How To Buy Your Home With Unlocked

#1. Assessing the Market

In today’s competitive Bay Area market, you want an expert by your side. Unlike traditional agents, we don’t rely on ‘gut instinct’, but instead bring data-driven analyses, transparency and insight to help you understand and navigate the Bay Area real estate landscape.

We can help you figure out your budget, including introducing you to the best mortgage officers at the top banks, and hone in on the best opportunities that fit within your budget. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to Contact Us.

#2. Finding the Right Home

Websites like Redfin and Zillow make it easy to keep track of new listings that match your criteria, and when those homes are conducting open houses. We can help you set up your email alerts to ensure you're seeing new listings as soon as they hit the market.

Please note, to provide our 2% rebate, we work very lean, and focus on value-add decision points like valuation analysis, disclosure review and offer strategy. This does not afford much time for accompanied open house visits or private home tours, so we are rarely able to offer these services. Most of our clients tour homes during the open houses, and then leverage our expertise evaluating the property and negotiating the best possible price.

#3. Valuing the Home (the data-driven way)

“What is this home worth and what will it sell for?” is a question we get asked a lot. While other real estate agents seem to pluck a random number out of thin air, we bring data and analytical rigour to valuing a home.

For each property you’re interested in, we put together Unlocked’s Custom Valuation Report (click to see example CVR), an easy-to-interpret dataset of recent comparable transactions, nearby listings and third-party valuations. We also summarize the analysis for you and give our expert opinion on the price range the home will likely sell.

#4. Understanding the Disclosures (with full transparency)

Disclosure packets contain a lot of vital information about the home. Unfortunately, they are long (200+ pages) and dense, which doesn’t make for fun, relaxing reading.

Unlocked helps you understand the disclosures through our Disclosure Review Summary (click to see example DRS). We diligently read through the entire disclosure packet and catalog every issue we see, as well as give our assessment as to the level of risk of each issues (and provide the page number so you can reference). We also summarise our risk assessment of the 6 major reports in the disclosure packet, allowing you to quickly hone in on the key issues.

#5. Submitting a Competitive Offer

When you’re ready to submit an offer, we’ll help you put your best foot forward. We’ll help you understand the level of competition on the home, and discuss with you the right offer price and terms based on how desirable the home is to you.

We’ll also help you compile the rest of the offer package, ensuring that your offer is as attractive to the sellers (and listing agent) as possible. We do everything electronically, ensuring that we can help you put together your offer quickly and efficiently. We’ve helped a number of clients win homes when they weren’t the highest bidder, based on the quality and contents of their offer package.

#6. Negotiations and Counter-Offers

In today’s competitive Bay Area market, it is not uncommon for there to be post-offer negotiations or multi-party counter-offers. If and when you’re in such a situation, we’ll help you navigate the negotiations, providing expert advice and diligent representation through the final stages, ensuring you end up with the best possible outcome.

#7. A Smooth Closing

Once your offer has been accepted, Unlocked will guide you through the closing process. We’ll work with the escrow officer, your mortgage agent and the listing agent to ensure that all of the necessary steps seamlessly happen, and you’re able to close your purchase on time.

And best of all, when you purchase your home with Unlocked, you’ll get 2% cash back at close.

#8. Your New Home - Move In and Enjoy!

Congratulations! You did it - you have successfully bought your new Bay Area home. You now get to move in and enjoy life in your new home.