If you think the home buying process itself is the most important part of finding your perfect home, think again. According to Money Magazine, "Choosing a real estate agent to represent your interests as a buyer should be one of the first, and perhaps one of the most important, step buyers should take before shopping for a home." When you're looking to buy a new home, it's important to have a buyers' agent-- someone who will represent your interests as the buyer, just as someone looking to sell their home should hire a sellers' agent to represent their unique interests. The goal of the buyers' agent is to help you find the home of your dreams, whether it's a condo, a bungalow, a modest 2 story, or a mansion. And once they've found it, they'll work aggressively to help you get the best price and the most fair contract negotiation.

Sixty-three percent of homes purchased in the United States each year were purchased with the help of a buying agent. Buyers' agents save clients time and money, and conveniently are able to access properties that aren't yet available on the open market. Because of this, they're often able to help their clients buy houses for substantially less than they would be able to if they worked with a real estate agent, home owner, or developer directly. Buying agents often specialize in working in a specific area, where knowledge of the area, relationships with locals and real estate agents, and inside information about properties soon to be on the market pay off. The services provided to buyers by their buying agent are actually included in the commission paid by the seller or developer. Using a buying agent won't affect the price of your home or cost you any additional money, but they do provide buyers with the peace of mind of knowing that they're being represented along every step of the way in their real estate transaction. 

Research has shown that buyers using a buying agent found their home faster than those who did not, so choosing to enlist the help of a buying agent will help make the home buying process quick, easy, and fun-- just the way it should be. After all, you shouldn't have the journey toward finding your new home riddled with frustration and dead ends. The buying agent will also help you locate the other professionals you may need as part of your home purchase, like a lawyer, home inspector, insurance agent, etc. Enlist the help of a buying agent who will preview properties, shortlist the finalists, and accompany clients to view homes, and you'll reap the benefits of having an agent represent your interests every step of the way.

Home inspection is one of the most important aspects of the home buying process for both the buyer (helping them understand the condition of the house they're considering purchasing) and the seller, who wants to provide adequate disclosure regarding the home they're selling. The inspection report written up by the home inspector after the inspection is the only document that details the house, making it an important aspect of the real estate transaction process. A home inspection typically includes an examination of the heating and central air conditioning systems, electrical systems, interior plumbing, the roof and foundations, attic and basements, visible insulation, walls and ceilings, floors and windows. Some inspections may also include major appliances and outdoor plumbing. The typical cost of an inspection varies depending on the area, size of the home, and services the inspector is providing. 

If you're selling your home, it's good idea to have an inspection done before you put your home on the market. This will help you avoid any surprises when potential buyers hire a home inspector. After the report from the home inspection, you may choose to have the recommended repairs taken care of by the contractor of your choice, or you may choose to disclose the conditions you are not going to repair, which will protect you from liability of nondisclosure claims.

If you're buying a home, be present for the full home inspection. The inspector will be able to answer any questions you may have about maintenance of the house and will be able to discuss any potential problems.  If the inspector finds any major problems, you'll need to negotiate with the seller to either lower the price of the home or have the seller repair the problem. If the seller is not willing to renegotiate, the buyer will then have the opportunity to rescind their offer.

Making small improvements to your home can really add up... it doesn't take a massive renovation project to help improve the value of your home. Simply improving aspects of your house can really make a difference.  It is a good idea to start with your house's exterior. This means getting rid of all the toys your kids haven't played with in months, the remnants of your various home improvement projects, and anything else that is just cluttering up your yard. Trim the hedges, keep the lawn mowed, and give all your flower beds a fresh layer of mulch. A polished landscape, even if it's simple, will instantly  improve your house's curb appeal, and the value of your home. To shine up the exterior of your house even more, get it pressure washed. This is much cheaper than getting your home repainted or the siding replaced, and in many cases this is all it will take to get your home's exterior looking as good as new.

When considering ways to improve the value of your home, think about your last visit to a hotel. If you were happy about the quality of your room, was it because it looked clean and polished? If you weren't happy with your room, was it because you felt like the bathroom could have been a little cleaner, the carpet could have seemed a little newer, the paint on the walls could have been a little fresher? While you're in that mindset, try and see your house in the same light, armed with the knowledge that the cleaner your house looks and smells, the more valuable it will be. Start by organizing your house and relegating clutter to the trash or some out-of-sight storage. The tidier your house is, the larger it will appear, so declutter as much as possible. Apply a fresh coat of paint to your interior walls and wash your windows so you can't even tell they're there.

Finally, remember that improving the value of your home is all in the details, but it shouldn't have to break the bank. Shampooing or cleaning your carpets will make your house look and smell cleaner immediately, and doing this yourself will save you big bucks. You'd be surprised by how much better newly cleaned carpets can look! If you think the carpet needs to be replaced, first try to pull back a bit of the carpet in a closet or other inconspicuous place in your home and check out the floor beneath. If it's wood flooring, think about removing all of the carpet and refinishing the floor. Wood floor adds personality and value to your home, and wood floor that's lying under your aged carpet can often be refinished more inexpensively than re-carpeting your house. In the same way, worn or outdated cabinets can really bring down a kitchen, so consider refinishing them with a lighter finish, especially in dark or smaller kitchens, as this will give your kitchen the illusion of looking large and new.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Please contact your RPM Mortgage, Inc. loan agent today if you have any additional questions or concerns about these exciting opportunities. 

This month we have again included the latest version of Market Snapshot, an award-winning, real-time MLS graphical report. The industry’s most current online real estate report has a new look and layout which offers even more market information on one page. Key comparative MLS data charts, including Asking price VS. Selling Price, Selling Times, and Neighborhood Inventory, are now available on the front page, through convenient collapsible sections. These enable viewers to remain in one web window and not have to toggle back and forth to compare data. You can have up to 100 of the closest active and sold listings displayed on the map for the Seller’s Market Snapshot as well as the Buyer’s.

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Keller Williams LA Harbor Realty
Catherine Bennison - Realtor Associate
Direct: (310) 707-2162
Cell: (310) 748-7889
Fax: (310) 519-1882
E-Mail: CBennison@KW.com
Website: www.CatherineBennison.com