C21CherylBrewer.com - Make Your Move!

Buyer Info
"I love to educate buyers in the real estate market! A sense of satisfaction comes when I know that the buyer walks away from the real estate transaction feeling empowered."

I do not pretend to know all there is in this industry. We live in an ever changing society. Changes happen at an alarming rate. So in an effort to make you the buyer more informed I have put together a list of tips that I think may help you in your search for the perfect home, piece of land, commercial property etc. If you have tips you'd like to share, email Cheryl Brewer.

Talk to your lender before you start to look at anything!

This will keep you from falling in love with something you cannot afford. Believe me, if this happens you will have a hard time finding a home that will satisfy you in the correct price range. It will save you and your REALTOR a great deal of time and grief. Also, lenders fees and closing costs vary. It would be wise to shop around. I have several useful links on my home page that you can check out. Click here for lender links.

Have your lender figure a comfort zone payment for you.
You may be pre-qualified to $100,000.00 but your comfort zone payment might reflect a home value of $90,000.00.

Work with one REALTOR.
Do not think you will get a better deal if you call whoever has a listing. You actually will have a better representation if you develop and maintain a relationship with one REALTOR. Your REALTOR should, upon your initial contact, talk to you about their agency relationship with you. There are several options.
Click here to contact me.

Use the internet to do some preliminary looking.
However, do not forget "You can't judge a good book by the cover".

Narrow your search.
Decide what area you want to look in and pick no more than 10 properties to tour. If possible, look at no more than 4 or 5 properties each time you meet with your REALTOR. Click here to begin your search.

Be prepared to take notes.

It is very difficult to remember every detail about each property you tour when you schedule more than a couple properties at a time. The notes you take will be very valuable later in your search.

Take a camera with you.
This will help you keep your notes straight and allow you to make an educated decision when choosing the property to purchase.

Share all your thoughts with your Buyer's Agent.
The buyer's agent cannot read your mind. There are no insignificant details. Keep your agent informed of changes in your needs and wants. Click here to contact Cheryl Brewer about Buyer's Agency.

Buyer Beware.

REALTORS are trained to access needs, ask questions, and obtain information when and if we can. However, the buyer still has a responsibility to do due diligence. If you can, it is always better to dig around and get information about the property you are purchasing - do not assume the buyer's agent will know everything or find out everything about the listing.

Time is of the essence.

Negotiations can get pretty difficult at times. Contractual timelines can and do come into play. Please work with your REALTOR to make sure you are staying on top of the timelines built into your contract so that you do not jeopardize your position in the transaction.

It is a good idea to do a home inspection.
There are many companies that specialize in examining homes and buildings. You can hire very high tech companies and you can hire those that do things the old fashioned way. The price for these services can vary as much as what they offer to do for you.

Call a few and talk with them.
Ask for references and a list of the items they cover in the inspection. If they are licensed contractors ask for a copy of their license. If they are not licensed, ask about national designations. When you are satisfied with one, put them on standby and plan to get them involved as soon as you have an executed agreement to buy the home or building. Most purchase agreements call for all inspections to be done within a ten (10) day time limit, unless changes are made to the contract language by way of an Addendum. Home inspectors usually want you to pay at the time of service so be prepared. I would recommend that you plan to be present for the inspection. They usually last 2-3 hours (depending on the size of the home or building.)

Plan ahead for the move.

Time flies when you are shopping for a home and waiting for the close of escrow. You should begin planning for your move while you are still in the shopping phase. If you are renting or leasing, have a clear understanding of your lease or rental agreement. Talk with your landlord now. Avoid any misunderstandings. This information will be very valuable when you make your offer to purchase because you will have to define possession dates. Also, begin boxing up whatever you can now. Make hauling plans and contingencies. Click here to find out about FREE use of a 16 x 7 cargo trailer.

Plan to put an earnest money deposit down at the time you make your offer.
The earnest money acts as a good faith gesture to the seller. It will be held in a trust account until the close of escrow and will be credited to your side of the transaction at that time. The amount of the deposit may vary but a good guideline is 1% of the selling price on a financed sale and 3% of the selling price on a cash sale. Earnest money does not belong to the REALTOR. If a dispute arises over the disbursement of the earnest money the REALTOR cannot decide who gets it.

REALTORS are not attorneys.
It would always be wise for you to consult an attorney before signing any legal document. You are doing just that when you sign a Buy and Sell Agreement to purchase a home or building. If you have any questions of a legal nature, or any time a legal boundary or description is an issue, I would say you should seek the advice of an attorney before you sign.