A Transparent, Education-First Approach to Buying

Alex Mysinek welcomed Olivier Chabin of the Sohus Real Estate Group at Edina Realty to the podcast for a conversation about guiding first-time buyers through the process in today’s market. Olivier is licensed in Minnesota and Wisconsin and is the son of first generation immigrants, a background that shapes how he helps clients through a process that can feel completely new. His game plan on every file is to be as transparent as possible, explain every step of buying or selling, respond quickly, and leave nothing hidden so clients have full information when making one of the biggest decisions of their lives.

Two Meetings Before Any Home Tours

Olivier meets with every incoming buyer twice before looking at a single property. The first is a buyer consultation, where he reviews the buyer’s goals and walks through the entire process from start to finish, including the lender and title team needed to close. Once the buyer understands the steps and has a timeline, the second meeting is what he calls a refined focus meeting, where they set search criteria such as bedrooms and location. Only then do they tour homes, where he points out items like an older furnace that represent future expenses for a first-time buyer. The goal is for both sides to be on the same page about what the buyer wants and what to expect from him.

What Buyers Are Concerned About Right Now

Olivier says he is not hearing a massive concern about the market in general. Minnesota still has lower inventory than many other states, which brings some peace of mind. Technically it remains a seller’s market by inventory, but buyers have a great deal of leverage in negotiation. His advice is that buyers may need to bite the bullet on the rate for now and refinance later, while using today’s conditions to negotiate a lower purchase price. Inventory is rising, and many buyers are waiting on the sidelines for rates to fall, which could send prices back up once they return.

Focus on the Payment, Not the Rate

Alex shares the comparison he makes for clients. Three years ago, rates were lower, but homes were selling 50 to 70 thousand dollars over asking with no inspections. Today rates are higher, but buyers can negotiate 25 to 50 thousand dollars off the price. You cannot refinance a purchase price, but you can refinance a rate if rates come down, and nobody knows when that will be. His advice is to focus on whether the payment is affordable and worry about the rate later.

Using Seller Concessions and Buydowns

Olivier says it is rare now that he cannot get either a price reduction or at least seller-paid closing costs. For many first-time buyers he recommends using seller-paid closing costs toward a rate buydown, which can bring the monthly payment back into a comfortable range. He notes that sellers who bought at the peak and are trying to break even are harder to negotiate with, while sellers who have owned for years have more flexibility. In a recent $200,000 purchase, he secured $10,000 off the price and $10,000 in seller credits, part of which went to a rate buydown.

He leaves the numbers to the lender and encourages buyers to run side-by-side scenarios, such as a lower price versus a buydown, over five, ten, and twenty years.

How Olivier’s Background Shapes His Service

Olivier says his background makes him more open to understanding where clients are coming from when processes are unfamiliar. For buyers from outside the country, he sees financial literacy as fairly universal, so his role centers on helping them understand the Minnesota market and which areas fit best. The mortgage programs themselves are something to review with a lender. Ultimately he wants every client to have a solid, simple roadmap.

What a Realtor Needs From a Lender

Olivier values communication above all, including responsiveness during the day and into the early evening when offers are being shaped. He also wants lenders who clearly explain financing, fees, and each step. He has worked with lenders who give formal presentations and those who run numbers conversationally, and finds that a presentation answers many questions up front.

How Alex Onboards Buyers

Alex explains that he typically begins with a needs and goals call of 15 to 20 minutes focused on payment, cash to close, down payment assistance, and timeline. After the application and documents, he holds a loan consultation using Mortgage Coach for number-oriented buyers or MBS Highway for a simpler view, covering every line of the estimate. He also asks buyers to send him addresses before weekend showings so he can provide estimates with rate, payment, and cash to close, helping them compare homes using real numbers. He adds that lenders paid only on closing are strongly motivated to be available nights and weekends, and that his team has a system to issue pre-approvals at odd hours.

How to Reach Olivier Chabin

Olivier is easiest to reach by phone or email, and he is also responsive on Instagram.

Alex Mysinek helps buyers across Minnesota with mortgage financing, including rate buydown strategies and first-time buyer options. Reach out to Alex to talk through your numbers before you start touring homes.

Sources

NorthstarMLS.com
MNRealtor.com
Realtor.com
FreddieMac.com
ConsumerFinancialProtectionBureau.gov