The price of a new home can sometimes be a shock — especially for first-time buyers, who have likely never spent that much money on anything in their lives. One of the most natural responses to that shock is to do everything you can to lower that terrifying number, even just a little. And while there are some great ways to save money with a new house, there are also some ill-advised ways — and at the top of the list? Trying to buy a house without a real estate agent.
That commission can start to look bigger and bigger, and can lead you to believe that, maybe, with just a bit of research and some late nights, you could handle the sale yourself and save a few thousand dollars in the process.
Stop thinking that right now.
Few things in today’s society are perhaps as well-earned as a real estate agent’s commission. The home-buying process has never been a simple, straightforward path, and as the years go by and legislation grows more convoluted, home-buying certainly hasn’t gotten any easier. Having a trained, experienced professional by your side through the process can help you avoid procedural pitfalls along the way.
But agents do far more than just help you avoid problems. They also have access to latest new home listings, along with the most current prices and most recent offers, so you can take advantage of opportunities as they arise. You may think you know where to find new home listings, but if your search begins with Google, you just don’t.
And what if you’re buying more than just a home for you and your family? What if you’re looking for income properties? Real estate agents speak the language of real estate, and can find you the property you need to kickstart your portfolio. Have you thought about whether you’ll need property management services or not? Your agent can give you the names of reputable real estate property management companies they’ve worked with, to get you started off right.
Finally, your agent isn’t just bringing experience and knowledge to the table — they’re also bringing their network of contacts. Some homes your agent knows about may not even appear on new home listings, but instead will be referred to them through a trusted associate with whom they’ve built a relationship over the years. Do you have that kind of network to draw from?
Compared with all the things your agent actually does for you, their commission is surprisingly small, usually between three and six percent of the price of the house. Yes, you should trim your home-buying budget where you can… just be careful not to trim the things you really need. More on this topic: www.remax-alliance-virginiabeach-va.com
