Buyers, in a sellers' market you must be prepared to act.
The Sharon MA real estate market is a Sellers' Market right now. This means there are not enough houses for sale to meet buyer demand. If you are trying to buy a house in Sharon MA you must be prepared to act when you find the right home.
Here are the top 5 things buyers can do to be prepared:
1. Think about the kind of space you need ahead of time. It will make it much easier for you to recognize whether a house is "right" for you if you have throught carefully about the kind of space you need for your lifestyle. Do you need a dedicated "guest room" or can another room have two purposes? If the house doesn't have enough closets to keep your belongings organized is there room to add free-standing closets? When you have thought about this ahead of time, you'll be better prepared to act quickly when you find the house that meets your space needs.
2. Be ready to compromise. You may have been pre-approved for a mortgage but that doesn't mean you have the money for a big renovation project. Finding the home you can afford may mean making compromises. Upgrades such as hardwood flooring, granite counter and stainless steel appliances are nice, but are they going to be the deciding factors when you find a house that has the space you need, in your price range? Remember, you are buying a home to live in for a length of time. Cosmetic changes and upgrades can be made gradually. It's more costly and difficult to change the functionality of the space.
3. Get pre-approved by a lender and figure out how much you can actually afford. You must submit a pre-approval letter with your offer. Sellers will not want to accept your offer and take their house of the market, only to find out you can't actually get a mortgage.
You may get re-approved for more than you want to spend. It is equally important to know how much you can afford to pay each month for all of your expenses. This includes the mortgage payment, insurance, real estate taxes, water, utilities, garbage, maintenance and repair for the inside and outside of your home and landscaping. You will be better prepared, and in a stronger position, to act quickly when you find the house you want to buy if you know what you can afford.
4. List your current home for sale when you are ready to start your search for a new home. If you have to sell your current home to buy a new one, it will become a contingency that you are asking the seller to consider. This means that the seller is accepting your offer and taking their home off the market, knowing that the sale may "fall through" if you do not sell your current home. In a Sellers' Market, the seller may receive more than one offer. Your contingency may be the obstacle that prevents the seller from accepting your offer.
You may also have to make the sale of your current home contingent upon finding a new home. Planning for short term rental and storage may make a difference to a buyer considering your home. This is part of being prepared to buy in a Sellers' Market.
5. Work with a buyers' agent who is dedicated to your best interests. The most important thing you can do when you are ready to buy a home in Sharon MA is to hire a buyers' agent whom you can rely on for guidance. Make sure you choose a buyers' agent who is only representing you and not the seller, too. The agent must give you a copy of the Massachusetts Mandatory Licensee Consumer Relationship Disclosure which states who the agent represents.
An agent in Massachusetts can legally represent both the seller and buyer in the same transaction as 
long as both the seller and buyer agree to that in writing. I, personally, don't feel that I can provide 100% of the fiduciary responsibility that clients deserve if I were to represent both the sellers and the buyers in the same transaction. When I have a buyer interested in a home for which I am already representing the seller, I refer those buyers to Christine Smith, a Buyers' Broker Only in Canton MA, tel: 781-799-8313. I have known Christine for several years and know that she is an outstanding buyers' agent. Her integrity and her knowledge of the Sharon real estate market make her the top choice if you are looking for a buyers' agent in Sharon MA. Remember, the commision is still paid by the seller.
In a Sellers' Market you must be a prepared buyer so you can act quickly to make an offer and buy a home in Sharon MA.
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