Checking Off Your ‘To Do’s:’ Steps to Take Before Hiring an Agent
Adam Taylor, a freelance writer from taylorandnoel.com wrote a fantastic piece for you buyers and sellers needing a real estate agent. A huge thank you for your piece!
The skilled professionals from Reel Property Solutions can help you buy or sell a home in many ways. They are excellent advisers who can advocate for you with lenders and mortgage brokers and provide expertise when it comes to finding the right price point whether you’re buying or selling. They can help you avoid making common mistakes, like investing in a home upgrade that won’t provide adequate return on investment. One of the best things you can do as a home buyer or seller is to take care of the advance work and information gathering that will help your agent do the best job they possibly can. Remember, you’re in it together – what benefits your agent will ultimately benefit you as well.
Gather the facts
Your agent and prospective lenders will need to know enough about your financial background, credit history and objectives as a buyer in order to begin a targeted search. Take stock of your financial situation and your assets as well as your debt situation, payment history, and anything that could complicate things with a potential lender. Talk to several lenders to determine what kind of mortgage rate you can expect and who has the best deal. Consider areas you might like to live in, visit open houses, and determine what kind of house you’re interested in. These are all “to do’s” that will make your realtor’s job easier.
This is also a good time to investigate mortgages and ways you can potentially find more favorable interest rates. Some home buyers choose to lower their rates by paying points at closing. This involves paying your lender a fee and can lead to reduced monthly interest rates. However, you’ll need to research whether this is the best solution for your loan type and current financial situation.
Cleaning and decluttering
Some people wait until just before an open house to clean and declutter their home. That can be a risky move, because you could easily miss things that really make a difference with a buyer. Once you’ve decided to enter the market, start picking up and organizing all the loose objects and papers that can clutter your home. Store away any unnecessary and excess furniture that could inhibit the natural flow of your home’s interior. Do this before showing your home to a real estate agent so they get a good idea of the possibilities inherent in your home, and what features (such as dim lighting or worn paint) need to be enhanced. If you find you don’t have time to complete a thorough cleaning, opt to hire a professional cleaning service.
Assessing your property
One of the smartest moves a seller can make early in the process is to have their property professionally inspected. Be aware that this will not be the same person who inspects your home for a potential buyer. Your inspection is intended to find problems that need to be addressed before putting your home on the market or require a reduction in asking price. Professional inspectors are experts in home construction and adept at finding hidden problems. Hiring an inspector will cost several hundred dollars, but the knowledge you’ll derive will be well worth the investment. Make sure the person you hire is reputable and certified by the American Society of Home Inspectors. A home inspection can help you settle on a credible asking price, which can make it easier to reach an agreement with a potential buyer.
Be sure to gather all the information necessary to get the ball rolling with lenders, clean and declutter your home to get it ready to be put on the market, and you might even look into getting a home inspection that will allow you to fix any issues before a potential buyer finds them. With these tips in mind, you’ll be ahead of the game and well on your way to a pleasant real estate transaction.
In addition to the article, note that Rochelle from Reel Property Solutions, LLC is a licensed real estate agent with eXp Realty. Anyone with residential real estate needs is encouraged to contact in these ways:
507-218-8788 OR info@reelpropertysolutionsllc.com
507-358-0638 OR rochelle.markov@exprealty.com
https://rochellemarkov.exprealty.com/
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