Buying a home is exciting, and I know the temptation is to start scrolling through listings, find a house you love, and immediately schedule a showing.

But if you’re a new buyer working with me, we aren’t going to start with the house.

Before I take on a new buyer as a client and we begin touring homes, there are three things I require:

1. A lender pre-approval or proof of funds
2. A buyer consultation
3. A signed buyer representation agreement

These steps are non-negotiable in my business, and there’s a reason for each one.

My goal isn’t to make buying a home more complicated. It’s actually the opposite. I want you to understand the process, know what you can realistically buy, and know exactly how we’ll work together before there’s a house involved and emotions start running high.

1. You Need a Pre-Approval or Proof of Funds

Before we start looking at homes, I need to know that you’re financially prepared to purchase one.

If you’re financing your home, that means having a current pre-approval from a lender.

If you’re paying cash, that means providing proof of funds.

This is my business policy, not a requirement created by the State of Texas.

Why do I require it?

Because your financing affects almost every part of your home search.

Your approval helps us understand:

• What price range makes sense
• What type of loan you may be using
• How much you may need for your down payment and closing costs
• Whether certain properties may or may not work with your financing
• What your estimated monthly payment could look like

There’s very little value in falling in love with a $300,000 house and finding out afterward that your comfortable buying range is $225,000.

The opposite can happen too. I’ve had buyers assume they couldn’t afford nearly as much as they actually could.

Either way, I want us working with real numbers before we start looking at real houses.

If you haven’t talked to a lender yet, that doesn’t mean you can’t contact me. I’m happy to help point you in the right direction so you can get that part of the process started.

2. We Have a Buyer Consultation

Once financing is in place, the next step is a buyer consultation.

And no, this isn’t just me asking how many bedrooms you want.

The buyer consultation gives us a chance to sit down and talk through the home-buying process before we’re standing inside a house deciding whether to make an offer.

We’ll talk about things like:

• What you’re looking for in a home
• Your preferred areas
• Your price range
• Your timeline
• Your must-haves and deal breakers
• How showings work
• What happens when you find the right home
• Making and negotiating an offer
• Earnest money and option money
• Inspections
• Financing and appraisal
• Closing
• What you can expect from me as your agent
• What I expect from you as my client

It also gives me an opportunity to understand why you’re buying, not just what you’re buying.

A first-time buyer who needs to stay within a very specific monthly payment may need a completely different strategy than someone relocating to Amarillo, an investor looking for their next rental, or a buyer who has to sell another home first.

The better I understand your situation from the beginning, the better I can help you throughout the transaction.

3. We Sign a Buyer Representation Agreement

This part has become especially important for Texas buyers.

As of January 1, 2026, Texas law requires a real estate license holder working with a prospective residential buyer to have a written agreement in place before showing residential property. If no property is shown, an agreement is required before the license holder presents an offer on the buyer’s behalf.

Texas law allows different types of written agreements, including certain non-representation agreements used for showing property.

If I’m taking you on as my client, my policy is that we enter into a buyer representation agreement.

The agreement establishes our working relationship and puts in writing what you can expect from me as your agent and what our relationship will look like while I’m representing you.

I don’t think paperwork like this should be shoved in front of a buyer in a driveway five minutes before walking into a house.

That’s one of the reasons I prefer to handle it as part of the buyer consultation.

You should understand what you’re signing and what I’m agreeing to do for you before we start working together.

Why I Have These Requirements

I know there are buyers who would rather call an agent, meet them at a house 20 minutes later, walk through it, and figure everything else out afterward.

That isn’t how I run my business.

When I agree to represent you, I’m committing much more than the time it takes to unlock a front door.

I’m helping you evaluate properties, write and negotiate offers, navigate contracts, coordinate with your lender and title company, work through inspections and repairs, manage deadlines, solve problems when they come up, and get from the beginning of the process all the way to closing.

I take that relationship seriously.

In return, I need to know that the buyers I take on are prepared to purchase, understand the process, and are committed to working with me.

That starts with a pre-approval or proof of funds, a buyer consultation, and our representation paperwork.

What If I’m Not Ready Yet?

That’s completely fine.

You do not have to be ready to tour houses before you contact me.

In fact, I would much rather hear from you earlier.

If you’re six months away from buying, still working on your credit, saving money, trying to understand loan options, or just figuring out whether buying makes sense, we can talk about what your next steps should be.

What I don’t want to do is skip those steps and start showing houses before you’re actually prepared to purchase one.

There is a difference between starting the home-buying process and being ready to start touring homes.

You can absolutely start the process before you’re ready for showings.

Ready to Start the Home-Buying Process?

If you’re thinking about buying a home in Amarillo, Canyon, Bushland, or the surrounding area, reach out.

We can figure out where you are in the process, what needs to happen next, and whether it’s time to schedule your buyer consultation.

You don’t need to have everything figured out before you call me.

But before we start looking at houses together, we’re going to make sure you’re prepared.

Haley Sutter, REALTOR®
Brokered by 2015 Real Estate