14 — Say you saw it in The Real Estate Browser of Lynchburg — Volume 8 Number 8 www . LynchburgRealEstateBrowser . com
The Path To An Enjoyable “ First Time ” Home Buyers Experience ! Part II
by Al Baughman , AIM , LUTCF , Baughman & Associates
My original intent was to cover this topic in two parts . The further along I got along in writing , it became apparent three parts would be needed to adequately do the job ! Now that you have your pre-qualification letter in hand , let ’ s go house hunting ! There are a number of ways to get started . If you consider yourself high risk taker and want to go it alone without the assistance of a Realtor ®, one might Google “ FSBO ” ( For Sale By Owner ). This search will yield a number of properties for sale . Remember your high school Latin class ? “ Caveat Emptor ”… let the Buyer Beware ! It is quite likely you ’ ll find yourself in uncharted waters and without an advocate . Clients who have gone this route have reported higher levels of frustration and buyer ’ s remorse .
FSBO websites are quite numerous . An April 2017 article found at Inman . com reported the top 10 real estate websites allegedly receive 40 + percent of total visits . Those leaders include Zillow , Trulia and Realtor . com No matter what percentage of traffic an online service receives … none of these resources have the in-depth knowledge of a local Realtor ®!
Why a Realtor ? They know the locality , history of the market , the hottest communities and what new communities are in the works . They possess insight you won ’ t find on line . They might even know of “ back pocket properties ” that may have not come on the market ! Realtors have expertise in writing effective contract offers . They are also helpful in providing referrals for the various services you will need .
How to choose a Realtor ®? Start by asking friends who have recently bought or sold a home .
Ask about their experience . Google and interview each candidate before entering into a relationship . You may also do your homework by visiting https :// lynchburgvarealtors . com
Click on the Consumer button to do a property search , find a Realtor , locate Open Houses , read up on fair housing laws and find an Affiliate . In addition , be sure to review the 24 Hour Market Watch , Discover Attractions and Chambers of Commerce . You will also find city and county property tax websites . These sites provide property ownership history , sales prices , construction facts and tax assessments for a given property . Another great resource is The Real Estate Browser , which is available both online and in print .
The Lynchburg Association of Realtor ® subscribes to the local Multiple Listing Service ( MLS ). Realtor ® use this service to advertise their listings and note changes in property status .
It can be viewed by any member Realtor ® and is an effective tool for finding your dream home !
The Lynchburg Association is comprised of both Agents and Affiliates . Agents are licensed Realtors ® and Affiliates are businesses that support the various aspects of real estate transactions . The ten Affiliate categories include Assessors , Electronics , General , Home Builders , Insurance , Mortgage Brokers , Banking , Publishing , Settlement Services and Special Appraising . Click on each entry under the “ Affiliate ” category for detailed contact information . Our agency is the only Insurance Affiliate and proud to have been a member since 2004 !
So you have chosen to work with a Realtor ®… congratulations on a wise decision ! They will help organize visitations and quickly get you to the properties that interest you the most . Speed is of the essence as the market is HOT all across the Commonwealth ! My youngest daughter and her husband live in Richmond and are actively house hunting . There have been times their appointment to view a property has been canceled as listings are receiving multiple offers , many exceeding the asking price !
As soon as you make an offer and it is accepted , visit you local lender ( who you met during the pre-qualification process ). The next step is to call Baughman & Associates and schedule your “ First Time Home Buyers ” consultation !
To schedule your “ First Time Home Buyers ” consultation , call us at 434 316-0030