Your Agent
Choosing the right real estate agent is the most important decision you can make on your journey to home ownership. It is important to have a REALTOR® who has extensive experience and has represented many buyers. REALTOR®s who have achieved advanced designations with extra education and a large number of transactions are your best choices for a REALTOR®. One of the most important and most coveted designation is the CRS, standing for Certified Residential Specialist, less 4% of Realtors world wide have obtained this designation by a combination of extensive education and a high volume of successfully completed sales. Having an ABR, Accredited Buyers Representative by your side during the home buying process in for new homes for sale in Daphne, homes for sale in Fairhope, Mobile real estate for sale, Spanish Fort homes for sale in Alabama is the smartest move you can make. Barbara S. Reeves has obtained both of these designations as well as several others which make her an excellent choice as your agent. In fact, once you’ve selected the best agent to represent you, it is likely that he or she can recommend other professionals to join your team, taking more of the responsibility off of your shoulders.

Lender (Appraiser)
A bank is not just a bank. Having the right backer can be extremely important – it is your money we’re talking about after all! Make sure that your lender and financial representative is someone with whom you feel comfortable, and be wary of any lender who promises you more than you think you can reasonably afford. Your lenders may or may not require an independent appraisal, and typically will make arrangements for the appraisal themselves. Your agent can advise you as to banks or mortage companies with whom she has had successful closings with and are only a quick phone call away.

Lawyer
Your home purchase is far too important a transaction to skimp on legal representation at the risk of leaving yourself open to costly future issues. Find a lawyer who is willing to take the time to answer your questions and who specializes in real estate law.

Home Inspector
No home inspection is 100% guaranteed, but a few hundred dollars to catch a major problem now in your new Daphne home, Fairhope home for sale, home for sale in Mobile, Spanish Fort homes for sale is certainly better than many thousands of dollars later to correct that ‘surprise’ down the road. Ask your agent for a recommendation. She has several who she can recommend because of successful past transactions.

Contractor
Planning some renovations? You’re not the only one! The home renovation industry is booming, and in some markets, booking a contractor must be done months in advance (that’s a long time to go without a kitchen). Don’t let finding the right contractor slip through the cracks – planning ahead will almost certainly make your renovation smoother, and you contractor will appreciate the advance notice. Ask Barbara to give you a list of recommendations for an expert contractor or consult the local Home Builders Association for expert craftsman.

1.  Find the right representative

Even if you’re not quite ready to buy, your buyer’s agent can be an absolute wealth of information, and can often offer ‘scoops’ on local developments you might not have know about otherwise.  Speak to your agent first and he or she can be helping to guide you right from the start.

2.  Find out what your price range is

Online mortgage calculators are a good place to start, but as you get closer to being ready to buy, there is no substitute for a written mortgage pre-approval.  Just speaking to your lender is an extremely worthwhile venture – this is the only way to really get an in-depth picture of your overall financial picture and to discover exactly what you can reasonably afford to spend on a home (and possibly on renovating).

3.  Find out what your local market looks like

The internet can be incredibly valuable in doing preparatory research.  Start with your agent – he or she can direct you to valuable resources and immediately start e-mailing you real estate listings that may interest you (or at least give you a better idea of what your needs and wants are).

4.  Find out what your true needs and wants are

Compose a needs/wants list that takes into consideration your local market conditions, your price range, and the advice of your real estate agent.

5.  Find your dream home!

Once you’re ready to act, you may be surprised by how quickly you can make a decision.  Armed with your pre-approval, a little market knowledge, and your needs/wants list, call your real estate agent, hit the pavement, and when you see ‘the house’, put in an offer. 

With the right team behind you, it really can be that easy!