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If you’re a first-time home buyer in the Seattle area, you might be wondering how a real estate agent can help you navigate the market. The truth is, an experienced agent can do many things to help a home buyer succeed. This includes everything from preparing contracts to analyzing the market.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the many ways a real estate agent can help you when buying a home in Seattle.
Unless you have a multimillion-dollar budget, you’ll probably have to make some compromises during the home buying process. It’s actually rare for home buyers in the Seattle area to get everything they want in a house. That’s because inventory often runs low.
An experienced real estate agent can help you distinguish between the things you want from home, and the things you absolutely need. He or she can create a list of priorities you can use during the house-hunting process. This kind of foresight can save you a lot of time and energy, while increasing your chance for success.
The Seattle metro area real estate market is large, complex, and fast-moving. As a result, first-time home buyers often have a hard time locating a property that meets their needs and also falls within budget. This is another area where a Seattle real estate agent can simplify the process for you.
Experienced agents know how to match the right buyer to the right location. They can assess your lifestyle, objectives and priorities to find a neighborhood or community that’s a good fit for you.
Sure, you might be able to do some of this on your own. But a real estate agent can help expedite the process, which is crucial in a competitive market. Agents have access to databases with up-to-date information about available properties, and can help buyers find homes that meet their criteria.
As a home buyer, you might feel awkward calling homeowners to schedule a visit. After all, you’re on the other side of the negotiating table. This is another area where your real estate agent can help you. Your agent will contact the seller’s listing agent to schedule a showing of the property.
This is good for all parties involved. It gives the seller a heads up, so they can prepare the home and clear out to give you space. And it allows you, the buyer, to visit the property without the pressure of having homeowners around. Your real estate agent will coordinate all of this.
Sometimes a seller will accept a buyer’s initial offer as-is. But more often than not, there is some back-and-forth negotiation that takes place.
An experienced Seattle-area real estate agent can help you make a smart offer based on recent sales data. He or she can also help you negotiate with the seller, to find common ground and move the transaction forward.
This is a delicate process that requires an experienced professional. You want to get it right the first time, because you might not get another chance.
Even if you’ve never purchased a home before, you’ve probably heard about the closing process. This is the final stage in a real estate transaction. It involves a lot of paperwork, a lot of signatures, and a lot of communication between the different parties involved.
Your real estate agent can help you schedule the closing for a time that works for you as well as the seller. He or she can also make sure everyone receives the paperwork they need in order to complete the process. Your agent will likely coordinate with the escrow company who is handling the closing process, to make sure everything stays on track.
The dictionary defines due diligence as “research and analysis done in preparation for a business transaction.” And when it comes to buying a home in Seattle, there is plenty of due diligence that needs to be completed. Your real estate agent will help you manage it all.
For instance, he or she can review real estate disclosures, examine property reports, facilitate home inspections, and ensure all documents are completed on time and correctly. Due diligence can help Seattle home buyers reach the finish line, and agents play a big role in it.
Sometimes, minor issues arise after a real estate transaction has been completed. For example, some of the paperwork might need to be adjusted and re-signed by all parties involved. It happens. And this is another area where your real estate agent can smooth out the wrinkles, by making sure everything is finalized and wrapped up.
As you can see, there are many ways a real estate agent can help you when buying a home in Seattle. And when you consider the fact that it’s usually the seller who pays the agent commissions, there’s really no reason to navigate the process on your own.
Whether you’re buying a home or ready to refinance, our professionals can help.
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No Obligation and transparency 24/7. Instantly compare live rates and costs from our network of lenders across the country. Real-time accurate rates and closing costs for a variety of loan programs custom to your specific situation.