It’s no secret that house hunting can be a bit of a tiring process. 

It can be even more exhausting when the market is moving fast and you have to make concessions due to availability/affordability. 

It’s during these times when working with a real estate agent you trust can be an invaluable asset to your house hunting quest.

Everyone knows that when selling a home, obtaining a real estate agent is pretty much the first move you should make. But what about when buying?

Of course you can start browsing on your own. There are tons of awesome websites out there. Our website neighbors.team, for example, has a pretty robust search engine with options to customize and save custom home searches.

But, there are some pretty great perks to connecting with and choosing an agent prior to diving too deep into an online home search.

The first perk comes with pre-approval knowledge. As you can see in our last blog, having a pre-approval letter is a valuable asset when starting your home search. Having one on hand can be the difference between your offer being received in time or not. A good realtor will have a network of trusted professionals who they can point you in the direction of to get your pre-approval process started.

The second perk comes with the home search itself. Sure, everyone has access to MLS listings, but experienced realtors know how to search the database to find the very best homes. They know how to read the verbiage in listings before you take off that Tuesday afternoon to see the house with the nice view that’s actually hiding a host of problems.

They’ll help you clarify what you want most, and find you options within your budget that meet those specifications as closely as possible. They’ll also help you see the whole picture – like repair costs, the neighborhood, the local school system, the property taxes, etc. 

The third perk comes at the time of negotiation. A great realtor will have the ability to negotiate the very best price for your home purchase. They know the value of the home you’re trying to buy and they know how to strategically place your initial offer in order to give you the best chance of getting it accepted. If it’s not accepted, they also know how to make headway with the sellers agent and advocate on your behalf. They’re on your team and want to see you score the house of your dreams.

Of course there are additional perks, but these initial three are enough to make us say, “YES” to starting the home search with a trusted realtor by your side.

Interested in learning more? Send us a message or reach out to us on our Instagram or Facebook page to connect with one of our agents.

We can help you start your home search with an awesome realtor today!