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Audrie's first rule: Buyer's who know what they want get the best service from real estate agents. |
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Why ? Because:
- Real estate agents work hard to feed their families.
- Agents don't get a dime until a house is sold.
- They can't afford to spend hours with people who just want to look at houses.
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Agents with lots of free time are probably new, and lack the experience to provide the most professional home buying help. |
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Do your home buying homework:
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Decide how much you can afford: pre-qualify yourself with Audrie's calculator, or get pre-approved for a mortgage loan amount. |
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Make a list of your minimum requirements for a home. Use Audrie's free criteria generator to print a list. |
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Define the neighborhoods where you want to live |
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Do a reality check: |
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Pre-shop for a home on our site and other Internet sites such as Realtor.com. You should find: |
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- Homes for sale within your price range
- Homes in your target neighborhoods
- Homes that meet your minimum requirements
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A good agent can: |
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Show you every house for sale in your target neighborhoods that meet your criteria and are within your price range. |
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Suggest other neighborhoods in your price range. |
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Recommend mortgage brokers, lawyers, and home inspectors. |
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Almost all real estate agents have computer access to the local MLS which they can search on several criteria. |
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Price range |
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Age and locations |
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Minimum number of bedrooms and bathrooms |
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Garage requirements |
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Ask your agent about neighborhoods: |
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Push your agent by finding homes for sale : |
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Have your agent arrange for you to see homes
you find on the Internet and in Newspapers
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Found a house you like ?
Ask your agent to: |
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- Provide a comparable market analysis (CMA) to evaluate the Seller's asking price.
- Recommend local mortgage brokers who might get you a lower rate or bigger loan.
- Estimate closing costs.
- Recommend a lawyer in states where it is appropriate.
- Recommend a professional home inspector.
- Provide you with forms to make a formal offer to purchase.
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Caution: After carting you around in his or her car, in and out of different homes for several days, the agent becomes your friend and "partner," ...but don't ever forget: |
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- Agents are paid by the seller and are legally bound to get top dollar for the seller's property.
- An agent can give advice and act as go-between during negotiations, but he cannot press the Seller to reduce his or her price, that is the Buyer's job.
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When a Seller accepts your offer, ask your agent to: |
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- Explain escrow, earnest money deposits and binder fees.
- Review and explain a settlement statement
- Do a final estimate of closing costs.
- Coordinate the appraiser's inspection of the property..
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The Buyer should personally manage the professional home inspection. |
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Why ? Because real estate agents don't want to hear deal-breaking news. Good agents want to sell good homes, but even the best intentioned agent has an obligation to the Seller, ..do yourself and your agent a favor and work with the inspector in person. |
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- Walk through the home with your inspector and ask questions.
- Get price estimates for repairing problems.
- Personally review the inspection report with the seller
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