Tag Archive for buying a home in King County

06 Jan 2014
Real Estate

Should I Hire Multiple Realtors?

Should I hire multiple real estate agents when buying a home?  We run into this question a lot.  Generally, the answer is, “No, you shouldn’t.”  Working with more than one agent usually does you more harm than good.  If you’re looking in two DRASTICALLY different areas, say Seattle and Tacoma, it may make sense to work with different agents from respective areas.  But if you’re mostly looking in the same general geographic area, there’s usually no real benefit.

But my dad said you should always work with as many agents as possible!  Many people think by using multiple agents, they’ll have access to more listings.  This may have been true decades ago, before the internet was invented.  But now a days, most listings are in the MLS and therefore online, so any agent you hire should have access to all available listings.

But if I don’t have to pay my agent for their time, how can it hurt to hire several?  Some people feel that pitting multiple professionals against each other will make them work harder.  It actually tends to be the opposite.  If everyone involved knows you might buy from someone else, they may just try to make a quick sale and sell you the first thing you see.

So if I can find listings online, why should I work with an agent at all?  An agent should be doing much more than showing you homes.  They should be educating you as to whether or not the home is a good investment, structurally sound, will have good resale value, etc, etc, etc.  This is a big decision and you need to align yourself with a professional that will have your best interest at heart.

So how do I know which real estate agent to work with?  You should talk to more than one professional.  Learn which questions to ask to ensure that the person you ultimately hire is the right one for the job.  Like any industry, there are awesome people in the real estate field and lame ones.  Make sure you pick the right one.

Don’t make the biggest financial decision of your life without getting educated!  If you’d like to learn more about how to hire the best real estate agent for you, or the home buying process in general, please go to our Calendar/Reservations page and register for one of our FREE First Time Home Buyer workshops.

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09 Dec 2013
Real Estate

Is Winter a Good Time to House Hunt?

Is winter a good time to house hunt?  Many first time home buyers ask us when the best time to search for a home is.  The honest answer is, there can be pros and cons to shopping during any time of the season.  It really comes down to your personal situation.

Will I have less competition in the winter?  Many first time home buyers don’t want to house hunt during the holidays.  So if you’re willing to undertake your search during this time, you will most likely have less buyers to compete against.

Are there any down sides to shopping in the winter?  Absolutely!  Just as many first time home buyers don’t want to buy during the holidays, many sellers also don’t want to sell during the holidays.  So even though you may have less competition, you’ll probably also have less to chose from as well.

So when should I buy?  It really depends on your situation AND your specific housing market.  You should start looking for a home, when it makes sense for you.  Also, you should be consulting with a real estate professional about YOUR SPECIFIC MARKET!  It is possible to have less buyers and more sellers in the winter in one demographic, and the exact opposite ratios at the exact same time of year in another demographic.

Don’t make the biggest financial decision of your life without getting educated!  If you’d like to gather more information about when to buy in your area, or the home buying process in general please go to our Calendar/Reservations page and register for one of our FREE First Time Home Buyer workshops.

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27 Nov 2013
Real Estate

I Want an Ugly House for Christmas

I want to buy an ugly house.  We hear this from a lot of first time home buyers.  It’s generally an approach for people that want to be in a particular neighborhood, but are constrained by price.  So they look for an ugly house so they can get a better deal and do repairs after closing.  This can be a fantastic idea as long as you know what you’re getting into.

What do I need to know?  Even if you’re a contractor or just very handy, banks generally won’t lend money against a house that has structural issues.  Because of this, first time home buyers may want to narrow their search to only include properties that need cosmetic repairs as opposed to structural repairs.  If you’re considering a rehab loan, they have a lot of other caveats so we’ll save that discussion for another blog.

So I’ll just target cosmetic fixers then.  Hold on now, it also depends on what type of financing you’re using.  FHA can be a great option for first time home buyers.  However, they are often more stringent in regards to property condition than conventional loans.  So if you’re using an FHA loan, you could be excluded from buying cosmetic fixers with minor issues like pealing paint, or even a broken window pain.  This is why it’s imperative to align yourself with a real estate professional that understands the different types of financing guidelines.

