The smell of new carpet, paint and brand new appliances can make a home buyer's mouth water. Walking through a model home with the smell of cookies baking and the latest fashion in furniture makes us all desire a new home. Kids room so tidy as to make you want to adopt the make believe children of this uncluttered bedroom. After spending a half hour roaming from model home to model home we are ready to sign on the dotted line.
How many of you house hunters have strolled through those gleaming rod iron fences into the model homes on a sunny spring day? You may have gone out with your Realtor that morning, but you still have the house hunting bug in you. So you pop in a model or two. The construction company's real estate agent greets you with a friendly smile and asks you to sign their registration card. You are so primed to see new homes and it seems so harmless, so you fill out the card and hand it back happily as you go through the nine foot arched door.
STOP! Did you know you just gave away your rights to be represented by your own Realtor? At the moment you are asked to sign the registration form you should reply "I am represented by Realtor
---------------." The construction company agent will put that name on the card and then ask you again to fill it out. Now if you decide to buy with that new home you will be represented by a Realtor of your choice at NO COST TO YOU.
So, why have your own real estate agent? Buying a home is one of the biggest investments you will make in your life. It will affect where your kids go to school, your daily commute, your financial budget, possibly your marriage and much more. A Realtor can give you advice as to whether the neighborhood will remain an area you will be happy with in the future or it is a neighborhood that will possibly not retain its value. You may not be aware of the new freeway planned to go in behind the subdivision.
Your Realtor can help you negotiate a lower price or extra amenities. Once you come to an agreement on price your real estate agent can help you understand the 50 page stack of papers the model homes agent will give you to sign. Agents also act as couriers to make sure you are not inconvenienced. Agents are not inspectors, but they have walked through so many homes that they can help you inspect the home for a punch list.
Remember, you will be represented by your own Real Estate Agent at no cost to you in possibly the biggest purchase of your life!
Diane White
Prudential Tobias Realtors
http://www.bakersfieldhomesearch.com/
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