It doesn't cost you anything to have your own Realtor, in
your corner, looking out for your best interests - not the seller's. We fight for the best
price and terms for YOU.
1. Don't Get "Pre-Qualified!" Get Loan Approved!
If you want to get the best price and terms possible you must be
in the strongest negotiating position possible. Price is only one bargaining chip in the
negotiations. The sellers may need to close escrow as soon as possible or they may be
willing to pay the buyer’s allowable closing costs. If you have a lender’s
letter of loan commitment in hand, your lower offer may prevail over another where the
buyers have not yet talked to a Boise lender.
We have always insisted that our buyer clients talk to a lender
before we start looking at properties. Based on the information you provide the lender
they pronounce you "pre-qualified" and issue a certificate that you can show to
a seller. Informed sellers know that these letters, while better than nothing are not
binding. Until the buyer’s credit has been examined and their income and debt
obligations have been verified, serious problems can still arise.
Get “pre-approved". After all information has been
checked and verified you are actually APPROVED for the loan. The only loose end is the
appraisal on the property you want to buy. This process takes anywhere from a few days to
a few weeks depending the type of loan and the demand for appraisals at the time.
Call us for Boise real estate.
2. Sell First, Then Buy
Waiting to sell before you buy is a lose-lose endeavor.
Contingent offers are weak offers at best. There are no assurances to the seller that your
Boise home is priced to the market or that the listing agent is doing a competent job of
marketing it. A seller might accept it, but at full price and with a “bump
clause” which will force you to remove that contingency within a specific (usually
short) time frame or lose the deal to another non contingent offer. You don’t have as
much negotiating room on the offer because of the contingency.
Now you have to sell your existing house, and in a hurry,
otherwise you lose your dream home! To sell quickly you might take an offer that's lower
because time is short. Now you don't have as much negotiating room on the sale or the
purchase! We have Boise real estate for sale.
This lose-lose could easily cost you thousands of dollars
needlessly.
If you're concerned that there's not a house out there for you,
then go on a window shopping spree. You can identify possible houses and locations without
falling in love with a specific home. If you feel confident after that, then put your
house on the market. But when you walk through an open house always remember who is
working for whom.
Another tactic is to make the sale "subject to seller
finding suitable housing". Adding this phrase to the listing means that when you do
obtain an acceptable offer, you will have ample time to find your new home. If you don't
find anything to your liking, you don't have to sell your present home.
3. Educate Yourself and your Realtor
Make a list of needs and wants and know the difference. Rate them
according to importance. Many things can be changed easily like colors and carpet. Others
can be done but at considerable cost. Kitchen renovations and room additions are expensive
but could make an okay house into your dream home. Location is final. Be sure you like the
neighborhood. Educate yourself as to future development nearby. Where are the
Boise schools? How
close to shopping are you? How bad is the traffic noise? Your Boise Realtor can help you with
these and other questions but always confirm critical details yourself.
Call us for Boise real estate.
4. Don't Be Afraid To Make An Offer.
If you make “low-ball” offers you run the risk of
offending the sellers and not getting the chance to come up in offer price. In a fast
market, as is the case in the entry level home market here in Boise, a well priced home
may attract multiple offers. The "low-ball" offer will be rejected out of hand.
Your Realtor should research the recent sales in the neighborhood to determine market
value. He or she should “investigate” the needs of the sellers to see if their
motivation level is high or low. You should be shown other similar properties and very
quickly you will have apples to compare with other apples in the target price range.
We have Boise real estate for sale.
5. Stop Calling Ads!
A word of caution - agents create ads solely to make the phone
ring! Many of the homes have some drawback that's not mentioned in the ad, such as traffic
noise, power lines, or litigation in the community. What's not mentioned in the ad is
usually more important than what is.
For this reason, you should be very careful when reading ads.
Remember that the person writing the ad is representing the seller and not you! The most
important thing you can do is to have someone on your side looking out for your best
interests. Your own agent will critique the property with an eye towards how well it meets
your needs and will point out drawbacks you should know about.
So whether you decide to work with us or not, pick an agent you
feel comfortable with and enlist the services of that agent as a Buyer's Agent. Then you
become a client with all the rights, benefits, and privileges created by this agency
relationship, and you're no longer just a shopper.
Homes for sale
