Thinking it’s the right time to buy a house? Some people plan for years; others do it on the spur of the moment. No matter where you fall–either on one of the extremes or soundly in the middle–here are several important things to consider when buying a home.
Envision Your New Home
No two houses are the same. Spend time contemplating neighborhoods, styles, and features. What features do you want? How can you prioritize all the options? And which features are absolutely non-negotiable?
Build a Relationship
Why is this important? Their job is to work for you. In order to do that fully, your real estate professional needs to have a complete understanding of your objectives. This will help the REALTOR® focus the search while also explaining the timeline of house hunting along with the intricacies of the current housing market and how it might affect you. They will establish an automated email alert system through local MLS broker marketplaces that immediately notifies you have properties that fit your requirements. They also explain the process for mortgage approval and closing.
Sign on the Dotted Line
The process of buying a home is a series of agreements. The first agreement is with your REALTOR®. Once the real estate agent has explained what work will be done on your behalf, you will be expected to sign a buyer representation agreement. This allows the REALTOR® to begin working on your behalf. Part of that agreement will include an explanation of compensation, who pays it, and what the buyer’s options are for paying it. This signature will be the first of many, so practice your John Hancock.
Negotiating Offers
The REALTOR® is skilled in negotiations. Their job is to help narrow the search until you identify the best choice. Once that is accomplished, the real estate agent will assist you in helping to write an offer that has a reasonable chance of being accepted. They want to make sure you are getting the best property at the best price.
Advocating for the Buyer
This is where having a real estate professional on your team is essential. They will do myriad things on buyer’s behalf–some big and some small–but all add up to the reason to hire a professional. The REALTOR® will determine HOA costs and other soft expenses, encourage the buyer to fully investigate all options related to the home inspection, title company, appraiser, mortgage lender, and other services; provide a full list of both required and optional inspections such as environmental, roofing, and mold; negotiate reasonable repair requests; provide information about transferring utilities; review buyer’s closing statement for accuracy; request final close figures from the title company; remind the buyer to re-key all locks; and any other support needed in the final closing activities.
The end result is to make sure you are in the home of your dreams. The best way to do that is by selecting an agent like those at the Yosha Snyder Group who have a thorough understanding of the local market, excellent communication skills, and a proven track record of success. They want to help you navigate the complexities of buying a property–from helping to determine your perfect price point to finding the perfect home.