Do you think you are ready for the commitment of buying a home? With the home buying and selling market that we are experiencing right now it is the perfect time to start looking. Whether you are looking to buy your first home or upgrade the current interest rates and home market make it an ideal time to hire a realtor to begin your search.
A trusted realtor with experience in the local area is a must when you are looking to buying a home. Some buyers are hesitant to use a realtor because they don’t want to pay the fees involved with using a realtor. It is important to remember that the fees that realtors are paid, the commissions, are paid for by seller. It is crucial that buyers remember that listing agents do not have their best interest in mind. They represent their client, the seller and their best interest.
No matter if you use a realtor to buy a home or not the commissions are paid by the seller. Therefore not using one only allows for the sellers listing agent to be paid both sides of the commission. Using an real estate agent that is savvy can help to protect your interests throughout the home buying process from negotiating the sale price to helping you navigate through the home inspection process.
Buying a home requires you enter into a legal contract. One major difference in contracts dealing with the purchase of a home is that they are negotiable up until the time at which you sign on the dotted line to buy the home. If you want time to review the home inspection report, time to obtain a well inspection or want to ensure that the sale is subject to a certain condition such as the ability to obtain a home loan this can be negotiated into the deal.
Buying a home is one of the biggest financial commitments that most of us will ever enter into. With this in mind it is important to consider changes in your future before making a purchase. If you are looking to start a family in the next two years buy won’t want to move again within that period of time it is essential you consider the additional member of your family in the purchase. Consider the number of rooms in the home, the day care centers in the area, local recreation and all other aspects that are important to you.
When you buy a home you are making an additional commitment to your time. You will need time to keep up on daily maintenance as well as future home improvements. Find a home that meets the commitment level you are ready for. If you don’t have lots of time for yard maintenance or exterior upkeep consider the purchase of a town home, condominium or home with significantly lower maintenance requirements.
An affordable home is important as well. Take into consideration the amount you have to put down on a home, the interest rate you will pay, monthly utility payments and such before purchasing a home. The cost of the home is essentially unimportant if you can’t afford to live in it. All of these items should be added up and accounted for before fixating on a home of your dreams. Affordability comes from more than just the initial cost to purchase the home.
An experienced real estate agent is invaluable to the buying and selling process. They offer extensive knowledge of the process as a whole and therefore decrease the amount of stress that is usually associated with buying a home. A great way to find a reputable real estate agent is to talk to family, friends and associates about their experiences. Newer agents with less experience can still offer a reliable amount of knowledge to the process depending on your level of experience in home buying. If however, this is the first time you are buying a home look to work with an agent that has been working within the industry for a significant amount of time. Time in real estate improves upon the knowledge of an agent as well as the different number of situations they are familiar with.
Lady of the Lakes Real Estate is Livingston County’s premiere realtor; out of Pinckney, Michigan helping buyers buy and sellers sell homes that provide a recreational lifestyle including golf courses, lakes and the Huron river chain of lakes, throughout Brighton, Howell, Pinckney and the surrounding area. Find out more at http://www.ladyofthelakes.com.