Many people are shopping for homes right now and there is a LOT that goes into buying one. As a home buyer in Las Vegas, you do NOT need to pay your Realtor! Whether you’re buying a pre-existing home, or new construction, the SELLER pays YOUR agent!
Why would you not take advantage of the experience & advice of some one who lives & breathes real estate, especially if it costs you nothing?! Some agencies do charge a brokerage fee to cover the overhead of a large office, staff and the broker’s profitability. Our brokerage operates by sharing commission between your agent (myself) and the agent’s broker rather than adding fees to your transaction. We also operate with streamlined overhead costs so we remain profitable without needing to tack on small fees you would be required to pay for.
So now that you know you can have an agent, who’s constantly updated with market statistics, ever changing laws regarding real estate, and brings years of experience to the table at no cost to you, why would you not take advantage of this? The seller or builder (if buying new), is paying commission to your agent. This is a cost the seller, not the buyer will save if you don’t have representation. Then there’s also the potential for you to loose money or buy a home it turns out is a lemon, because your contract is not written in a way that protects your unique situation.
Even in for sale by owner situations of previously owned homes, the seller is trying to save the same commission that you’re hoping to save, and now you’re both negotiating the sale of an asset with a LOT of moving parts & contractual nuances that could cost you thousands if not familiar. Statistics show you’ll be able to get a much better deal by using a Realtor. I’ve even heard that appraisers don’t value a home the same way if it’s sold FSBO, which can complicate the deal even more.
The Story
Let me give you an example of client’s we’re closing a purchase for today. Let’s call them Frank and Julia. Frank and his wife have lived here a long time and already own a home that’s bigger than they need. The market being where it is; now is an excellent time for Frank & Julia to downsize to a condo now that their kids are moved out and self-sufficient. They weren’t in a rush, as they have a place to live, and wanted to get a great deal on something perfect for them. We looked at dozens of condos over 3 months & even wrote offers on two that didn’t work out for different reasons, one of which was otherwise perfect, but had POLYBUTYLENE (PB) TUBING PIPE, as found by my favorite master inspector (referrals to other phenomenal professionals is an added benefit to working with a great Realtor). This plumbing represented a risk of pipe bursting and future flooding. We recovered our earnest money & moved on.
($5,000.00 saved in instant equity)
Next we found a great condo, a little dated in the finishes & appliances but in the perfect neighborhood & right next to the pool & spa with a 2 car garage. We got it under contract for $190,000.00; it appraised for $195,000.00 (we did this by analyzing the seller’s motivation against our buyer’s position & presenting our offer in a way that allowed both parties to win). Again our master inspector found that while the A/C (27 years old) was currently working, it was likely on it’s last functional year.
($6,000.00 Saved in professional negotiation)
We brought in a quality A/C contractor for expert opinion & he agreed in writing for negotiation. We also found the water heater was at the end of it’s life cycle, though still functioning at time of inspection. A water heater that ruptures while you’re out of town represents much more in potential loss than just replacing the unit, that had to be accounted for as well. The window panes were mostly in good shape, but upon close inspection the seals (glazing beads) were giving out due to age & sun exposure. I contacted four different window companies to get an estimate of repairs for my clients.
In total to remedy these items we were able to negotiate a $6,000.00 closing credit, offsetting all of Frank & Julia’s additional costs, such as lender fees, escrow fees, title fees, recording fees, pro-rations for taxes, HOA costs, and everything else that you may not even know you need to pay to buy a home (again, a good realtor can give you estimates of what these total costs will be so you’re prepared to not just buy the home, but actually close the deal).
($8,300.00 saved in financial strategy)
Now, Frank and Julia have worked hard all their lives and are good with their finances. They were prepared to put down 20% on their purchase, have good credit, and were planning about $18,000.00 in remodeling expenses post-closing. As we neared close, Frank’s mortgage lender suggested putting down another 5% ($9,500.00) to avoid the bump in his mortgage rate due to the property being a condo. As I know Frank & Juila planned to live here for about 5 years, the difference in rate would save about $20.00/month or over the life of their loan, about $1,200.00 saved over projected 5 years of ownership for a cost of $9,500.00.. Not an ideal scenario. I spent years as a loan officer, originating mortgages & really educating myself on returns on investments in real estate in particular over the last 3 years every. day. I pointed out to Frank that as we’d negotiated more than we needed for closing costs in seller concessions, the best thing to do would be to buy down his rate with the remainder of the $6,000.00 and keep the $9,500.00 in his bank, especially since their plans to remodel had gotten more elaborate & expensive than initially projected.
(A bonus $400.00)
We had a problem. A good problem. Frank & Julia still had more money in seller concessions than we had closing costs & buyers aren’t allowed to just keep the difference for no reason. However the remaining $400.00 or so is just about the total Frank spent on inspections & estimates. I suggested to my client’s loan officer that since Frank had already paid these inspections & I had invoices showing payment related to closing the transaction, but paid outside of escrow; that Frank may be able to be reimbursed for these costs. Now Frank & Julia just got their inspections paid by the seller, leaving them buying a condo for nothing more than their original 20% down payment and the cost of an appraisal.
Every transaction is unique and I can guarantee your deal won’t go exactly like this, every seller is different, every home is different, and every deal is different. I can guarantee that given your unique situation, I will put your needs first, take care of you and your transaction to the best of my ability & capitalize on every opportunity we find in your interest.
(Total savings $5,000.00 + $6,000.00 + $8,300.00 + $400.00 = $19,700.00)
(Total Cost to Client of using a Realtor = $0.00)
In this market; wouldn’t you like to work with me? I’d love to work with you. Even if you’re THINKING of buying or selling and not quite ready, Call Me Today as time to prepare can only benefit your bottom line.
