Real estate is supposed to be stuffy and formal. Are you doing it wrong?
Yes. And if you’d like to do it wrong too, we might work well together.
How can I actually go see a house that I’m interested in?
If there’s an open house scheduled, you can just show up. Otherwise, you need to make an appointment. We can reach out to a listing agent to make that happen – send us a text (or call or email) and we can set it up.
This market seems crazy, is it possible to actually get a house without selling some organs?
The market is crazy, but it is possible and we have a great track record of getting clients a home they love.
This seems scary. What are all the things I’m going to need to do to buy a house?
It can seem scary but it’s not that bad and a buyers agent can walk you through everything you need to do along the way. Here’s a brief overview of the steps most people take:
- Get pre-approved for a mortgage by a lender for a certain amount of money which lets you know what you can afford. (Cash buyers will skip this step.)
- View houses (after some long nights surfing Zillow, we presume)
- Put in an offer when you’ve found one you love
- Assuming your offer is accepted, order an inspection
- Possibly negotiate price with sellers based on the results of the inspection
- The lender will order an appraisal to make sure you aren’t overpaying
- The lender will do the underwriting of the loan and ask you to provide documents and information to them
- Final walkthrough
- Closing
- Taking possession
What is my realtor going to help me with?
We can’t speak for all realtors, but a Pleasant Peninsula Realtor is going to help you with every aspect of buying or selling your home. This includes:
- Find the right home (or the right buyers) for you that meets your needs within your budget
- Help you know what to look out for when buying or selling
- Negotiate in your best interest while also remaining honest and ethical
- Assist with paperwork, communication, financing, inspections, and appraisals
- Help with the transition process
- Make the process enjoyable for all involved. Seriously.
Do realtors get kickbacks for referring me to a particular bank or lender or inspector etc?
The short answer is “no” and the long answer is “hell no”. It’s illegal (and unethical) for real estate agents to receive kickbacks or referral fees.
Do Realtors make too much money for doing almost nothing?
Sometimes they might! A real estate agent might get lucky and buy or sell a home for a client very quickly with no issues and not do a lot to help out behind the scenes. They also might put in a lot of work for a client who changes their mind and receive no payment at all for significant time spent.
Real estate agents typically split the commission with the buyer’s or seller’s agent, and then split that portion with their broker. They also have a number of fees and business expenses to cover as well as taxes.