Steps 1–3: The Foundation That Separates 3 Offers From 5 Years
Most buyers think the home search starts with looking at houses.
It doesn't.
The search starts long before you walk into your first showing.
It starts with clarity—knowing where you are now, what you want next, and how to build the right strategy for your situation.
This is why the first three steps of Dream to Doorstep happen fast, usually in a single conversation. They can take 15 minutes. But they shape your entire journey.
Skip them, and you could waste years.
Do them right, and you could be under contract in weeks.
Five Years. Zero Offers. One Question Changed Everything.
Sharon came to me in 2019 looking for a house in Middletown, CT.
Five years later, she still hadn't made a single offer.
Every time we got close, a new barrier appeared. I kept digging to find the real issue.
The real problem? No cash for down payment.
Every time they saved enough, life wiped it out. Car repair. Medical bill. Something.
She also kept missing showings. Kids' sports. Personal plans. Missed 4-5 houses because she wasn't available fast enough.
I had to have a conversation: "It's one game or the house you want. Which matters more?"
But the money issue remained.
Then I asked one question:
"Do you have any family members who could gift you money for a down payment?"
She didn't think so.
I told her: "Ask. If they say no, you move on. If they say yes, you move forward."
She asked her dad.
Her dad had tens of thousands of dollars SET ASIDE for her already.
He didn't know she was looking. If she'd told him in 2019, she would've been in a house by 2020.
Changed everything.
Once the down payment was solved and she committed to jumping on showings, we found the house. Made an offer against competition.
We won.
Closed. They're in their home now.
Here's the lesson:
This is Step 1—"You Are Here"—in action.
Understanding your complete situation includes knowing ALL your resources. Not just what's in your bank account.
One question. After five years.
Two Houses Under Contract in Three Offers
Joe came to me through my lender partner.
Young professional who works at different job sites around Connecticut. Wanted a central location—East Hartford/Manchester area.
Smart buyer. Chose a price point below his maximum affordability. Didn't want to be house poor.
Strong financial position:
15-20% down payment ready
Conventional loan
Good credit
Month-to-month rental (no lease issues, could move fast)
Decision-making? Simple. Just him. No complicated family dynamics, no multiple approval layers.
Steps 1-3 of Dream to Doorstep were straightforward.
We knew exactly where he stood financially. We knew exactly what he wanted—central location, reasonable price, 2 bedrooms. We built a strategy that matched his strong position.
First offer: Got beat on price
Second offer: Nice condo. Got accepted. Passed home inspection.
Then condo documents revealed an HOA insurance policy issue. Simple fix—HOA just needed to call insurance company and change it.
HOA refused.
Joe decided to walk away rather than inherit future problems.
Third offer: Found a property that was actually better location and better layout.
Closed successfully.
Two houses under contract in just three offers. Total time - 2.5 months.
That's the power of having your foundation solid from day one.
Before I implemented Dream to Doorstep, my clients averaged 8-9 offers before going under contract. Joe got two houses under contract in three total offers.
Something goes wrong in every deal. Be ready for it. The HOA insurance nightmare wasn't Joe's fault—but because we had Steps 1-3 buttoned up, we could handle the problem, walk away cleanly, and pivot to something better without panic or wasted months.
The Difference Between 5 Years and 3 Offers
Let me make this crystal clear:
Sharon: 5 years searching. 0 offers. Step 1 incomplete.
Joe: 3 offers. 2 houses under contract. Steps 1-3 complete.
Same market. Same Connecticut chaos. Same competitive conditions.
The only difference? Foundation work.
What Steps 1–3 Actually Do
Here's what happens in that 15-minute conversation:
Step 1: You Are Here
We map your starting point:
Housing situation (renting, owning, staying with family)
Financial reality (what you can afford vs. what you're comfortable spending)
Decision makers (who needs to be involved and how they make decisions)
Priorities (timing, flexibility, what's driving the move)
This is where we catch issues like Sharon's down payment gap. Before they become 5-year problems.
Step 2: Define Your Dream
We separate your needs from your wants:
Non-negotiables (must-haves that aren't flexible)
Nice-to-haves (bonuses that keep you flexible)
This is where we figure out what "right" actually looks like for you. Not what Zillow says. Not what your friends think. What actually works for YOUR life.
Step 3: Tailored Strategy
We build your approach based on your situation and current market conditions:
How fast you need to move
How competitive your offers must be
How broad your search should be
What leverage you actually have
What risks to avoid
This is where Joe's strong financial position turned into two accepted offers in three attempts.
Most buyers never get a strategy. They get hope.
Hope that the right house will appear. Hope that their offer will be accepted. Hope that nothing goes wrong.
Hope is not a strategy.
What Happens When You Skip the Foundation
When buyers jump straight into showings without completing Steps 1-3, they:
Fall in love with homes they can't afford or can't compete for.
Move too slowly when the right one appears.
Make weak offers with no leverage.
Change their mind halfway through because they never defined what they wanted.
Get overwhelmed by too many options and no filter.
Every single one of these problems gets solved in 15 minutes of upfront work.
Or you can spend 5 years figuring it out the hard way.
You're Ready for the Next Step
Now that your foundation is in place—you know where you are, what you want, and what strategy fits your situation—it's time to talk about the moment that matters most:
Making an offer that stands out.
Most buyers think the highest price wins.
They're wrong.
The next blog shows you how we use everything from Steps 1-3 to craft an offer that wins—even against higher bids.
Next up: How to Build an Overwhelming Offer That Wins Without Overpaying.
