{"id":21295,"date":"2024-11-22T04:31:50","date_gmt":"2024-11-22T12:31:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=21295"},"modified":"2024-11-22T14:23:08","modified_gmt":"2024-11-22T22:23:08","slug":"buyer-real-estate-tips-for-buyers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-real-estate-tips-for-buyers\/","title":{"rendered":"51 Brilliant Real Estate Tips for Buyers to Edge Past the Competition"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Ready to hit the market, buy your dream home and conquer this whole homeownership thing? It\u2019s an exciting step in life, to be sure. But there\u2019s so much to keep track of along the way: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/why-hire-a-real-estate-agent\/\">hiring an agent<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/mortgages-101\/\">getting a mortgage<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/get-an-offer-on-my-home\/\">making offers<\/a>, and closing the deal. Wouldn\u2019t it be great if you could find a massive list of real estate tips for buyers to help guide you through everything? (Don\u2019t worry; we know that\u2019s why you\u2019re here!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"geo-cta widget-cta widget-cta--content     widget-cta--dark widget-cta--dark-blue-gradient\">\n    <div class=\"widget-element--content\">\n        <div class=\"widget-element--content-header\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"homelight logo\" class=\"widget-element--logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/ccprototypev5\/images\/logo-small-cta.png\" width=\"106\" height=\"25\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n        \n                <h3 class=\"cta-headline widget--bold\">Step one: Talk to a few buyer's agents!<\/h3>\n                        <p>Tell us a little bit about your plans (where you&#8217;re looking to buy and when you want to make a purchase) and we&#8217;ll connect you with top-rated buyer&#8217;s agents in your area. It takes only a few minutes, and it&#8217;s free.<\/p>\n        \n                <div class=\"widget-element--buttons\">\n            <a data-type=\"In Content CTA\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/find-agent\/quiz\/buyer?#\/qaas=0\/\" class=\"cta-click-track widget-element--button\">Get Started<\/a>\n        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re feeling inundated with information and you\u2019re unsure of where to start, you\u2019re not alone. Buying a home can be incredibly overwhelming and anxiety-inducing, especially for those purchasing their first home. In fact, <a href=\"https:\/\/stories.td.com\/us\/en\/article\/a-majority-of-homeowners-nationwide-felt-stress-from-their-most-recent-homebuying-experience-td-bank-survey-finds\">64% of homebuyers<\/a> said their most recent homebuying experience was stressful.<\/p>\n<p>To help ease the stress and guide you toward becoming a savvy homebuyer, we tapped the expertise of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/agents\/jen-ortman-il-hl6506240\">top Illinois real estate agent Jen Ortman<\/a>, who walked us through some of her best advice for buyers.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what you need to know before buying a home.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--1\" data-toc-header=\"Hiring an agent\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>Hiring an agent<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-to-pick-a-real-estate-agent\/\">Hiring an agent<\/a> is a big deal. This is someone who will help you through one of the biggest transactions of your life. Here are the best real estate tips for buyers looking to find the right fit.<\/p>\n<h3>1. First things first: Don\u2019t skip hiring an agent!<\/h3>\n<p>An agent\u2019s job is to advocate for you and save you money during the complicated process of buying a home. They help you find the right home that fits your needs, referring you to off-market properties or hidden gems in a sought-after neighborhood you might have missed.<\/p>\n<p>One of the biggest perks? Negotiation. They can handle tough discussions with sellers and can often help you get a better price than you might on your own.<\/p>\n<p>On top of this, they take care of all the paperwork, deadlines, and inspections (or the stressful aspects of homebuying). With this, you have more time and energy on the exciting parts, like imagining your new life in your new home.<\/p>\n<p>With all these, there\u2019s really no good reason not to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-what-does-a-real-estate-agent-do\/\">hire an agent.<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>2. \u2026But also, do your research<\/h3>\n<p>That said, there\u2019s a world of difference between a top agent who consistently closes deals quickly and saves their buyers money, and one who\u2019s in the real estate game part-time to make a couple bucks here and there. So make sure you hire the right person!<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a research hack: HomeLight <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/client-agent-matching\">matches you with a top agent<\/a> in your area with a demonstrated track record of closing deals and getting great results. Simply enter a few pieces of information (where you\u2019re buying, your budget, and where you are in the process), and we\u2019ll find several top agents for you to choose between!