Purchasing a new home, whether it is for the first time or if you are upgrading, downsizing, etc…. can be a very exciting time.  A real estate transaction is filled with many complexities and a buyer and a seller that can be very emotionally charged.  The good part is you do not need to go it alone.  A competent Buyers Agent can be worth their weight in gold.  Many buyer’s believe an agent finds them a new home.  Finding the homes is the easy part, anybody can do that.  A good buyers agent can and will perform any and all of the following services.

• Discuss and assess your individual needs
• Bring an objective view to the process
• Help arrange the professional you will need through the process (attorneys, home inspectors, mortgage professionals, movers….)
• Provide you with the knowledge and experience gained through the closing of 100’s of transactions
• Educate you about current market conditions and trends and help you analyze the data
• Prepare you to buy
• Help you find the right home
• Determine if your target home truly suits your needs
• Analyze market value of the home
• Help you prepare an offer
• Negotiate the offer in a timely manner
• Help co-ordinate the closing  between all the involved parties
• Makes sure you are comfortably settled in your new home

Besides the above services a buyers agent is in a legal relationship and owe you the following;

1. Fiduciary Responsibility
2. Confidentiality
3. Obedience
4. Accountability

A good buyer’s agent does not sell you a property but counsel you and advocate for you on your behalf. As mentioned before purchasing real estate is filled with many complexities, we do this every day and many of the aspects can be put on auto-pilot by us.  Buying a home should be fun and not stressful.

First Time Home Buyer Tips- Getting the House you Want,,,,

The low end market is just flying in the greater Boston MA area.  There are tons of buyers looking for their ideal home because of low interest rates, first time home buyer tax credit and lower prices than we have seen in years. I see many buyer's disappointed because they did not get the house they wanted.  Here are a few things to think about when negotiating on a home...... read more

Buyers, what you might not know could hurt you....

Buyer's (and sellers) beware..... do you know who your agent is working for?

Let's face look at homes is fun!! Understanding some of the legal part of it is not.  I see so much confusion among buyers who think their real estate agent is working for them when they really are working for the seller or even no one. 

In Massachusetts it is state law that an agent reveals to a prospective client their agency relationship(how an agent is working with a client) to that prospective customer/client.

Let me ask you a silly but important question. 

If you were a baseball player would you sit it the opposing teams dugout and let the opposing teams coach tell you how you should play your game ? ......read more

Fair Market Value and how it impacts Buyers and Sellers

I have been reminded over the past few weeks that buyers and sellers need to understand fair market value and how it impacts a succesfull sale  or purchase of their home.

Fair Market Value is the price agreed upon and in which the money and property exchange hands between a home buyer and home seller. Fair Market Value is a price in which the general buying public would be willing to pay. Both buyer and seller must be willing and informed to buy/sell the piece of real estate in a arms length transaction. A transaction where neither party is desperate to sell or buy and where the property is given reasonable exposure to the open market.

In a nutshell, the value in which you will most likely obtain a sale.....read more