niagara. We focus on assisting home buyers and home sellers in the process of buying and selling — but we start from the beginning, from the time they think about either buying or selling, helping them get to the right steps to get started.

HostAnd who do you serve here in Western New York?

AustynEveryone. Any home buyer, any home seller. This really is the largest financial decision most people are going to make in their lives, and when you have to buy and sell at the same time, it’s really stressful. We’re here to help alleviate a lot of that stress, because this is what we do — it’s our full-time job. We know how to help you get to the finish line.

HostReal estate is not new, but talk more about what makes your business and approach unique.

Enas LatifWe are more client-centric, focused on what they need, what their lifestyle is, what their goals are, and we try to help them achieve those goals — versus just focusing on listing a house or selling a house. We want to understand what the real problem is for someone, what solution they’re looking for, and help them find that solution. Sometimes it doesn’t result in a sale, and that’s okay.

HostLet’s talk about some of the common challenges you help home buyers and sellers overcome.

AustynEvery day there’s always a challenge. No transaction is the same. It could be a basement that isn’t looking its best, or something going on in the attic. It could be making sure you’re in the best position to secure your mortgage — sometimes that takes a lot of prep. It might not be immediate; it might take six months, a year, eighteen months. There are a lot of things that go into it, but the end goal is still the same no matter what.

Enas LatifI always say the easiest part is selling a home. Keeping the transaction together all the way to closing can be very challenging. There are multiple people involved — appraisers, inspections, attorneys — and we help guide everyone to make sure things are getting done correctly and at the right time, so we can close on time for our clients.

HostSo you’re kind of like the team captain or the coach for whoever you’re working with. You make sure everyone around them — the sellers, the appraisal — is on the same page and doing what’s best for your client.

AustynExactly. There’s a lot of communication that goes into it. There are so many things happening on the back end that you might not even know about — communicating with attorneys, with the agent on the other side, the loan officers. It takes a lot of communication to get to closing, which can be very overwhelming, especially for first-time home buyers.

HostFor anyone looking to start the process of finding a home, what is your advice on where they should begin?

Enas LatifThey should set up a consultation with an expert — really understand their buying power, what their goals are, and put a plan together on how to get there. Some people may be ready and able to look immediately, and some people may need to plan and do some things to get to that point. As soon as you have the thought of buying or even selling, contact someone who’s an expert and have a consultation.

HostAnd that’s where you come in — to figure out what this person needs and help them accomplish those goals. Which is important, because if they’re looking at a house with a basement that needs a lot of work, but they’re young, they live alone, they don’t have the knowledge to do that, and maybe they don’t have the budget to buy the home and get the work done — maybe that’s not the best fit for them.

AustynExactly. Or maybe you meet someone who grew up in a family of carpenters and construction people, and you say: this needs some work, but it seems like you have the right network — and we have the right network for you — to make this into what you’re looking for.

Enas LatifThat’s why a consultation is so important: to understand who they are, what their lifestyle is, what they’re capable of, and what type of home or property may be best for them. Someone who’s able to do some work may get more equity from that home if they’re willing to put in the sweat equity. But someone who works two full-time jobs and has saved just enough for a down payment and closing costs — that’s not the ideal property for that person.

HostWhere can our viewers go if they’d like to get in contact with you and your team?

Enas LatifIt’s easy — either our website, or call my number directly.

HostThank you so much for coming in, ladies, and sharing more about how you can help navigate this process. Viewers, if you could use Austyn or Enas’s help, or anyone from their team, with buying or selling a home, you can contact them at the email and phone number on your screen.

Transcript lightly edited for clarity.