Once I decide to buy a house, what is the first thing I should do?
It is important to make the home search process as easy and stress free as possible. Buying a home is a significant life achievement and one should enjoy the process as much as possible. So, the first thing a buyer should do is go to the bank and get pre-approved for a certain dollar amount that you can afford. This will allow your Realtor to search the Owensboro real estate market based on what you can afford and nothing else. This will ease the process and make it more enjoyable!
Do I have to call the Realtor whose name is on the sign?
No. As a matter of fact, it is much wiser for a buyer to establish a good working relationship with one Realtor who is a member of the Owensboro Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and who is able to show you ANY house on the market. This drastically simplifies the home buying process for you and gives one point of reference for all homes, questions etc.
How do I know what to look for in a Realtor to help me find a house?
First and foremost, you want to establish a relationship with a Realtor that you trust and can have an open and honest working relationship with. You want a Realtor who is going to be availalbe to show you houses when it fits your schedule and one that is going to be on the look out for houses that fit YOUR needs. Lastly, you want a Realtor who is going to be aggressive in negotiating a good price for a house and who is going to be diligent on your behalf in handling inspections, appraisals, and all other aspects that go into the home buying process.
How does the inspection process work?
Once you have a contract to purchase a home, the first thing you should do is have the home inspected. It is common practice in the Owensboro real estate market that the buyer pays for the home inspection. A home inspector will provide you with a very thorough and informative report of the inspection while pointing out any negative items that may need to be repaired. This will give you a very good indication of the condition of the home and all it’s major systems and components. Having a solid Realtor representing you is very important when it comes to the inspections. You need a Realtor to negotiate with the sellers any items to be repaired, who will repair them, who will pay for the repairs etc. This can be a very delicate process and needs to be handeled by a professional.
