You’ve heard this before…buying a home is probably the biggest financial investment you will make, and naturally you want to be successful at it. So there are a few things that are essential for you to do. True even if you have purchased a home before, too!
And if you are a seller but planning to buy a next home this will be helpful for you, too!
In Part 1 we discussed the importance, and value, of getting pre-approved before starting your home search. It’s NOT a small thing – it’s essential to know your buying power, and have it documented so you don’t waste time looking at properties you cannot afford, but can also purchase the most you can for the money you want and are able to spend.
Here’s part 2 of this 6-step series.
You want to make you are working with a well-qualified Realtor®. What does this mean and how does this benefit you?
WORK WITH A QUALIFIED REALTOR®
First, a big part of what a qualified and knowledgeable Buyer Agent does is educate – there is a ton of stuff to know about when buying a home, and things keep changing.
While you may believe the Internet is the be-all-end-all of information, with answers to every question about real estate, this is not the case. There are plenty of gaps, discrepancies, contradictions, and enough information to confuse even the most savvy buyer. And there’s plenty the Internet doesn’t tell you.
You no doubt will have lots of questions, but there will be plenty of things you don’t even know to ask about, and your agent will help you there.
Whether you are a first time buyer or an experienced once you need a trusted, knowledgeable REALTOR® to answer questions, educate you, guide you through the process, and help find solutions to problems that might arise, or guide you to the right person who can help with the problem, say an attorney, tax professional or licensed tradesperson.
The other important issue is that the listing agent works for the seller, and his or her job is to protect the seller’s best interests and obtain the highest price and best terms and conditions for the home. But that’s NOT what you want.
You want and need someone in your corner, watching out for your best interests, financial and otherwise, and to help prevent you from being taken advantage of by the seller. The Internet can’t do that either. Why do you think the seller has a contract with the listing agent? The REALTOR® working with you is like having your own attorney protecting you in a legal matter. While the agent you hire is NOT, and cannot act as, an attorney, the relationships are similar.
Your buyer agent will also know about the local market conditions and can help you understand them and what they mean for your home search and the offer process. More on that in another post.