Use the Benefits of a Realtor

I speak to so many people who start looking for a home; they go to open houses, they look online to see how much house they can afford based on the payment and they wait to find the perfect home. Once they do, they speak to the nearest agent or they try to purchase the house with the listing agent.

At this point, they think they are ready, but really they are not. Whichever real estate agent they connect with will consider this the very beginning. A real estate agent will know that this buyer is not quite ready to buy. This lack of preparation could cause the buyers to lose out on their perfect home find.

Once the real estate agent hears that the buyer wants to make an offer, they will ask if the buyer has a pre-qualification letter with a loan officer. When the buyer does not have this, it could take a day or two to get a letter. This could be enough time for the perfect house to be sold to another buyer.

How do you know who to choose as your loan officer? Many people have someone they know and they will use that person. If you begin the home buying process with a professional, full-time real estate agent, they will recommend a high-quality loan officer that they work with regularly to make sure the purchase process is as smooth as possible for the buyer. They will also guide you in avoiding those loan officers who may not have a good reputation and will make the process more difficult on the buyer. 

The real estate agent will also know what to be cautious about in a house or a neighborhood and they will be able to negotiate on the buyer’s behalf. When a buyer deals directly with a listing agent, they are working with the agent who was hired to represent the best interest of the seller, therefore putting themselves as a disadvantage for negotiating from the start.

Be wise, find a professional Realtor who will gently guide you and firmly represent your best interests from the beginning to the end.