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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. Some new agents are hungry and willing to investigate hundreds of homes to find the one you want, but given a choice, choose experience. |
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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 HomeGain (View Homes for Sale)  and 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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- On our site and other Internet sites such as HomeGain (View Homes for Sale) and Realtor.com.
- In newspaper real estate sections
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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; .. Exception: some states give the buyer the option of signing a "Buyer's" broker agreement. This agreement makes the real estate agent responsible for the Buyer's interest.
- In most case, an agent can give advice and act as go-between during negotiations, but he or she 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 wants to close the sale, ..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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