Save Time and Money

Most real estate agents like to preview. Previewing homes is a way that agents can prepare ahead of time for clients by looking at the homes their buyers like. This way a long list can be narrowed down to just a few, or a home that has an odor or a hidden problem, like a missing air conditioner, can be spotted before hand. They agent can determine if it is still appropriate, based on their buyer's preferences, or buyers may decide not to look at the home, or could reconsider the priority of it.

Obviously, previewing saves time, but how does it save money? Well, time is money! Also, if a buyer is taking time off from work to look at homes, that is time saved and money earned. If the buyers are a couple and only one of them is able to look, it can be useful to have information ahead of time, so they can decide together if they still want to see it.

If you are a busy buyer, ask your agent if previewing properties can save you some time (and money)!

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Viewing Homes - How Does it Work?

When it is time to look at homes it is important to be prepared.  Before looking at any house there are a few question that should be answered.  One of the first is to be sure the home is available.  Many times a home may have come under contract very recently.  Your agent can make a quick call to the listing agent to ensure that the home is currently available and that the seller is still considering offers.  Another thing buyers should know before looking at a potential home is whether it matches their financing type.  For example, if a buyer is approved for an FHA loan it is important that the home be listed, under 'terms' as eligible for FHA financing.  If the home is offered as 'cash' or 'conventional' it may have an issue that would make it unavailable for an FHA loan.  Most times this would be a physical condition issue, such as peeling exterior paint, that would cause the home to fail and FHA appraisal. Finally, it is usually a good idea to ask about the comps for the area around the house.  Your agent can pull up a quick analysis of what homes are selling for in the neighborhood and this will help the agent and buyer be able to tell if a home is priced well for the area.  Looking at homes that are available, that fit the buyer's financing and are priced correctly for the area will cut down on wasted time, energy and disappointment.  Stick to the ones that make sense!

Your Agent Negotiates for Your Best Interests

When you have your own agent, you can rest assured that they will negotiate for YOUR best interests. Initially, you probably think price, right? Of course, getting the house you want at the price you are willing to pay is important, but there is more.  Once you have a contract on your house, you will do an inspection. Many times, once the inspections are complete, you will want or need to request some repairs.  Your agent will help you with this.  Once you have discussed it they will present the BINSR (Buyer Inspection Notice and Seller's Response) to the seller.  This form outlines any items you would like the seller to address before you agree to close on the purchase. Additionally, if circumstances change; you need more time, or there are any issues with the house or the closing, a good buyer's agent will be able to negotiate extensions or even a quicker closing.

It Doesn't Cost You Money

Nothing is free...right?  Well, when you hire a Realtor® to help you buy a home, it doesn't cost you anything, 99% of the time.  Here is why.  When a seller lists their home for sale with a real estate company, they offer a commission.  Let's say a seller has offered his broker/agent a 6% commission on the gross sales price of his home. This is typically split in half and the listing broker shares 3% of this with the buyer's broker/agent. When the sale closes (and only then), the commission is paid.  Some would say that the seller is paying the commission, however, it could also be argued that the buyer is the one paying it, since they are paying the seller!  Either way, generally no one pays money out of pocket for the professional services of a Realtor®.