If the bank won’t loan me the money, then I’ll just find another house.  It’s usually true that if the bank won’t give you a loan (depending on how the contract’s written), you can exit the contract and retrieve your earnest money.  However, there are some upfront costs involved like paying for a home inspection and ordering the appraisal, that have to be paid regardless of whether or not the loan closes.  This amount is generally some where between $1200-1500!  You don’t want to have to pay this money up front unless you’re pretty confident you can get the loan.

Don’t make the biggest financial decision of your life without getting educated!  If you’d like more information on buying a fixer, or the home buying process in general, please go to our Calendar/Reservations page and sign up for one of our FREE First Time Home Buyer workshops.

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14 May 2013
Mortgage

Am I Preapproved for a Purchase Price or a Payment?

          

Am I preapproved for a purchase price or a payment?  When purchasing a home, you should get preapproved for your loan with a qualified loan originator.  This loan originator will look at your documentable income and preapprove you for a PAYMENT based on underwriting guidelines.

So why does the preapproval letter always state a purchase price?  The lender ESTIMATES roughly what purchase price amount you might qualify for based on your allowable monthly mortgage payment.  They have to estimate this purchase price amount because property taxes and homeowners insurance premiums which both go into your monthly payment will vary on different properties.  Interest rates also fluctuate on a daily basis and the lender can’t lock in your rate until you’re under contract.

So if I’m approved for a payment, how does my Realtor know how much I can afford?  Your Realtor should be in close contact with your loan originator.  Before they write up an offer for you, they should give your loan originator the property taxes for the specific home you’re interested in so the loan originator can calculate a payment for you.

What happens if my Realtor doesn’t check with the lender before writing the offer?  You will most likely be able to retrieve your earnest money, however you will probably be out a lot of money for your inspection fee and appraisal fee.  It’s much better to make sure you’re using a Realtor and loan originator that are comfortable communicating with one another, and understand the importance of payment amount over purchase price.

Don’t make the biggest financial decision of your life without getting educated!  If you’d like to know more about the preapproval process or the home buying process in general, please go to our Calendar/Reservations page and register for one of our FREE First Time Home Buyer/Down Payment Assistance workshops.

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07 May 2013
Real Estate

Is Cash Really King?

Is cash really king in the Seattle real estate market?  Yes, cash has been fairly dominate in the Seattle real estate market for at least 12 months now.  We’ve especially seen a strong presence of cash buyers in the entry level first time home buyer market in the surrounding area, representing anywhere from 50-75% of the overall buyer pool depending on demographic.

How are first time home buyers paying all cash?  It’s more likely that this make up is comprised of institutional, small time and foreign investors.  Also, we have seen many situations where a first time home buyer’s parents may give them a loan to buy their first home and charge them a standard market 4% interest rate, as it gives them a much better return than say leaving the money invested in CD’s or the bond market.

How does this affect first time home buyers?  Competition is already stiff in the Seattle real estate market due to an influx of buyers and very few homes for sale on the market.  Cash buyers are generally given preference by sellers because this type of buyer can close very quickly, generally doesn’t require an appraisal or inspection, and doesn’t have to worry about meeting underwriting guidelines to receive a loan.  So it can be very difficult for first time home buyers to compete in this arena.

Is there any way first time home buyers can compete with cash buyers?  Yes, but it can be tricky.  First time home buyers can employ many different strategies including; conducting a pre-inspection, waiving their financing contingency, using an escalator clause, offering more earnest money, and much more.  However, it is important to understand before using any of these strategies, that they each come with pros and cons.

Don’t make the biggest financial decision of your life without getting educated!  If you’d like to find out more about competing with cash buyers or about the home buying process in general, please go to our Calendar/Reservations page and sign up for one of our FREE First Time Home Buyer/Down Payment Assistance workshops.

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