You’re in the market for a new home. You go to Zillow, grab a Homes & Lifestyles magazine, scour Facebook, Craigslist, and any other website you can find with listings and start your search. But, what next? Buying a house is a HUGE step and even though it may not seem like it at first, there’s a lot that goes into and thankfully you do not have to do it alone.
There’s where a Buyer Agent comes in!
A real estate agent has a lengthy list of things they do from the start of a real estate transaction to closing of escrow. Oh, and did I mention that working with a Buyer Agent is FREE to you, the buyer?
Here are just a handful of things that your Buyer Agent will do for you:
1. Help you get a Mortgage: Your agent will assist you in finding the right lender to work with and will counsel you on working effectively with them.
2. Narrow down your search: Your agent will work with your needs & wants and will focus on properties that meet your criteria, including your price range.
3. Draft up a solid offer: Your agent will ensure that your offer is a sound one that protects you and impresses the seller.
4. Negotiate a good price: Experienced realtors know the value of what they are helping their clients buy. As such, they’ll negotiate on your behalf to make sure you never pay more than you have to.
5. Navigate Inspections: If you haven’t ever seen one, a home inspection report can be very overwhelming. You’re talking about pages & pages & even more pages of information to read through. Your real estate agent can wade through the information for you and go over it with you in a much simpler, less stressful way.
6. Negotiate home inspection repair requests: The negotiations don’t stop at the initial offer. If there are any issues discovered during the home inspection, your agent will help you negotiate with the seller to either get them to make the repairs or to cover the costs of repairs at closing.
7. Recommend Professionals: Home inspections, contractors, lenders, and other professionals are often part of the real estate equations, and your agent will be able to recommend those that are highly reputable.
8. Communicate with Seller’s Agent: You and the seller will remain on the same page throughout the entire closing process thanks to your agent’s role in communicating all pertinent information between each party.
9. Monitor your Mortgage Commitment: Your agent should keep tabs on the status of your mortgage and guide you about what to do- and not to do- before your home loan has been finalized.
10. Help you with the Escrow and Closing process: There’s a LOT that happens during escrow before a deal closes, and your agent will help you through this process in a streamlined manner.
So, honestly what are you waiting for?