<\/p>\n<h3>3. Stick with a full-time agent who\u2019s at the top of their game<\/h3>\n<p>Speaking of researching potential agents, here are a few things you must do:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Choose a full-time agent, and preferably someone who\u2019s been in the business a long time (or is at least working with someone who has).<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Check how many deals they\u2019ve done in your area over the last year. Is it, say, fewer than five? You might want to skip them.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Look at the value they offer to past clients. Not only should your agent close a lot of deals, but they should be able to demonstrate through their results how they\u2019ve saved other buyers money and helped them close quickly.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Make sure the agent has experience in your specific neighborhood. They\u2019ll have specialized market information that others won\u2019t.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Find an agent with specific knowledge that caters to your unique needs. First time purchasing a home? Your agent should be a first-time buyer whisperer. Planning to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-buying-foreclosed-homes-for-dummies\/\">buy a foreclosure?<\/a> Get an agent who specializes in them and knows the process inside and out.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Work with someone who has a vast network of contacts. A great agent has relationships across the industry. Does your would-be agent have a seemingly endless rolodex of all the best lenders, contractors, inspectors, and property managers in the area? They\u2019re probably at the top of their game.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Here\u2019s a full list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-questions-to-ask-a-real-estate-agent\/\">questions to ask your real estate agent<\/a> before you hire them.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Ask for references<\/h3>\n<p>Don\u2019t hire an agent without asking for multiple \u2014 yes, <em>multiple <\/em>\u2014 references.<\/p>\n<p>And make sure to check those references! Sure, it\u2019s awkward, but not as awkward as having to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-to-fire-my-real-estate-agent\/\">fire your agent<\/a> later because they weren\u2019t the right fit.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Set expectations<\/h3>\n<p>For the next couple of months, you\u2019ll have a close working relationship with your agent, so set expectations and boundaries right off the bat.<\/p>\n<p>Talk with your agent about how you\u2019d like to communicate and work together. Do you prefer text, email, or a quick phone call? What times of day are you the most available to respond to your agent? How often would you like to check in with them? Will you be working with a team, or will one agent be your main point of contact?<\/p>\n<p>If there are certain times or dates you aren\u2019t available, or when you can\u2019t be contacted, be upfront with your agent. The more you communicate your availability and preferences, the better your working relationship will be.<\/p>\n<h3>6. Check that their personality is a good match for yours.<\/h3>\n<p>Again, you\u2019ll be spending a lot of time with your agent over the next few months. Make sure they\u2019re a good personality fit. You don\u2019t have to be the best of friends, but liking your agent will make the homebuying process a lot more enjoyable.<\/p>\n<p>For example, perhaps you prefer an agent who\u2019s all business and doesn\u2019t like to partake in chatting. Or maybe you need someone who\u2019s extremely organized and will stay on top of you to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-documents-needed-for-mortgage-application\/\">get all your lender documents<\/a> in.<\/p>\n<p>Whatever your needs, make sure you find the right agent with the personality and work style to meet them.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Top-5-Strategies-Buyers-are-Using-to-Afford-a-Home-This-Spring-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2062\" height=\"2560\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ready to hit the market and conquer this homeownership thing? Our ultimate list of 51 real estate tips for buyers will help you put your best offer forward.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123,"featured_media":50828,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[192,646,702],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-for-buyers","category-making-offers","category-offers-negotiations"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.0 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>51 Brilliant Real Estate Tips for Buyers to Edge Past the Competition<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ready to hit the market and conquer this homeownership thing? 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