Reason #3 for using a Realtor when Buying a Home

Reason Number 3 – Continual Updates – walking through steps from house hunting to the moving-in process.

   Unless you want to quit your day job and concentrate completely on buying a home – it’s a good idea to use a Realtor to work for you in all aspects of the buying process.  I know – I know – you can all get on the internet and search for homes in millions (might be a bit of an exaggeration) of sites.  Well – guess what – not all sites are created equal.  Some sites don’t have all the listings (only their own companies), some sites direct you to homes or agents that look like “special” prices or “rated or ranked agents” when those are only coming up because they have been paid for.

  Contracting with a good reputable agent in your marketplace to represent you takes the worry out of the details.  The agent will hook you up with a great search engine – will profile you  as far as homes that meet your needs so that you will get automatic updates on any new listings – will help you find a mortgage that suits you and your situation and help you with suggestions for banks or mortgage lenders that are reputable in the marketplace. 

   Finding the home that is perfect for you is just the first in the series of steps that need to be taken to make sure your purchase is satisfactory.  Inspections are a must today – especially when dealing with some of the distressed properties.  Your agent can give you suggestions of inspectors that have done a good job for them, will coordinate any appointments to get in, will counsel you in local customs during the inspection process and be your advocate to get any structural concerns addressed.

  Just of few red flags that can arise during this period between offer and closing are:  radon, septic failure, appraisal issues, structural problems like bad roofs, failed furnaces or water heaters, wet basements – just to name some possible “deal breakers”.  Your Realtor has the contacts and knowledge to help you overcome some of these concerns and get them fixed correctly to make your dream home perfect instead of a nightmare.

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