Things to remember when buying house


I can show you any house
Let’s say you have been looking for a home and your main criteria is to have a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with a garage, price range: $150-$175k and you would like to stay within the Montrose Elementary School District of South Charleston, WV. By now, you might have noticed that the selection is sometimes few and far between. When something hot comes on the market, it’s gone as fast as you can say NETBRET.COM! Also, your gasoline bill has been burning a hole in your pocket from all the driving around, searching each and every yard for a new sign that just might be the shining beacon directing you to your BRAND NEW HOUSE! Does this sound familiar If so, STOP! Call me and I will save you all kinds of time! If not, STOP! Call me and I will save you all kinds of time!

“How is that Bret, I thought we had to call the number on the sign?”

Nope!

Realtors in Charleston, WV or Huntington, WV for the most part, all belong to the MLS, aka Multiple Listing Service. What this means is that we all share the same information. For example, whatever listings Great American Realty enters into the system, XYZ Realty will be able to see and sell as well. When you think of it, there are about 700-800 Realtors in Charleston and in Huntington, WV. To move it more quickly, we let everyone see our listings for they most likely will have a client in their database searching for that home. So remember, it does not matter what company has it listed, I can show it to you!

Home buyers normally don’t pay the Realtors commission
 When a property goes up for sell, the listing company has a certain percentage they charge the seller in order to market the property and also compensate another Realtor for bringing, YOU, the buyer to the table. There are circumstances that if a house is For Sale By Owner then you might have to pay the commission of 3-4 percent but that is rare because most of the time a For Sale By Owner is cordial and happy to have a credible buyer with the Realtor handling the contract. You will have a few that do not want to pay a Realtors commission but either way, talk with a Realtor. It pays to pay!

Homes for sale typically don’t get inspections prior to being put on the market
Most of the time when a house is put on the market a home inspection is never done before hand. However, some sellers may elect to do this so they can have all issues straightened out before a buyer puts an offer on the house. Would I recommend using the seller’s home inspection as your means of making a decision as to what shape a home is in? NO! To avoid any confusion, it is always best to select and pay for your own home inspector so that the responsibility is on your lap and that you know the home inspection was done to represent your interest. Trust me, this is best for both buyers and sellers!

Don’t use the print ads as your only means of finding a home
 If you happen to be an avid buyer searching for homes for sale in Huntington WV or homes for sale in Charleston, WV, you are probably familiar with what and where the magazines are located around town for your viewing. These magazines are a great source for finding homes but don’t make them your only method when searching for homes for sale. Out of the 5 to 6 magazines, you are bound to find a multitude of homes for sale anywhere from Kenova, Barboursville, and Hurricane and all the way to Elkview, WV. However, you may have noticed by calling on print ads that even when the picture says “new”, by the time you call, it is already under contract.

“I can’t stand that Bret, why is this?”

This is because sometimes it takes 30 days for the house to hit the ad and into print. A solution to this problem is to call me and let me set you up for my auto-emails for new and reduced listings. This way when something comes on the market with any company (see tip 1) it gets sent to your email instantaneously and if it’s a hot deal, you don’t miss out!

Get pre-approved for a loan before even starting to search for a house.
 Not only will this save you time searching for a house that might be above your price range, but it will also let you know what type of loan program best suit your needs. There are many different types of loans for the many different types of buyers that are searching the markets. From the typical first- time home buyer programs such as FHA Loan, West Virginia Housing Loans or USDA, to other loans geared towards experienced buyers. It is always best to tell me, your Realtor, what you are qualified for so I can better find you a house for your needs. So do your homework and get all your ducks in a row before searching for a home.