Buying a home is exciting, but it is easy to make costly mistakes without the right strategy. In this episode of Ladies Who List, Chicago real estate agents Hayley Westhoff and Anna Theofanous break down the most common mistakes buyers make and how to avoid them in today’s competitive real estate market.

They discuss why focusing on design over layout, location, and build quality can lead to long-term regret, how overlooking a home’s true condition can result in expensive surprises, and why working with the wrong agent or skipping representation altogether puts buyers at a major disadvantage. You will also learn how experienced buyer representation can make the difference between winning and losing in multiple-offer situations.

This episode also covers buyer behavior during showings, why professionalism and first impressions matter more than most buyers realize, and how due diligence, inspections, and local market knowledge protect your investment. If you are planning to buy a home and want to shop smarter, avoid common buyer pitfalls, and improve your chances of securing the right property, this episode offers practical guidance every buyer should hear.