As a buyer, if you see a property that has a sign in the window, in the newspaper, or online that is being sold by its owner, do not hesitate to ask us about the house. We have the ability to do additional research on the house for you, as well as contact the seller on your behalf and negotiate the terms for you. We can work our commissions into the price so that we are compensated for our work with you on all houses previously shown, and it will not make much of a difference on your payments. Commissions will need to be discussed on a case by case basis.
With a market as busy as our real estate market, there are a lot of “For Sale By Owner” homes on the market. As a buyer you need to be aware of potential risks with buying privately. From a buyer/seller perspective, you as the buyer are the one taking all of the risk in the deal. By working with a Realtor® you are protected, as all of our forms are legal and we make all sellers fill out and sign a Property Condition Disclosure Statement which gives you ALL the information they are aware of. If it doesn’t, you are protected under the contract, and your lawyer has the ability to fight on your behalf. If a vendor refuses to sign this form, there may be a reasonable explanation (ie: revenue property, therefore they don’t know as much about it). We, as agents, will do research on the property, as research is essential.
So, beware of FSBO’s. As buyers and as sellers you are not professionals, so why not use our experience and resources to do the job for you? It is the largest investment of your lives. Would you use someone other than a professional to fix your car, perform surgery, etc?
We can help you with financing options, help you locate potential properties, provide you with objective information about the property and the area in which it is located, negotiate on your behalf with things such as price, financing, inclusion/exclusion of repairs, furnishing, fixtures, etc., and all of the final closing procedures such as communicating with the lenders, lawyers, vendors, and so on.