A home will likely be your single largest investment, as it is for most. For that reason, purchasing it is not something you want to plunge into without first taking several important things into consideration.
Finding the perfect home often isn’t easy, especially when you’re a first-time buyer or you’re in the market for a fixer-upper. Here’s how an experienced real estate agent can help:
Experience
When you hire a buyer’s agent, you gain an ally. A buyer’s agent looks out for your best interest and helps ensure that you get the perfect deal. What’s more, it won’t cost you a cent – the commission is typically paid for by the seller (the buyer’s and seller’s agents split it). This holds true 99.9% of the time.
As a realtor with extensive building experience, I’m able to provide my clients advice on the soundness of the homes we look at and help them visualize how they can turn the one they finally pick into their dream home without breaking the bank.
Connections
A good agent knows what to check for in the home’s structure and has access to various other professionals you may need throughout the home-buying process. They have the experience to identify potential problems with a house and can pinpoint possible issues that may not be clear to you as a buyer.
Your agent can also hook you up with a real estate attorney and a home inspector. They can recommend architects, contractors, interior designers and a host of other professionals that you might need. They will also be able to guide you with financing, home management, and the many other aspects of buying a home.
Negotiation Skills
An experienced buyer’s agent will know the market – they’ll know if a home is appropriately priced and they’ll help you come up with the right offer. And once you’re in the negotiation stage with the seller, your agent is there to make sure that you’re in the best bargaining position possible. This includes everything from ensuring that all the necessary paperwork is filed to carefully checking disclosure forms and home inspection reports to identify potential issues.
Advice
Most importantly, a good agent will pay attention to your needs and goals. They’ll guide you on what to do if a deal falls through, explain what your investment would likely entail, and even help you with a feasibility analysis for your potential return on investment (ROI) should you decide to rent out the home in the future. If you’re investing in a fixer-upper, they can even help you determine your renovation budget and find the best contractors and vendors.
Find someone with their finger on the pulse of the market who can make your buying experience easy and stress-free. I look forward to helping you with one of the most important financial decisions of your life. If you’re in the market for a home in the Valley of the Sun, contact me at 480.518.2222 or send an email to melikian(at)mindspring(dotted)com.
