| |
A Good-Start can
:
Greatly improve your
chance of finding the
right Home
for you
&
Assure you a better
Home
Buying Experience
|
|
|
 |
|
I will be
glad to assist you with questions about Real Estate or
information about our Community of
Columbia. |
Seven
Must
Do's to
improve your Buying Experience !!
1) Find the hard working Agent that you want to work with
2) Sign a
Buyer's Agreement
with your Agent ... (Protect
yourself)
3) Determine how much Home you can
afford (Visit your lender)
4) Be fully vetted by your lender ...
Get "full" Loan
Approval
5) What kind of Home are you looking for ........ (Your Vision)
6) Drive around, look on the internet, share ideas with your
Agent
7) Work as a Team .... Help your Agent to help you and your
family
|
How it all Works ....
Good stuff to Know! |
Real Estate "Agency", how does it work ?
If you were involved in a legal issue,
would you
ask someone else's lawyer for free advice or would you hire an
attorney
that would be committed to you and your issue?
Purchasing a house is just that kind of
scenario. There are many legal and other issues that
can become problems. These issues may cost you
money, time, even the deal on your dream house.
Are you a
Customer or Client ?
See
Missouri Broker's Disclosure Form
By
Law, there are two avenues for how your Real Estate Agent can
interact
with
you, "the Buyer".
You should understand these options
|
1)
|
As a Customer
(you have no legal agreement):
The Agent
owes you honesty about the property being shown and nothing
else.
When you
write an Offer to Purchase and enter into negotiations with the Seller,
your
agent is very probably working
with the Seller, The
agent cannot have fiduciary responsibility to parties on
both sides of the equation.
|
|
2)
|
As a
Client (By signing a
Missouri Buyer's Agreement):
Sign a
"Buyers Agreement" with your Agent and the Agent becomes legally bound to
protect all private information about you and your finances and to do
anything within the law to assist you to get the best deal on your home.
Why would you NOT want to be represented?
Anything that "your Buyers Agent" learns about a
the sellers situation, the property or anything that will benefit you, they
are obligated to tell you. They are now "your Buyer's Agent".
This is powerful representation and usually cost you, the Buyer, nothing.
|
|
|
If you choose to work with "the Listing Agent": (the
Sellers Agent)
That Sellers Agent (or a Sub Agent) is legally obligated to the Seller to get the best deal for their home.
This agent can help you with any other issue, but not to negotiate against the Seller's best interest.
|
Can I get out of a
Contract ?
Before signing,
discuss the possibility of getting out of your agreement if things are not
going as you would like. It really does not benefit you or the
agent if the relationship is not working out. The Agent would usually
prefer to release you and work with another client in a better working relationship.
I Guarantee my work. If you
are not satisfied with my performance,
Fire me!
|
Know how much Home you can afford:
Finding the right home can be a
disappointing activity if you do not know specifically what you can afford.
When you make an offer on a House, a copy of your loan
"Approval" Letter should be included in the offer. This helps to assure
the seller that you are a serious buyer, "you have loan approval".
You are ready to deal.
|
 |
Sharing your Needs and Wants with your Agent:
Now that you are protected by a Buyers
Agreement and know how much you can afford to borrow, sit down with your
agent and talk. Sharing information about your lifestyle and what you
would like in a house will be most helpful. The better your agent
knows you and your desires, the better equipped they will be to find the
home that you must have.
If you have access to a computer, you can also
shop on the internet, find some homes that look promising and talk with
your agent about them. This can help to shorten the looking
process considerably.
Are you Ready to make a decision
?
Do everything possible NOW and be prepared to
"Make the Offer" when you find the house that is right for you. Many deals are lost
because because the Buyer is not prepared to act.
Don't let another Buyer get the Home you
want, because you are not prepared.
When You find the
right
Home:
Once you have found your home,
your Buyers Agent will be invaluable in assisting you to place a good offer
and to deal with counter-offers as necessary.
Relax and have fun. Make it an
adventure.
Happy House Hunting !!
|
