Now that you know how much house you can afford to buy and how much money you'll need tod close, it's time for the fun part...Finding your dream house! If you're like most people these days, you don't have much time to go driving around looking at several homes just to find out that most of them aren't at all what you're looking for. This is where it pays to use a Professional Real Estate Agent. The seller of the home usually pays the commissions for the Realtors so it's like you're getting the services of a professional for absolutely free! Let them weed out all the homes you're not interest in, this way you only spend time seeing the homes with true potential. Taking a little time in the beginning to get the right people on "your team" will save you time, effort, money and grief later on.
Here are some tips for finding and choosing the right Realtor:
- Ask friends and family for names of Realtors that have done a great job for them in the past. (Be wary of using a Realtor that is a relative or close friend unless they are extremely qualified. It could cause a very uncomfortable situation, especially if you're unhappy and need to fire them).
- Ask a qualified mortgage professional for the names of his favorite Realtors. It is very important that your mortgage broker and real estate broker work well together. Any mortgage broker that is active should have a good relationship with many of the more respected Realtors in town and will be happy to refer you to them.
- Drive the area. If you already have a good idea of where you want to buy, drive around in that area and look for the one or two really prominent Realtor signs. Chances are strong that they know a great deal about the strengths and weaknesses of that area and which ones are offering the best deals.
- Interview the Realtors. This is very important. You are about to enlist this person to represent you in possibly the biggest purchase of your life. You must feel comfortable with their knowledge, experience and integrity. Don't be shy to call and ask them questions, not only about their experience and what they can do, but also about themselves so you can get a real feel for that person. You need to feel comfortable with the person helping you to find your dream home.
