Are you suprised?

https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/columnists/varcoe-a-pandemic-an-oil-price-crash-yet-an-improving-alberta-housing-market-exiting-2020

Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

Once you decide you’re in the market for a new home, one of the first decisions you’ll make is whether you should hire a real estate agent to shop for a house or go out your own. While buying a new home without a professional representative is possible, there is no disadvantage to working with one, here’s why.

It Doesn’t Cost You Anything

Generally, the seller pays the commission fees to any agents representing both sides of the sale. From a buyer’s perspective, they really have nothing to lose by working with an agent since they won’t have to pay any out-of-pocket costs.

Additionally, REALTORS® are members of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), which means they are bound to adhere to a specific code of ethics. This means you’ll have a representative who has pledged to abide by this code and approach every transaction honestly.

Bring Expertise to the House-Hunting Process

As a buyer, unless you’re fully versed in the finer points associated with real estate purchases, along with a certain level of legal expertise in contractual law, you’re better protected if you work with a professional agent. Agents are well-versed in the most up-to-date information associated with the housing market. Skills trained agents bring to the house-hunting process include:

• Understanding of all the variables associated with real estate purchases.
• Strong familiarity with regions, towns, and specific neighborhoods.
• Ability to instinctively know if and when homes are over or under-priced.
• Access to “pocket listings” not available to the open market or even to a large number of agents.
• Keen ability to pinpoint a home’s potential problems or flaws not visible to the average buyer.

Essentially, working with an experienced and licensed professional means you’ll have someone on your side who can do the bulk of the leg work while helping you find the house of your dreams.

Strong Knowledge in the Bidding Process

Investing in a major purchase, such as a home, usually comes with some stresses, along with a few bumps along the road. Once you reach the negotiation and bidding stage, your agent can ensure these go as smoothly as possible. They bring many valuable attributes to the table when it comes to sealing a deal.

• Ability to share strong negotiation techniques once a house is found (purchase price, closing costs, repairs, etc.).
• Thorough knowledge in appraisals, title searches and inspections.
• Skilled in navigating the burdensome paperwork associated with real estate purchases.
• Able to quickly identify any potential problems that might affect or delay the closing process.

Buying or selling a home can be an emotional process. An agent can make sure negotiations are conducted with a levelheaded approach to make certain a fair deal is made.

In addition to the above reasons, it’s important to remember, your real estate agent is always on your side. They can provide you with both guidance and objectivity as you seek to find your new home.

The homebuying journey may prove to be long and complex, particularly for an individual who fails to plan ahead. Fortunately, there are lots of things that you can do to get ready to pursue your dream house, such as:

1. Make a Homebuying Budget

A homebuying budget will give you a good idea about how much money you have at your disposal to find your ideal residence. Thus, if you craft a homebuying budget, you can hone your house search to residences that fall within your price range.

As you craft a homebuying budget, you should consider both your house mortgage and closing costs. That way, you can prepare for myriad costs that you may encounter as you try to acquire your dream house.

You also may want to meet with various banks and credit unions. These financial institutions can help you budget for a home purchase. Perhaps best of all, they can help you get pre-approved for a mortgage.

2. Narrow Your Home Search

You know you want to purchase a house, but it usually is beneficial to understand what you want to find in your dream residence. If you put together a list of home must-haves and wants, you can narrow your house search accordingly.

Consider your short- and long-term aspirations prior to launching a home search. For instance, if you need a home that is close to your office in the city, you may want to check out residences in or near the city itself. On the other hand, if you aspire to own a residence that includes a state-of-the-art heating and cooling system, you should explore homes that offer this feature.

3. Hire a Real Estate Agent

A real estate agent is a must-hire, especially for an individual who wants to seamlessly navigate the homebuying journey. Because if you have a real estate agent at your side, you can take the guesswork out of finding and purchasing your dream residence.

Typically, a real estate agent learns about a buyer's goals and crafts a personalized homebuying strategy based on his or her aspirations. If you want to purchase a budget-friendly house as quickly as possible, for instance, a real estate agent will help you accomplish your goal. Conversely, if you are operating on a tight homebuying budget, a real estate agent will do everything possible to help you find a first-rate house that won't put you in the red.

Let's not forget about the homebuying expertise that a real estate agent possesses, either. A real estate agent understands all aspects of the homebuying journey and will share his or her industry insights with you. Therefore, if you ever have concerns or questions during the homebuying journey, a real estate agent will respond to them at your request.

Those who understand what to expect during the homebuying journey can boost the likelihood of finding a terrific house at an affordable price. Thanks to the aforementioned tips, you could reap the benefits of a successful home search.

Photo by Sussi Hj via Shutterstock

Your home is on the market, but you still live there. Now your agent called to see if a potential buyer can look at it in an hour. What do you do?

You Don’t Need to Panic

Instead of holding your head in despair, grab some tools, and clean the most visible areas of your home.

• Sweep the front porch, steps and any cobwebs lurking in the corners. This is the first place your buyer sees, so it gives them an impression they’ll carry into the rest of the house.
• While you’re at it, use the broom to give the front door a once over. If you have a cloth handy, use that too. If your door is glass, remove smudges from the kids and dogs. You can use vinegar and water, glass cleaner or simply warm water.
• Grab a laundry basket and clear clutter from your entryway. Grab stray boots and shoes, hats and coats, school bags and anything else that gets dropped there. Put the basket in your car. You can organize it where it belongs later. Pick up any mail too and stick it in a drawer.
• Sweep your kitchen floor and run a damp mop over it in the high traffic areas. To simplify this for the future, invest in a mop with a bottle of cleaner attached — no need for buckets.
• Light a candle or diffuse essential oils in the kitchen to remove any odors from last night’s dinner.
• Replace all the towels in the kitchen and baths. Set aside towels just for this purpose so that you always have a clean, matching set.
• While you’re in the bathrooms, run a damp paper towel over the faucets and fixtures, wipe out the sink, and run a quick brush around the waterline of the toilet, then flush it.
• Grab all the trash from your trash cans in the kitchen, bathroom, office, bedrooms, and laundry room. If you have a container in your garage, put it in there. Otherwise, throw it in a nearby dumpster(law permitting). Just because you can’t smell it doesn’t mean your visitor won’t notice.
• If you have time, take a feather duster to dark, visible surfaces, light fixtures and art frames.

Finally, grab your family and the pets, hop in the car and head to the park. You don’t want to be near your home while the agent is showing it to buyers. When you’re nearby, the folks visiting might not feel free to ask the questions they need to. When they’ve gone, head back home and reach out to your agent for feedback.