Six Steps to Home Ownership
Step 1: Find a Realtor® You Can Trust
The Real Estate Professional you select should be knowledgeable about the marketplace, respectful of your desires and a successful negotiator. We hope you’ll work with us. Please call to schedule an appointment to see if our services and style fit your needs.
View some testimonials from our past clients
There are two kinds of agents you might run into: the first is the functionary - this is the agent that will take all the actions that will help you buy your next home. The functionary makes sure all the t's get crossed and i's get dotted but they don't don't do much else. You'll find yourself chasing down the functionary to make sure things are moving along. They're not very proactive.
The agent you want to hire is a fiduciary agent. Fiduciary is defined as: involving trust, especially with regard to the relationship between a trustee and a beneficiary. A fiduciary has your best interest at heart, they work to help you achieve your goal, help protect your interests and protect you from legal pitfalls and dangers. A fiduciary agent understand the legal issues involved in a home sale and makes sure you're protected.
That's us. We work for you to ensure your success in your real estate transaction.
Step 2 - Get Prequalified
One more thing - - - Don't sign anything yet!
There's something in real estate called procuring cause. Basically, it's what allows an agent to get paid. One document that some agents have you sign is called a
buyer broker agreement.
When someone lists their home for sale they sign a listing agreement that allows the agent to get paid on the sale of the house. In recent years agents have started using a buyer broker agreement to "lock up" their buyers the same way. The problem is, if you change your mind later and want to work with a different agent, it can be very difficult to get a "divorce" from your agent — especially if you end up buying a home that your ex-agent showed you first.
Don't confuse the buyer broker agreement with a buyer agency agreement. The buyer agency agreement will be a required form that you sign that defines your relationship with your agent. It basically says your agent is working for you in your best interests.
But before you sign a buyer broker agreement:
Ask that the agent work with you for a short time without an agreement. You should both be clear as to how long this "trial period" will last.
Find out how long you're bound by the agreement. See if you can shorten this window.
Ask if there is an "escape clause" that lets you end the agreement if you're unhappy with your agent's service.
Get everything — especially changes you've requested — signed and in writing. (good advice anyway)
If you end up buying a home that you saw with an agent during this trial period, we recommend that you make your purchase through that agent.
We work hard for our clients and expect our clients to give us the same consideration. We don't ask for a buyer broker agreement. We so confident that our systems and processes will thrill you that you'll want to work with us again and again... and refer your friends and family as well.