Buyers

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How can a Realtogy real estate agent assist me in finding the right home or investment property?

Our real estate brokerage services for buyers typically involve helping them find and purchase real estate, be it a home or an investment property, that meets their needs and budget. This may sound simple and our agents strive to make it as simple as possible by being valuable, professional resources for buyers to help them navigate the complexities of the real estate market. Here are some of the services that our Realtors® provide:

Property Search: Our real estate agents help buyers find properties that fit their criteria, such as location, size and price range.
Property Viewing and Information: Our brokers can arrange property viewings and provide information about the properties and neighborhoods in which they are located.
Market Analysis: Our licensees can provide buyers with information on the local real estate market, including recent sales and trends in property values.
Negotiations: Our real estate agents can help buyers negotiate the terms of the purchase agreement, including the price, contingencies and closing costs credits.
Closing Process: In coordination with other professionals involved in a real estate purchase, our brokers can guide buyers through the closing process in accordance with the terms of the contract, local custom and specific needs of our clients, including inspections, appraisals and physical transfer of the property at the closing.
Referrals: Our licensees can refer buyers to other professionals, such as a real estate attorney, a mortgage lender, a home inspector, an insurance broker and others, to help them with the real estate buying process. See Resources and Partners

FYI, we refer to our licensed real estate brokers interchangeably as agents, brokers, licensees, professionals and Realtors® (as they are all proud members of the local association of Realtors, state association of Realtors® and National Association of Realtors).

BUYER’S REAL ESTATE CLOSING PROCESS

Find a Realtor® to assist you in this process – preferably a Realtogy Realtor®
Find a mortgage loan originator and get pre-approved for your mortgage loan – recommend our affiliate Lendonia licensed in Florida, Illinois and Indiana based on their experience, knowledge, outstanding customer service and incredibly competitive loan terms.
Search for your property
Find your property
Make an offer
Negotiate and sign the contract
Hire a closing attorney
Schedule & conduct your inspections (home inspection, structural inspection, pest inspection, well & septic inspection, and any other inspection you deem appropriate)
Have your attorney search the title or review the title commitment provided by the seller
Apply for financing
Renegotiate the contract terms – maybe, depending on the results of the inspections and title search/review
Lock your interest rate
Satisfy the contract contingencies (e.g. financing contingency)
Purchase insurance for your property – we recommend our affiliate Essex Insurance Brokers LLC licensed to provide insurance services in Illinois and Indiana
Conduct final walk through of the property
Deposit funds with the escrow closing company
Sign the closing documents (after they are fully explained to you!)

The above list of real estate closing steps is meant for general illustration purposes only. It is important to remember that these steps are fluid and may have to occur or may occur in a different order in your transaction. In jurisdictions or instances where the real estate contract form does not contain an attorney review or attorney modification clause, it is strongly advisable not to sign it before an attorney reviews it. There is a saying about only a fool having himself for a lawyer…

Some of these steps may not apply to your transaction. If you are a cash purchaser, obviously all loan/financing related steps do not apply. On the other hand, some real estate transactions will be more complex and will require additional steps in the purchase closing process. If the property belongs to a homeowners’ or a condominium association, you should review and understand the association documents, including all the obligations and limitations imposed by them.

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Why Realtogy for Your Buying Process?

Why should I rely on a Realtogy real estate agent to help me find a property and negotiate a contract instead of doing it on my own?

It is our humble opinion that the real estate searches and transaction are simply too complex and cumbersome to be undertaken without assistance of a licensed and experienced real estate broker. Utilizing services of a real estate agent offers many benefits, including:

Access to More Properties: Our Realtors® have access to a larger selection of properties. Even though most listed properties may be available to anyone via internet services like Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com and others, real estate brokers have access to a larger pool of properties through their access to multiple listing services (MLS) (or LoopNet for commercial properties), including private listings and otherwise listings that may not be available on the internet portals available to the general public. Our real estate brokers also often know from their colleagues about properties are to be but are not yet listed and, therefore, are not to be found on the websites available to the general public or even on the MLS.
Experience and Knowledge of the Market: Our real estate agents have a deep understanding of the real estate market and can provide valuable insights into current market trends and conditions. They can help you navigate the complexities of buying a property and ensure that you make an informed decision.
Negotiation Skills: Our real estate licensees are skilled negotiators and can help you get the best deal on your property purchase. They can negotiate on your behalf and help you obtain the best contract terms.
Transaction Management: Buying a property is a process that may be daunting for inexperienced buyers and it involves a significant amount of paperwork. Our real estate brokers will guide you through the entire purchasing process, from making an offer to closing the deal. They will help you fill out the necessary paperwork and ensure that everything is completed accurately by you and by the seller.
Professional Network: Our Realtors® have a network of professionals they work with, including real estate attorneys, lenders, inspectors and insurance brokers. They can recommend reputable professionals to help you with the buying process.
Time Saving: Buying a property can be a time-consuming process, and our real estate agents can help you save time by doing the legwork for you. They can arrange property showings, answer your questions and provide you with valuable information about properties that you are interested in.