Do you ever watch HGTV and think house hunting looks like a breeze? There are 3 things you WON’T learn about house hunting from HGTV.
There’s a lot more to it than choosing between three magical houses and then boom, you are a homeowner. I help home buyers navigate through every step of the home-buying process so that it feels more like HGTV and less like sailing across the Atlantic Ocean.
You are making the biggest purchase of your life, and you should do it with confidence. Hey, I’m Anita L. Williamson, Associate Broker with James River Realty Group. And let’s chat about three things you won’t learn about house hunting on HGTV.
First, you will have a team to help you get the keys to your new home. HGTV edits out all the professionals that are a part of the home-buying process. When you are buying a home, you will have a team of professionals working together to get you to the closing table.
First, you will have a real estate agent who shows you homes, works in your best interest, educates you on the market, guides you on what to offer the sellers, and negotiates on your behalf throughout the process. You’ll also have a lender who works with you to help you get a mortgage. A home inspector will do a general inspection of your new home and advise you about any necessary repairs that need to be done, and an insurance agent will make sure your home is properly insured before closing. As well as your settlement agent who will be responsible for the title search and preparing the documents needed for closing.
Next, Zillow isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, y’all. I know buyers like to use Zillow because it’s pretty, it’s easy to use, and everyone likes the map function. However, Zillow isn’t the most reliable source when it comes to getting accurate real estate information. Zillow doesn’t know your interest rate, the cost of your homeowner’s insurance, what type of loan program you’re using, or several other factors that can affect your monthly payment. There can also be a lot of information that isn’t up to date, so make sure you stick with the custom MLS search that your real estate agent sets up for you to ensure that you have the most accurate and up-to-date information.
The third thing that you won’t learn on HGTV is there could be other offers when you find the one. HGTV doesn’t ever show the reality of what can happen when the buyers find the house they love. The reality is that there might be other buyers who love the same house as you, which means you’ll be competing with another offer or offer. Your real estate agent will educate you on different methods for how to write a winning offer, but it’s not guaranteed that the sellers will pick your offer. Several factors could play into this in addition to price such as matching the seller’s preferred closing date, your financing terms, as well as any other contingencies you include in your offer.
It’s important to understand the reality of the house-hunting process so that you are fully prepared when it comes time to start your home search. If you are ready to begin your search, reach out anytime.
I’m Anita L. Williamson, Helping You Establish Roots In Central Virginia.
