Friday, August 21, 2015

Get a Real Estate Agent!

It can be complicated to get a purchased closed in the current market; it has changed dramatically from just a few years ago.  Buyers face more hurdles than ever, including stricter financing, low housing supplies, higher mortgage rates and rising prices.  To negotiate these challenges, you need to find a real estate sales professional who will help you close the deal.  A good real estate professional understands current market conditions, and has house-by-house neighborhood experience that will help you to obtain the right home at the best possible terms.



Your agent will also be able to help you find a home quickly.  Not only do real estate agents have access to the local multiple listing service, they and their colleagues share an extensive knowledge of homes coming onto the market.  Your real estate professional will tell others about your home requirements, so that they’ll also be looking for good homes for you.  Networking actually serves as one of the biggest advantages of the industry.  Many homes are bought and sold without any ads in the newspaper or signs in the front yard.  Yet for buyers to be shown the latest homes on the market there needs to be a strong relationship between buyer and real estate professional.  


If you want to be a buyer who's in the position to make the first and best offers, then make sure your agent knows how committed you are.  Some ways to do this include getting prequalified with a lender, working with only one agent and not shopping for homes without your agent.  Real estate professionals mostly work off commission, so be loyal; in return, they’ll tell you about any exceptional deals before anybody else.  Don’t try to play agents off of each other; agents tend to talk, and they’ll be quick to find out that they’re working for the same buyer.

The work really starts once you find the house that you want.  You’ll need to navigate negotiations, loan approval, seller’s disclosures, inspections and countless other hoops.  Yet from helping you to make a reasonable offer to providing for the discovery and disclosure of material facts, your agent can protect your interests.  Agents are skilled negotiators and problem solvers, who can also anticipate problems before they happen.  Your agent will share your risk, and make sure that you go into any home purchase fully prepared.  So take advantage of what could be the greatest homebuying resource around!