Two thirds of Melissa's work is on the buyer's side. 112 closings in five years, an honest read on every house, and offers built to be accepted.
Melissa photographed houses professionally for years before she was licensed. That is years spent learning exactly which angle makes a room look larger, which corner gets cropped out, and what time of day a listing is shot to flatter it.
On a showing, that becomes a condition read rather than a sales tour. Flat roofs, evaporative coolers, stucco, foundation movement, galvanised plumbing. She tells you which ones a house has before you fall in love with the kitchen.
112 of her 180 closings over the prior five years were buyer side, worth $44.9 million. Roughly two thirds of everything she does.
Not pre-qualified. It sets your budget honestly and makes your offers credible.
Separate from what a lender will allow. This is the one that gets held when a house draws twenty offers.
Every showing comes with an honest assessment of what the house is and what fixing it would cost.
Price is one lever of six. Earnest money, timelines, contingencies and possession move sellers and cost you nothing.
A report is a list of findings, not a bill. Knowing which items are genuinely expensive is where the money is.
Appraisal, underwriting, final walkthrough, signing. Typically 30 to 45 days. Fully remote if you are not here yet.
Each stage explained as it arrives, and your budget held.
Read thisShe stands in the house at the inspection so you do not have to.
Read thisSpeed and structure beat price more often than people expect.
Read thisThe model home representative works for the builder.
Read thisWhich side of town actually fits your commute.
Read thisMultifamily, land and small portfolio purchases.
Read thisLess than most people assume. Conventional loans can start near three percent down, FHA at 3.5 percent, and VA and USDA financing can require nothing down. New Mexico also runs down payment assistance through MFA. The percentage matters less than your total monthly cost once taxes, insurance and any HOA dues are included.
Yes, and pre-approved rather than pre-qualified. A pre-qualification is an estimate based on what you tell a lender. A pre-approval means they have reviewed your income, credit and debts. Sellers here will not treat an offer seriously without one.
The roof and the cooling system first. Flat and low-slope roofs are common and have a different maintenance profile than pitched roofs. Many older homes use evaporative coolers rather than refrigerated air, and converting is a real expense. Stucco condition, foundation movement in expansive soils, and galvanised plumbing are the other three.
Most financed purchases close in 30 to 45 days once under contract. Cash closes faster. The search is the variable, and pre-approved buyers with clear criteria move much faster.
Compensation is now negotiated explicitly rather than assumed. You will sign a written buyer agreement stating what your broker is paid and by whom. Seller-paid compensation remains common but is agreed deal by deal. Melissa walks you through how it works on your transaction before you tour anything.
Fifteen minutes, no agreement to sign, and no cost to ask. Call (505) 933-7785 or book a time.
