3 key questions for home buyers

Knowing the answers to these 3 key questions you know the difference between buying the
house of your dreams or your nightmares. So we lets start with the first question.

Question 1: Should I buy my new home without the help of a real estate agent?
You, as a potential home buyer, need to know that buying a property requires not only a lot of time and energy but also specific knowledge. It is true that with sufficient patience you can find the home of your dreams, but you have to be aware that the help of a real estate professional can not only save time but also ensure that you buy your dream and not the one of your nightmares. Below we mention the most important support that a professional real estate agent can provide.

a. Planning: You should be clear in which state of life you are in. If you are forming a family, if you have decided not to have a family, if you work at home, if you like to walk and not get too far from home. Your lifestyle is crucial in order to buy your dream home. A professional real estate agent conducts, first of all, together with you, a free no-obligation buyer consultation in order to determine your needs and desires. That is important since many buyers believe they know their needs and wants but those can change substantially through a professional consultation. Based on the results of this consultation the real estate agent can search for properties that fit your real needs and desires, and surely, they already have several options for you.

b. Budget: It is crucial to have absolute clarity about the budget available before beginning a detailed search of your dream home. Generally, it can be said that the available budget is the sum of the equity that your can contributed plus the possibility of mortgage debt. A professional real estate agent helps you to get prequalified by a local bank to determine the maximum budget available.

c. Tour and find your dream home: Thanks to the results of the previous points, a professional real estate agent can plan a tour to show you potential properties that come as close as possible to your needs and desires as well as to the maximal budget available. In this way, you waste neither time nor energy seeing properties that do not meet your criteria. Innovative real estate agents also pay their agents according to your satisfaction, so you can
be sure that you will have honest advice where they will also tell you when to retire from a property.

d. Offer and negotiation: Once the desired property is found, it is crucial to make the best offer possible. A professional real estate agent prepares a comparative market analysis in order to determine the most appropriate offer and handles all the negotiation and counter-offers with you and for you.

e. Hidden Problems: It is important that a potential buyer is aware that the dream home may have hidden problems. Before closing the deal, an innovative real estate agent will help to detect any hidden issues that the chosen home might have and that need to be fixed before closing the deal.

f. Closing: For many people it is discouraging to take care of the formalities of buying a home, they are bored by legal terms, they only want to buy the house or apartment in the easiest way possible. A real estate agent will make your life easier throughout the whole closing process.

g. Home sweet home: A real estate agent can help you with tips for moving and redesign, the artistic use of what you already have in a new and fresh way, incorporating universal and true decorating rules throughout your home so that when you enter your new home you really feel at home.

And finally, in most country the custom is that the seller pays all real estate commissions in a home sale, so working with a great real estate agente won ́t cost you a thing. Now you surely wonder how to choose the best real estate agency. That is our second question.

Question 2: How to choose the best real estate agent?
Today, there are many independent real estate agencies and real estate companies in the market, which makes choosing the best one more difficult. A potential buyer may use the following criterias to determine whether a real estate agent is outstanding or not.

a. Certified agents: The best real estate agencies only work with certified agents, thus showing that they have the knowledge and skills to provide the best service.

b. Specialized agents: Any conflict of interest in a negotiation is avoided when a real estate agency has specialized buying and selling agents. Buying agents represent only the buyer throughout the whole process. These agents are always 100% on your side, ensuring that you receive the best price possible with the best conditions in the time you require.

c. Agents paid according to your satisfaction: Agents who are paid according to the satisfaction of the potential buyer do not try to close a real estate transaction at all costs, but only transactions that make the customer happy.

d. Comprehensive service: An outstanding real estate agent, does not stop with brokerage, but offers value-added services for real estate buyers. These services include those listed under question 1, but as well services such showing properties virtually without having the need to run around.

e. Constant information: The potential buyer has all the information at every step of the way through a private section on the website of the real estate agent, in order to make the real estate transaction easy and transparent.

f. Market knowledge: The best real estate agencies provide detailed information on the local market through neighborhood guides and their blog to help potential buyers choose the sector where they wanted to live in.

g. Online Reputation: Social networks have thrown everything. You are looking now a days first on Facebook or Instagram than on Google for a real estate agency. This means that all companies wishing to show their transparency and prestige will be on those most important social networks.

h. Affiliation to associations: Professional real estate companies are affiliated with industry associations which provide an additional element that shows that the real estate agency is legally constituted and that it meets the requirements of a membership. Knowing now how to choose the best real estate, we can address the last question.

Question 3: Should I hire one or several real estate agents when buying my dream home?
Many people who want to buy a new home, are in doubt what would be the best option for them: an exclusive contract with a real estate agent, or give the opportunity to several real estate agencies so to increase their options. This doubts have a lot to do with the bad experiences or the bad reputation of some real estate agencies. Potential buyers assume that if they hire several real estate agents the probability is higher that at least one does their job well. That is a misconception. But first of all: What is an exclusive contract? In an exclusive contract, the real estate agency agrees with the buyer to put all their human effort and resources necessary to carry out the real estate purchase. What is usually advised is that the term of the contract is 3 to 6 months, and although it is possible that your professional can find your property more quickly, at least you should give him the minimum time necessary. Working with a professional real estate agent in exclusive has numerous benefits which are described below:

a. Commitment: A real estate agent working exclusively becomes the defender of the interests of the potential buyer since both parties have the same interests. The agency invests time and resources so that the purchase of the new home is successful.

b. Speed: A real estate agency in exclusive puts all its resources at the service of a potential buyer to make the purchase as agile and fast as possible.

c. Information and feedback: When contracting in exclusive, the potential buyer receives first-hand information without the burden of many real estate agencies telling each one different things.

d. Trust: Giving the real estate agent the confidence to offer you the best options is vital when it comes to buying and that is easier in an exclusive contract.

e. Timely and constant advice: The exclusivity with a real estate agent offers a further benefit, and this is to be advised based on reliable, constant and timely information, which will solve all the queries that may arise during the buying process.

A final word about dual agency: Avoid dual agency which occurs when the listing agent selling a home also serves as the buyer’s agent. Would you go to court and elect to use the opposing client’s lawyer? Probably not, and it is the same in real estate. We recommend that buyers have their own representation to ensure their best interests are being met.

Our final recommendation is to play it safe and buy your property with an exclusive contract with a specialized buying agents where the first beneficiary is you, the buyer.