Friday, October 30, 2015

The Many Benefits In Hiring A Realtor

It is true that it is possible to buy and sell homes without using a real estate professional.  Although possible, it is not recommended.  Many who have tried to sell or buy a home without using a professional agent have said that in the end the costs and emotional stress were more than what it would have been if they had hired a professional from the start.  Below you will find just a few reasons why homeowners should not automatically rule out the idea of hiring a real estate agent to help with the purchase or sale of their home.
Improved Access and Convenience
When you do something over and over again you are able to simplify the process; you achieve an exact science in completing the task at hand.  This is what realtors offer to buyers and sellers.  The agent will link the two parties together which offers better exposure for both of them.  An agent works to close offers efficiently and quicker.  Homeowners choosing to buy or sell a home without the help of an agent actually end up missing a great number of interested parties because they lack the same resources that an agent has.
Negotiating is Harder Then It Seems
It is a myth that homeowners save themselves a ton of money by negotiating the sale or purchase of a home on their own.  Negotiating is hard when emotions are involved; both parties believe that their offer has more benefits than the others.  An agent has experience connecting the buyer and the seller.  This allows the messages that they both have to be conveyed in a less emotional manner helping the other to perceive it in a better manner. Real estate agents have proven negotiating skills and have experience in convincing people to come to an agreement.
Real Estate Contract Are Complicated
Anytime a contract is involved it is important to be sure that what is stated is what you had agreed upon when speaking.  Even if you agreed that the appliances were to stay if it is not stated in the contract there is nothing legally binding to ensure that occurs. An agent knows exactly what needs to be included or omitted in a real estate offer and an end contract.   This alone can save buyers and sellers the amount they are paying for theprofessional real estate services an agent provides.
Buying and selling homes is an intricate process.  The steps are compounded with the stress that homeowners naturally feel when big decisions loom overhead.  With all of the paperwork that needs to be done, questions to be answered and deals to be negotiated it is impossible for homeowners to flow through the process without complications. That is why real estate agents are an absolute necessity when buying or selling a home.
Lady of the Lakes Real Estate is Livingston County’s premiere realtor; out of Pinckney, Michigan helping buyers buy and sellers sell homes that provide a recreational lifestyle including golf courses, lakes and the Huron river chain of lakes, throughout Brighton, Howell, Pinckney and the surrounding area. Find out more at http://www.ladyofthelakes.com.

Winter May Be The Perfect Time To Buy A New Home

Have you been thinking about purchasing a new home but are afraid to start looking now because the winter season is right around the corner? This article will bring a new perspective to home buyers that are uncertain about buying a home in the winter.  It is true that the spring and summer seasons are typically the most active seasons for both sellers and buyers.  Winter house hunting does have benefits over other seasons.  Work these to your advantage and you will be moving into your dream home without having to wait until spring comes around again.
When it comes to buying a home in the winter the one main benefit is the lack of competition in the bidding process.  The myth that buying a home in the winter is undesirable leads many sellers and buyers hesitant.  This means that although there are fewer houses on the market the houses that are on the market will have less competition when submitting your offer.  It can be a bit inconvenient and messy to move in the winter but when you think about an offer without the competition of other buyers it diminishes the worry about a bit of untidiness during the moving process.
When buyers are scarce, it is the perfect time to start looking for a home.  Homes during the winter move more slowly; it is truly a buyers season.  Sellers most often have a reason for selling in the winter that makes the need to move their home off the market more crucial.  This means that a buyer is able to negotiate a better deal.  It leaves room for the buyer to ask for money off the asking price, the appliances to stay in the home or any extras the buyer is interested in.  For instance, a client recently purchased a luxury recreational property.  In the offer they asked for the seller to include the family’s golf cart as part of the deal.  These items are easier to negotiate for when the buyers offer is the only one on the table.  This is often the case when buying in the winter.
Another advantage of buying in the winter is that you are seeing the property at its worst.  In the winter sellers don’t have any real curb.  Trees are barren, grass is brown and the flowers have all been cut back.  It also gives you a better chance to inspect for drafts, pipe freezing issues, attic air leaks and other issues that are commonly seen in the cold weather that are hidden from even the most experienced inspectors during the summer season.  You can feel the warmth of the home or lack thereof and really get a feeling for the homes insulation as well.
Mortgage brokers, mortgage lenders and real estate agents are also less occupied during the winter as well which allows you to have more of their attention when buying in the winter.  Mortgages tend to be processed faster with fewer issues because they aren’t focusing on thousands of new mortgages.  Paperwork flows through the proper changes without as many hiccups because people have more time to properly process documentation without the rush that occurs with the spring and summer seasons.
As you can see buyers should not fear starting to look for a new home or their first home in the winter.  Winter is an advantageous time to purchase a home for buyers.  It should actually be considered a prime time for buyers to find the perfect place to live.
Lady of the Lakes Real Estate is Livingston County’s premiere realtor; out of Pinckney, Michigan helping buyers buy and sellers sell homes that provide a recreational lifestyle including golf courses, lakes and the Huron river chain of lakes, throughout Brighton, Howell, Pinckney and the surrounding area. Find out more at http://www.ladyofthelakes.com.