Many Buyers are unaware of the fact that in almost every case they are not responsible for paying the agent’s fees; the agent is being paid a commission from the seller. It is always best to seek out an experienced real estate agent that can use their information regarding recently listed and sold properties to get you the lowest price possible. 

When you start to look, it is important that you know how much you can comfortably spend on a home. Getting pre-qualified for financing will lock down your price range and help prevent you from being turned down after falling in love with a home. It will also save you the strain of having to find a lender within a few days of conditionally buying a home. In times of fluctuating interest rates it would benefit you to lock in a lower rate. This could save you thousands of dollars if the rate increases while you are in the process of buying.

Have your agent prepare all the area sales and comparables in your area and get a copy to look over before you make your offer. This will help ensure that you do not overpay what the home is really worth. In most cases, this is the same type of information that the seller saw when setting the price of their home.

It is of the utmost importance to be aware of your rights and what to expect from a competent real estate agent.  A small mistake in a condition or clause could end up costing you time and money, or in some cases even void your contract.

Some buyers have been told that the best way to get a good price is to low-ball the seller from the start in hopes that the seller will drop their price down fast in their counter offer. In reality this often does nothing more than upset the seller and will probably end up ruining the chance at an acceptable offer to both of the parties involved. Have good communication with your agent, and they will be able to inform you on the many proper ways to negotiate a deal and still get you the lowest price.

Buying a home is an important and exhilarating process! It is important not to let your emotions get the best of you and cloud your judgment of whether you can really afford to make the payments comfortably, and so on. Be sure not to get so excited that you get in over your head.

Every year, first-time home buyers venture into the market and make the same mistakes that their parents, siblings and friends made when they bought their first houses.