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Five Charlotte Home Buyer Tips To Improve Your Negotiating Power

By
Real Estate Agent with Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 228209

How to be a Savvy Charlotte Home Buyer

Today, buying a Charlotte home can be both easier and more difficult than in years past.  Yes, it IS a buyer’s market, which implies that prices are lower, but it also means there is a large supply of homes for sale that you have to wade through to find your dream home.  Purchasing a home is a lot simpler when you know how to be a savvy Charlotte home buyer.

Follow these five Charlotte home buyer tips to purchase the home of your dreams with less hassle and at a great price:

  1. List your Charlotte home before searching for another home.  Contingent Contracts, based upon the sale of your existing home, further complicate the buying process, greatly reducing your negotiating power and the chance of getting a good deal.  Sellers are often unwilling to give any concessions, whether in price, Closing costs or leaving behind items that you request if they have to wait for you to sell your home.
  2. Charlotte NC Home Buyer TipsGet pre-approved for a loan FIRST.   Sellers prefer to negotiate with buyers who are pre-approved for a loan large enough to purchase their home.  The pre-approval may save you money because you’re able to leverage and negotiate a lower price.  Additionally, you’ll save time by looking exclusively at homes within your price range.
  3. Ignore easy-to-change design issues.  If the shag carpeting isn’t your style, you can easily change it after purchasing the home.  Don’t like wallpaper? No big deal–remove it after you own the home.  Envision what the home can look like with your personal touch.
  4. Get a professional home inspection by a licensed inspector.  Buying a home is one of the biggest purchases you will ever make, so be sure the structure is in good condition.  During a home inspection, a qualified inspector takes a thorough, unbiased look at the property.  The home inspection contingency is one which you do want to include in your Contract.
  5. Make a serious offer.  Listen to the price guidance your real estate agent provides and make an Offer that won’t offend the seller.  Most sellers expect an offer lower than the asking price, but they don’t want to feel insulted.  You’ll get much closer to what you want to pay for the house if you treat the seller like you want to be treated – with respect and courtesy.

If you’re ready to buy a Charlotte home, let me help you get it at the best price and with as little hassle as possible.  Give me a call today or email me at Debe@DebeMaxwell.com to get started.


Read more: http://www.icharlotterealestate.com/?p=3292#ixzz1YuuC20Ed

Comments(20)

Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

I'm in NY, but great tips nonetheless, Debe!

 

Love and light like always,

Laura

Sep 24, 2011 04:44 PM
Lora "Leah" Stern 914-772-4528
Coldwell Banker, 170 N Main Street, New City NY 10956 - New City, NY
Real Estate Salesperson

As usual Debbie, well said!  This is great advice for a buyer no matter where he's located!

Sep 24, 2011 04:53 PM
Ginny Gorman
RI Real Estate Services ~ 401-529-7849~ RI Waterfront Real Estate - North Kingstown, RI
Homes for Sale in Southern RI and beyond

Debe, wherever you are these are great buyers tips to heed.  Have a great day!

Sep 25, 2011 12:14 AM
Amanda Christiansen
Christiansen Group Realty (260)704-0843 - Fort Wayne, IN
Christiansen Group Realty

Great stuff Debbie (as usual).  That is a very good list that any buyer can learn from.  Well done.  

Sep 25, 2011 01:12 AM
Lenn Harley
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA
Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Home buyers just do not understand the POWER they have when they are pre-approved, non-contingent and have a good agent. 

 

Sep 25, 2011 01:36 AM
Liz and Bill Spear
Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com - Mason, OH
Transaction Alliance Cincinnati & Dayton suburbs

Debe, That not having their home sold before looking is a killer in this area.  With long days on market typical here, having to sell first as part of the offer gives little power in the negotiations.

Sep 25, 2011 01:49 AM
Sharon Alters
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL
Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

Debe, with one of your Savvy agents and this knowledge, Charlotte homebuyers will indeed have what they need to find and purchase their dream home.

Sharon

Sep 25, 2011 01:58 AM
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Debe, excellent advice for the home buyer who may be looking for a property anywhere. Thanks.

Sep 25, 2011 02:14 AM
Howard and Susan Meyers
The Hudson Company Winnetka and North Shore - Winnetka, IL

Excellent post as always Debe.

The one that is always surprising is when people get caught up in those "easy to change" design issues.  Buyers don't seem to want to do any work these days, but replacing a carpet or changing a paint color?  Come on people!

Sep 25, 2011 02:38 AM
Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543
Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055 - Downingtown, PA
Selling the Main Line & Chester County

Debe, great list where ever you live and work. Buyers today are in strong negotiating positions, but these secure the chance of making a deal, just because it is a buyers market they cannot overlook being prepared.

Sep 25, 2011 03:58 AM
Colleen Sample, REALTOR, GRI, CDPE - Your Treasure Coast Real Estate Expert
RE/MAX of Stuart - Stuart, FL

Great tips, Debe, no matter where you reside! Congratulations on the feature! 

Sep 25, 2011 04:15 AM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Hi Debe...thought I would stop in say hello maybe buy IPAD...just kidding...best to you

Sep 25, 2011 04:58 AM
Rosalie Evans
Meritus Group Real Estate - Sioux Falls, SD
The Evans Group, Sioux Falls, SD Homes For Sale

I keep having people get hung up on three. The house has wallpaper...well take it off! The house has carpet...well take it out! I don't know if its here or everywhere but people just don't want to do any work at all!

Sep 25, 2011 05:20 AM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Debe

Thanks for your words on the negotiating process they are right on the money.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Sep 25, 2011 05:40 AM
Morgan Evans
Douglas Elliman Real Estate - Manhattan, NY
LICENSED REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON

Excellent points, buyers sometimes have to try to envision the space in their own personal taste.

Sep 25, 2011 06:43 AM
Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED
RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

Great tips and if only some of the wouldn't fall on deaf ears.  The wallpaper can be changed.  Many buyers say "Oh I heard it was hard to do."  It's not.  Perhaps in the days of yore, when we didn't have Home Depot / Lowes carrying wallpaper REMOVER it might have been a pain.  Hmmm . . . I think you inspired me to write a blog.

Sep 25, 2011 08:30 AM
Christine Donovan
Donovan Blatt Realty - Costa Mesa, CA
Broker/Attorney 714-319-9751 DRE01267479 - Costa M

Debe - We've had some very low ball offers lately on listings, and the result is that the seller barely comes off the listing price.  The buyers would have been better off starting more reasonably.

Sep 25, 2011 03:02 PM
Cheryl Ritchie
RE/MAX Leading Edge www.GoldenResults.com - Huntingtown, MD
Southern Maryland 301-980-7566

Well, I have been sifting through posts trying to select my reblog of the day and this one stopped me in my tracks! Good points!

Sep 26, 2011 12:27 AM
Mark Welsh
Kirkland, WA

good information that is good for everyone, not just those in wonderful Charolette.  hopefully this makes sense to everyone.  Inspection?  yes, it should be more mandatory.

Sep 26, 2011 03:16 AM
Steven Cook
No Longer Processing Mortgages. - Tacoma, WA

Debe - All along I thought that repainting the inside of the house was the first step to moving in.  And of course, it is much easier to change the carpet before you load all your furniture into the house.

Sep 29, 2011 09:22 AM