This post is sponsored by Ingrid Williams Real Estate. Ingrid is a wealth of knowledge and can answer your questions on anything from finding the right Realtor to moving strategies to house hunting with kids.
This month Ingrid’s goal is to help families understand the importance of choosing an Agent when buying a home.
Buying a Home Is Not a DIY Project
Hot real estate markets like ours can easily result in unwary buyers paying too much for their home. It’s so simple and instant these days to search online or with an app, yet that isn’t the most ideal thing for the buyer!
Some buyers falsely expect to save money by either waiting to employ a buyer’s agent, or worse yet, working directly with the agent on the listing sign or with the homeowner themselves.
“Why would I want to hire someone when I can do all of this myself?” they say. Well, buying a home is not a DIY project – don’t assume representing yourself in a real estate transaction is the most ideal solution for you.
Here’s the deal — does it make sense to skip out on a vital service that is nearly always free? In most transactions, it’s the seller who pays the Realtor fees, NOT the buyer! And yet YOU get to choose your own buyer’s agent to represent ONLY you! It is important to choose a Realtor who can represent you in a purchase. That Realtor would be your buyer’s agent and represents you alone. He or she would have no interest in the sale other then yours.
Here are some of the important things your agent can do for you as a buyer:
1) Your Agent can do all the searches for you based on the type of house you’re looking for, in the area you want, and generally have his or her ear to the ground for homes that aren’t even listed yet for sale.
2) Your Agent will put together a customized tour of solid potential homes that is efficient and will help you find your dream home faster.
3) Your Agent can explain the process from start to finish, ensuring you feel comfortable with every aspect.
4) Your Agent knows how to ensure that you’re not overpaying for the home you find just because it has great curb-appeal.
5) Your Agent is an expert negotiator to keep you from getting bulldozed over by pushy sellers or agents and will get you the best terms possible.
6) Your Agent will represent you through the weedy part of the paperwork, through any little surprises that happen in the process, and all the way through the closing.
7) Your Agent can put in offers that protect you with contingencies and walk you through each step of the buying process. You need someone in your court representing your interests!
Can you get all of this by calling the agent on the sign or that’s listed as the contact for the home on the app? The bottom line? Nope. You’ll never know if there was a better home for you out there, or if you paid the right price or got the best deal possible. Buying a home is stressful enough; you need to have the peace of mind that a buyer’s agent can provide.
Choosing an Agent
When you choose your buyer’s agent, make sure you interview and choose someone who is willing to take time to meet you before you start the home buying process. Read reviews online, check out how many homes they have sold in the past two years and how long they have been in the business. Have they been selling less less than five years? Do they sell Real Estate full time? Not all agents are the same, so choose an agent with experience and expertise in your area.
Connect with Ingrid
Ingrid Williams is a mom of five and a licensed Realtor for Re/Max Precision. Several of our DMMB families and readers have had the honor of working with her, and she is highly recommended throughout Central Iowa.
Check out her website here and connect via Facebook.
To receive amazing local coupons and/or real estate advice, contact her at [email protected] and she’ll add you to her monthly email list.
And for help in determining if this is the right time for you to sell your home, give her a call at 515.371.5277 and she’ll be glad to come out and do a free market analysis on your home.
