How does a real estate agent help me buy a home?

Choosing the right real estate agent can save you time and headache!

Working with the right real estate agent will be one of your most valuable resources. Trying to do it yourself these days can lead to issues not being handled and problems not being discovered. It is great to start your search for homes online and save yourself time by finding the properties you like, but once you find a home you are interested in, contact the agent, it will make the process much more fun and save you time! Here are a few things that a real estate agent does to help you through looking for and purchasing a home:

• A real estate professional can help you determine how much home you can afford and even suggest ways to accrue the down payment and explain alternative financing methods. In addition to knowing the local money market, also can tell you what personal and financial data to bring with you when you apply for a loan.

• A real estate professional is already familiar with current real estate values, taxes, utility costs, municipal services and facilities, and may be aware of local zoning changes that could affect your decision to buy.

• A real estate professional can usually research your housing needs in advance through tools and automated search engines that can pinpoint properties right in the location you want

• A real estate professional often can suggest simple, imaginative changes that make a home more suitable for you and improve its utility and value. Remember, they are in hundreds of homes a month, use their expertise to help you find the perfect home that suits your needs

• A real estate professional is sensitive to the importance you place on this major commitment you are about to make. Look for a real estate professional to facilitate negotiation of a win-win agreement that will satisfy both you and the seller.

Find a great site to search for homes like Realtor.com or Century21.com and pinpoint the location, price range and homes that you are interested in, then contact an agent for more information, that will get the process started. Interview a few agents to see if there is a chemistry there and that they have the credentials needed to represent you.