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Buyer's Home
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The Key To Success
It only takes a couple disappointments to realize that the real secret is to have your own realtor at work here ready to call just as soon as the type of home you want comes on the market. It's then up to you to get here ASAP and make an offer before someone else does if it's what you want. Being one of the first to see it is the key to success.
As previously stated, a good realtor will weed out poor choices and alert the buyers to new listing just as soon as they come on the market saving you much wasted effort, and frustration from missed opportunities. In addition, a good realtor will be a great source of local real estate information to help in your decision making and to smooth your path to a successful sale from early showings to closing. The Different Kinds of Realtors Historically speaking, some realtors are great at getting listings, some at working with customers, and some at both. In all cases, the realtor represented the seller who paid the fees, and not the buyer who always thought that nice realtor was working for them. About ten years ago, the "Buyers Agent" was introduced whose sole purpose was to exclusively represent the buyer. It took awhile to take hold as there was much resistence in the industry and still is to a degree, but it is a successful concept. If fact, many realtors have taken the "Buyers Agent" courses and can now offer a prospective buyer the option of representing them as a sellers or buyers agent the same as attorneys have flexibility in how they represent clients. Should You Use a Buyers or Sellers Agent? As rigid as the following descriptions sound, a good realtor is a problem solver, a match maker between buyers and sellers. He or she tries to make buyers happy by providing opportunities for them to find the "home of their dreams" and to make sellers happy by finding the right buyer for their home. In both cases, a good realtor will see to it that the whole transaction process runs as smoothly as possible. Finding A Good Realtor Here are a few suggestions: 1. recommendations from friends or relatives, 2. leads from newspapers and booklets, 3. realtors that you met in their offices or while attending open houses during your early home search, 4. names from the internet especially those realtors with web sites, 5. recommendations from mortgage brokers when you get pre-approved and from other business sources, and 6. friends or relatives who are realtors could be considered, but is not always a good idea. Tips For Working Successfully With A Realtor* Here are five excellent tips, created by an unknown realtor, and presented on "e-PRO Talk" an email forum of the National Association of Realtors. 1. Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Buyers who haven't demonstrated their financial ability to purchase a home won't be a high priority for most top agents. That's why a simple loan pre-approval letter, preferably from a well-respected local mortgage broker, is a must. A pre-qualification letter is helpful, but not nearly as strong a motivator as a pre-approval letter. 2. Be loyal. Agents admit they work harder for loyal buyers. Don't work with multiple agents in one area at the same time. If you decide to switch agents or if you're house hunting with two agents in two distinct areas, disclose the situation to both agents. If you visit an open house, sign the guest book and write in your agent's name and telephone number. If you spot a new for-sale sign or a new listing on a Web site, ask your agent to get the details. If you decide to check it out yourself, mention your agent's name. 3. Know your own priorities. Some agents get frustrated with buyers who seem clueless about what they need and want in their home. Before you start house hunting, make a list of your priorities and discuss each item with your agent. Write down the non-negotiables that you must have and the amenities that you'd like to have, but could forgo if the other minimum requirements were met. When you start touring homes, be as specific and direct as possible in communicating what you like and don't like about each home. 4. Be open-minded. Agents work harder for imaginative buyers who can see beyond dead landscaping and hideous wallpaper. The perfect home for you could be hiding behind a decor you can't stand. Ask your agent what it would take to upgrade, remodel or redecorate an unappealing home that happens to be in the right neighborhood and the right price range. 5. Be ready to act fast. Some buyers want to move into their new home within a couple of months. Others won't be ready to start packing for two years. People who are planning to move sooner rather than later will be a higher priority for most real estate agents. Buyers who aren't encumbered with a home they need to sell also get more attention. If you intend to move quickly, make that intention known to your agent and act on it.
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