There’s no doubt about it–the homebuying process can be an ultimately rewarding, but stressful process. Many homeowners choose to use a real estate agent to alleviate some of the stress and complicated nature of the home selling and buying process. If you do decide to enlist the help of a real estate professional, there are several key questions you should ask:
If you’re selling:
What’s my plan for marketing my home? It’s vital that your home has maximum marketing exposure to reach as many potential homebuyers as possible–and it’s your agent’s job to come up with a plan to make it happen. Quick tip: since the majority of homebuyers do their shopping (initially, at least) online, your agent should have a full-fledged plan for marketing your home on various websites and portals.
How will we communicate? Open communication between seller and agent is key to help the process go smoothly. With so many moving pieces, be sure your agent is available to give updates and talk through any concerns on a regular basis.
How much do you know about home loans? According to an article from Bankrate, having an agent who has a firm grasp on home loans and home financing can be invaluable when you’re selling your home. Ideally, the homebuyer will have a reliable lender for their home loan – but in the unfortunate circumstance that the lender isn’t reliable, you need your seller to be home-finance savvy to help right the situation.
If you’re buying:
How flexible is the seller? Say you’ve found your perfect house – but you’re not sure what price point you want to offer. Before you put an offer in, ask your agent if the seller is flexible at all on the price. The last thing you want to happen is to submit a price that’s too low and offends an inflexible seller, so check with your agent to make sure your offer is appropriate.
Can you provide comparables? It can be tough to tell if a home is priced fairly, so be sure to ask your agent if they can provide comparables–prices of similar homes in the area. That way, you can see if the home is overpriced compared to other similar homes– or severely underpriced, which could be a red flag.
Should we recommend a home inspection? Ask your agent if they recommend getting a home inspection on a house before making an offer. Especially for older homes, new homeowners can be in for an unfortunate surprise when they get an inspection after buying and realize there are costly repairs needed.
Are there any houses available at The Villages at Two Rivers? If you’re in the market for a beautiful new home in a conveniently located active adult community in Maryland, we’d love to meet you – come tour our incredible community soon.
SOURCE: Bankrate.com
