As your Buyer's Agent I WILL REPRESENT YOU from start to finish, smoothing out the wrinkles and making the process as stress-free as possible. I provide this service to you at absolutely no charge!
I provide detailed information and photos of all properties that meet your criteria. I track new listings, the opening of new communities and price reductions on a daily basis. I follow through on every aspect of your home purchase; locating, purchasing, financing and closing.
BENEFITS OF HAVING A BUYERS AGENT A buyer's agent will represent you with any home on the market, whether listed by another broker, for sale by owner, in foreclosure, or in government resale process, whereas, the seller's agent is only obligated to obtain the best price for the seller.
A buyer's agent will keep your best interests and needs foremost during the transactions. A buyer's agent must always maintain confidentiality with the buyer and can never disclose the buyer's price intentions or personal motives.
Only a buyer's agent will independently provide an unbiased analysis of property strengths and weaknesses, as well as information that the sellers would actually like to keep confidential. This might include a seller's imminent job transfer, divorce, days on the market, or other offers. Anything that the seller, seller's agent, or records share I am able to provide you, giving you better leverage.
When you call on an advertisement in a newspaper or Homes for Sale magazine, you are most likely calling the listing agent. They represent the Seller, not you, the buyer.
USING A BUYERS AGENT FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION Unlike the builder's on-site sales agent, who can only discuss the product he or she is selling, a buyer's agent will point out the pros and cons of many builders and communities. Moreover, the buyer agent's services are usually FREE--in most cases the builder pays the agent a sales commission, even though the buyer agent's loyalties are with the buyer and not the seller. But there is a caveat here. All tract home builders stipulate that a buyer's agent must accompany you the very first time you visit a model and sign a visitor card in order to receive a sales commission. If you like to go off on the spur of the moment and cruise models, you will not be able to have your own representation.
I keep tabs on all the new communities in my area and can readily match your criteria with the appropriate ones within your price range. A major advantage of using a buyer's agent is a much more efficient housing search. Rather than spend several weekends just getting a sense of what's out there, you can quickly narrow the field in only one or two hours. And best of all, my services are FREE!!!
OTHER BENEFITS WITH WORKING A BUYER'S AGENT Working with a professional buyer's agent to buy your home is a good idea for several reasons:
They'll analyze your financial situation to help you determine how much you can afford.
They're familiar with the process of buying a home and can explain things to you.
They can easily access information on all properties listed for sale by Realtors in your area.
They'll help you complete all the necessary paperwork when it comes time to make an offer.
They'll help you arrange financing.
They'll be there at closing to answer your questions and make sure everything runs smooth.
FINDING YOUR REALTOR Although buyers can learn a lot by checking the new home websites on the Internet, especially if they are relocating to another part of the country, keep in mind that many homes featured on the web have already been sold. Don't waste your valuable time! Work with a Buyer's Agent who knows the market.
Searching for your dream home can be a time consuming experience. Working with a Buyer's Agent will make the process much more efficient. Since most people spend a fair amount of time with their Agent, it's important to choose an Agent you feel comfortable with, and one who is responsive to your needs. Don't be afraid to ask the following questions to help you decide if a particular Agent is right for you:
Do they return your phone calls?
Do they ask you questions to determine what you want or need in a new home?
Do they perform a financial analysis to help you determine how much you can afford?
Do they explain things clearly?
Do they suggest financing methods?
Do they seem knowledgeable about the community?
Do you feel comfortable spending time with them?
Do they provide you information to assist you with the transaction throughout closing and beyond?
If the answer to most of these questions is "Yes" - you've found yourself a great Buyer's Agent.
What do I require from you for this very specialized service?
1. An agreement to work with me on an exclusive basis.
2. Pre-approval for financing (provided at no cost to you)
HOW TO FIND THE REALTOR FOR YOU You are not always able to anonymously judge Agents qualifications by the content on their Website. Again, do not be afraid to interview your Agent to ensure she or he is right for you. You want an Agent who knows the area in detail and that has probably already previewed many of the homes for sale in that community. That should be of utmost importance, because you will be relying on their expertise in all matters relating to that community. Any Realtor can show you every property available for sale in the MLS. But?do they have the experience and the necessary tools to really be of service and to assist you?
Once you have selected your agent protect yourself and your rights as a Buyer. Call your Agent when you see an ad. He or she will call the listing agent to inquire about the property. It may be the perfect home for you, but let YOUR Agent do the investigating in order to get the most accurate information and not waste your valuable time.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT Before you start looking for a home you should ask yourself a few questions.
Where do you want to live?
Do you want to be close to schools, shopping or work?
What kind of home would you like or need?
Are you looking for particular style?
How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you want?
Do you want a yard or pool?
How much house can you afford?
Have you been pre-approved by a lender?
GETTING STARTED
Pull a credit report on yourself and make sure the infomation is accurate. If you find any errors take steps to have them corrected.
Browse throught real estate advertisements in the newspaper and Home magazines. This will give you a good feel for the types of homes that are on the market and what they cost.
In many communities, Realtors may have telvision programs or interactive phone systems which will allow you to find out information.
Visit open houses on the weekend. It doesn't cost anything to look, and looking at a few different homes might give you some ideas for things you'd like in your new home but haven't considered.
Start saving money- you'll need to have cash on hand for a down payment and closing costs.
Don't incur any additional debt. Pay down your credit cards- and don't apply for any new ones. Don't make any major purchases on credit - buy the furniture or car later.
Contact a Buyer's Agent. Your agent can help you determine how much you can afford, and they can provide you with information on homes that may interest you. Your Agent will also help you complete all of the neccessary forms when it comes time to make an offer.
THE BIGGEST QUESTION: HOW MUCH CAN I AFFORD? Simply put, you can afford a house that costs as much as the largest monthly mortgage payment you qualify for. A quick way to estimate the size of mortgage you qualify for is to take your gross monthly income (that's before taxes and other deductions) and multiply it by .28. This works out to just over 1/4 of your gross income.
Mortgage companies use something called qualifying ratios to determine how much they'll lend you. Most mortgage companies use either a 28/36 ratio or a 25/33 ratio. The first number in each pair is the percentage of your gross income that the lender would consider acceptable as a monthly mortgage payment (i.e. if you make $3,000 per month, 28% of that is $840 per month).
The second number in each pair is used when all debt payments are considered, not just the mortgage. (i.e. if you make $3,000 per month, but also have a $250 a month car payment, 36% of $3,000 is $1,080, minus the $250 car payment equals $830).
As you can see, in this example the numbers work out to be almost the same. Obviously if you have more debt you would qualify for less.
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