You Need A Realtor To Buy A House, Despite The Internet

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Use useful home affordability calculators for help in setting your homebuying budget. You can also save your favorite homes to listing apps and dig into the history of a property using a quick Google search. Let’s pause for a moment and think about this: “Why use real estate agents to buy a home? Everything is online.”

Agents Make Home Searching Their Day Job.

A real estate agent will make your home search their top priority when you partner up with them. You’ll have another pair of eyes looking at the listings you’re viewing online. 

Your agent helps you find the perfect house and streamlines every step of the home-buying process. Your agent has a fiduciary responsibility – a legally required obligation – to act in your best interest. Rest assured, they will keep your information confidential and negotiate to the best ability.

You Might Be Blinded By The Beauty Of A Kitchen, Clever Staging, Or Great Curb Appeal.

All of us know the House Hunters buyer who can’t see past the 1970s wallpaper. But it’s easy to become that person if you don’t have the money to tour 100% move-in-ready homes.

Your agent can help you look past poor styling and see the structural qualities of your home. This will ensure you don’t miss out on potential houses. Your agent can also assist you by showcasing professional staging and angles that increase room size in online listings.

You Will Be Able To Live In Your Home. Agents Will Help You To See The Investment Potential.

Buyers evaluate houses from a personal viewpoint: Could I live here? Do these houses meet my family’s needs and wants?

Agents on the other hand will help you see homes as investments and provide context for how the neighborhood is doing.

Here are some examples to show your agent that value-threatening features can be detected:

Wildfire And Flood Zones:

Lower property values can be for entire neighborhoods if abandoned houses or houses are seriously neglected by their owners.

Although proximity to quality hospitals can be considered a plus, homes located too close to emergency departments lose 3.2% in value most likely due to the loud sirens of ambulances.

While there are many value-dragging considerations, there may be surprising property-value boosts such as proximity to an NFL football stadium, to popular chains like Starbucks or Whole Foods. Your agent is an expert in the area and can help you determine which homes are good investments.

A House Could Be Bought With Code Violations, And You’d Still Be In The Right Place.

It’s an opportunity to tour the house, absorb any details not included in the listing and explore your emotional connection.

Real estate agents can spot potential violations before they have an impact on the home’s worth. Your agent will help you identify any potential problems with the house’s structure.

Do You Have Permission To Renovate Your Beautiful Bath?

Retroactive permits must be obtained if you want to buy a house without any permitted work. Bathrooms that are not permitted by the city may not conform to standard plumbing codes. This reduces the chance of flooding or pipe leakage. Most homeowners insurance doesn’t cover damages caused by unpermitted work, so if it goes wrong, you’ll be responsible for the entire cost.

Does The Listing’s Square Footage Match The County Record?

Home additions that are not permitted are illegal. Don’t expect your home inspector to include the space on the home appraisal. Your loan could be canceled if your home does not appraise for the agreed price.

If the addition is not addressed, it will result in you having to pay the same price when you are ready to sell your as-is house. If you fail to obtain the permit, you may face penalties if the city doesn’t have laws that protect innocent purchasers.

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