Real Estate 104 – Your Agent & Touring Homes (Alabama Version)

You may ask yourself, "Why is having only one real estate agent (or team) work for me better than skipping around to multiple agents?"

There are many reasons!

If you have a dedicated agent on the lookout for your needs, you should be a top priority for them.

Real estate agents typically only get paid IF/WHEN you close successfully on a home.

A real estate agent has to abide by industry ethics. If you sign an agency agreement with one agent, other agents may accidentally show you properties when they inevitably cannot represent you.

Real estate agents aren't salaried - They are commission based. This means they will work diligently to make sure your needs are met and guide you through the process with ease.

Being a licensed professional means a board that keeps agents in check. This means they will put YOUR needs above their own. While commissions are usually based on the purchase price, no agent wants to risk their license and future by pushing you down the wrong path. Agents work off of online reviews and personal referrals, so they want to do a great job for you.

Agents typically have someone in their office that can help them if they are out of town or showing homes to other clients if you need a certain specific time. They may even be able to work out the listing agent letting you tour the home if necessary. It's best to go through your agent for all of your needs unless your needs aren't being met. In which case, have a conversation with your agent and explain your concerns. Being up front and honest is appreciated on both sides of the coin.

Not all agents are built the same. If you mesh well with an agent, take that as a sign to stick with them!

Even if your agent is the listing agent on a property, they can still help you! Everything will be kept confidential on both sides and will be fair and honest. Again, no agent honestly wants to lose their license by breaking the law.

Real estate agents typically have tons of experience and knowledge that you might not be aware is needed throughout the process. While this course is helping you understand the process better, there are many things that we cannot include that may arise during any given transaction. Knowing how to navigate the issues with ease is what your agent specializes in!

Having a person to go between keeps emotions at bay. Buying a house can be stressful. It's much better to vent to your agent and let them be the "filter" for you to the seller so things are not taken out of context. Agents know the professional language needed to keep things on track, which is super helpful.

"Okay, I definitely want to stick with my agent/team I'm working with. I'm prequalified/preapproved. Can we go tour homes now?"

You've taken the right steps so far, and now YES! YOU ARE READY! Let's go find your home! Take all things into consideration. Below are a few bullet points to consider before asking to schedule any tours:

Has your lender given you an estimated payment to include taxes/insurance on the amount you're prequalified/preapproved for? If not, ask them! It would be an estimate until you have a property you choose, but that's better than going in without any idea.

Do you need to be in close proximity to work? To relatives? Hospitals/doctors?

Does the county/city/school district you want to be in matter?

How many bedrooms/bathrooms will you need?

Any specific items such as a garage you will want?

Do you want to live in a neighborhood with/without an HOA?

Do you need a certain amount of land?

It is best to think of it this way; Find a home that suits all of your needs that you cannot easily change (like location/school zone) and keep an open mind about things you could add to make it personalized to you. If you want a fenced yard, fences can be added a lot easier and cheaper typically than picking a house up and moving it to another location or adding more heated and cooled square feet for another bedroom or bonus space. Be sure to take notes when you are walking through a property. After touring five, six, or even just one home - you may not remember things from your initial tour. You likely won't be going back a ton of times, so make your visits count!

"We love our agent. We've found the right property. What's next??"

You're now ready to move on to Real Estate 105 – Making an Offer. Continue on if you're ready to keep learning, or keep an eye out for our next email!