Purchasing Real Property On Your Own

Buyers: Why not just buy that for sale by owner home now?

You’ve been looking for property or a home. You’ve been working with a Realtor® in your search and she has sent you property after property that have been close, but just aren't quite your dream. Finally on “the list”, in the newspaper or somewhere similar, you find that "for sale by owner home" that seems just right and it’s at the right price, too.

So you ask yourself, “Why shouldn’t I just purchase this home or property? – Do I really need to use a Realtor's® service?” and start thinking about the offer you are going to make, by yourself. Well, stop right there. Although this home looks like it's just the right home for you, unless you’ve been through the buying and selling process often, do you really know what you’re getting yourself into?

Your Realtor® is trained to know the ins and outs of Real Estate. Perhaps an attorney could help instead, but whatever you do, please don’t do it by yourself. Use the knowledge for which Realtors® like me have been trained and get that help you deserve. We spend many hours and dollars each year in classes, getting our licenses, renewing our licenses, keeping our licenses, researching property, and many other fundamentals for you - the client. We are always in contact with escrow agents, mortgage bankers, and our local government.

Do you know the area in which you are purchasing this property? Do you know what the geo hazards are in the area? Y our savvy Realtor® should be doing the preliminary leg-work for you, researching for you and helping you contact the right person with whom to talk. What she doesn’t know, she’ll find out or help you discover.

Do you know the closing process? Do you know the questions that should be asked? Your savvy Realtor® does and again, what she doesn’t, she can find out and get you together with the right person or government agency with whom to talk.

Please, please don’t make the mistake of purchasing a home without a Realtor® knowledgeable about the area, someone that has your back. Purchasing property is a big endeavor; savvy buyers utilize the help available.

Knowledge is power, be powerful when you look for a home. You may not regret that home ever, but you may when it's time to sell it.

Where does your Real Estate Agent hang their hat? and.... Do you care?

It does matter where the agent hangs his or her hat. Your objectives matter.

Are you buying property? If so, a buyer's agent is one thing in which to seek among other things such as personality and how hard they work for you. Pick from many agents or brokers out there and you can find some really good people to work with that have your best interests at heart. Boutique Realty companies are fine to work with if you are buying property, as long as they belong to the local board. Of course, do keep in mind that those larger firms often give their Realtor(r)s more and extensive training, whereas, smaller firms may not have the resources to provide it.

If you are selling property, it can be a different matter entirely. You need to look at agents that have some connections. Your neighbor Joe is not going to be buying your property, in most cases. The person that is looking for your home may live in Chicago, New York, Texas, or someplace else that the ad the boutique agent puts in the local paper may never reach.

When selling your home, you want the marketing power. Not the local limit. When buying your home you want the resources a top notch brokerage can give. So yes, one of these high name brokerages will get you results that boutique brokers just may not.

That's why I chose the firm where I hang my hat.

Buying a home or property?

Are you waiting until Spring to purchase your property?

Buyers, are you waiting to purchase in the spring or summer when everyone else will be too? The winter months make a great time to purchase homes that have been on the market for a while. Maybe now would be a good time to put in that offer and get some negotiating done. Sellers who have kept their homes on the market are motivated and willing to entertain reasonable and fair offers---no one has to give their home away--and sellers are more negotiable at this time.

It's also a great time of year to look at those other things you can't or may not be able to see in the summer. Is there a roof leak? Is the house in a flood zone? How well does the house stay heated? Was the home affected by our recent storms? What do the grounds look like under the trees and bushes? You should be able to tell this time of year. This is the time of year to easily find those and other pesky problems. .

Savvy buyers know that this is the BEST time to buy as traditionally many buyers wait until spring or early summer when the buds and birds are back again and when there is a great deal of competition from other buyers. Homes and property are being purchased in December and January. Some buyers are making offers now, but with spring will come more purchasers. Sellers won't have need to consider being as flexible then.