Advice for Buyers

A good understanding of budget, desired location and features can help narrow down your search quickly. Create a list of must-haves so that when touring homes, none of these details are overlooked.

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Find a Great Buyer's Real Estate Agent

A buyer’s agent’s job and fiduciary responsibility (meaning legal duty) is to you, the buyer. They are there to help you in the shopping and home buying process, but their real job begins when you’re ready to make an offer on a home. A buyer's agent works to protect your interest by getting you the best terms for the home you desire.

Before hiring a buyer’s agent, interview agents and evaluate rapport, establish if they are a buyer’s agent or a seller’s agent, ask for referrals, and inquire about Realtor® status and other specialized certifications.

Through every step of the home buying process, you can trust your Atkinson Realty buyer’s agent for advice, information and overall guidance. Our agents don’t just sell homes, they foster life long relationships with their clients.

Shopping for That Perfect Home

Working with your Atkinson Realty agent, your home search becomes more guided and dynamic. Our agents save you time by focusing your search on the homes that fit your lifestyle and your budget. They will take the time to preview homes and prepare comparables prior to you making an offer. With their real estate knowledge of the local neighborhoods, they can share insight into the home buying process, negotiating, getting to the closing table and even moving day itself.

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Preparing Your Paperwork

Having your finances in order is the first step to buying a home. To help you begin, here are some fundamental financial actions to take when preparing to buy your first home.

In advance, gather the financial documents you will need to secure a mortgage. This includes pay stubs; automobile and school loans; credit card records; financial statements from brokerages, banks and retirement accounts; and income tax returns. An Atkinson Realty agent can get you started in the right direction, so you will have a solid pre-approval status for a mortgage.

Under Contract - What Happens Next?

You have negotiated and ratified a contract to purchase a home. Now what? You are in the executory stage of your contract which means you are finalizing your financing, scheduling inspections, and potentially still negotiating details. Rely on your agent to guide you through these next steps. Inspections might include home, chimney, pool, well, septic, termite and moisture. There will possibly be others based on the age and location of the home such as lead-based paint, radon, or aircraft noise. Based on the results of those inspections, you may need to negotiate a few repairs. Don't worry, your agent will help with that. Your agent can also recommend a few title companies/closing attorneys to call to represent you at closing. Your agent will monitor your progress to insure you close on time.