Expensive Mistakes Buyers Make

They fail to use the services of an EXPERIENCED REALTOR.

Real estate is a unique business: an agent with one day's experience gets paid the same as an agent with several years of experience. An experienced consultant can ensure that you avoid costly mistakes, and make your home-buying experience an enjoyable but stress-free one.

They do not know for whom the agent is really working.

It is important for buyers to know for whom the agents they contact are actually working. When you call on an ad, or go into an open house, you will be talking to the agent for the seller. This person is legally obligated to work in the best interests of the seller. For example: a seller's agent will not be allowed to tell you the motivation of the seller, or that the home is overpriced, if possibly it is. Their fiduciary duty to their principal (the seller) prohibits this. The best way to ensure that you receive all of the protection you are entitled to is to have your own agent represent you: someone with no attachment to the seller at all.

They fail to prepare a "comparative market appraisal".

Your buyer's agent will provide you with this vital information as part and parcel of the duties they owe to you, their client. Only when this appraisal is done, using current information from the multiple listing service sales statistics, will you know the true market value of the property you are interested in purchasing.

They fail to have the home inspected.

Making such a major purchase without giving a professional building inspector an opportunity to uncover defects invisible to the untrained eye would be like buying a car without test-driving it. For a nominal sum, these experts can make certain that you will know all of the facts - good and bad - before you are committed to buy. These defects are usually things which are "age appropriate", and in most cases would not keep you from buying the home. At least you will know what you may have to deal with in the future, instead of the problem showing up as a surprise.

They let emotion blind them to reason.

Buying a home is an exciting time and is usually an emotion-laden decision. It is important that these emotions be validated by facts and reason. An experienced agent can help separate the emotion from the negotiating process and provide information essential to making reasonable decisions.

They fail to get financially pre-qualified prior to shopping.

Knowing how much you can comfortably afford will ensure that you are shopping in the appropriate price-range. An interest-rate guarantee protects you in times of rising rates, thereby ensuring that your anticipated payments do not suddenly jump to a level no longer comfortable.

They fail to get independent real estate advice.

This is as important as attaining independent legal advice. The listing realtor CANNOT tell you that a property is overpriced, but a Buyer's Agent Can!