Frequently Asked Questions when Buying a Home by Owner

Q. Are the listings on your site also on the MLS?

A.Yes and no. Those who choose to purchase our discount MLS packages have their properties listed in the MLS. They can always sell commission free to unrepresented buyers, though. So there is opportunity for shared commission savings.

Q. What is the first step in buying a house?

A. You need to get pre-qualified prior to looking at homes. This way, you will know how much home you can afford. Getting pre-approved is even better and gives you bargaining leverage.

Q. Once I am pre-qualified, how do I get in to see the home?

A. Simply call the seller or use the e-mail form and schedule a time when you and the seller can get together to view the home.

Q. Since I am not working with a realtor, is buying a home hard?

A. Absolutely not. It is actually much easier. You are cutting out the middle man so you can negotiate directly with the seller on the price, seller paid closing costs, items included, etc. You won’t be wasting your valuable time waiting for offers and counter offers to be accepted or declined.

Q. How can I protect myself against the home being in poor condition?

A. You can find links for home inspectors that will inspect the home from just a pest and dry rot inspection to a full home inspection. Any inspections that need to be made will normally need to be ordered and paid for by the buyer.

Q. Since I am not working with a realtor, where can I get the proper forms to make an offer?

A. We suggest you use a real estate attorney. They can provide you with forms and any legal advice you may need.

Q. Who orders the appraisal?

A. Your mortgage lender will be the person that orders the appraisal for loan purposes. If you want an appraisal before making an offer you would need to order and pay for the appraisal from an appraiser. Sometimes you can work with your lender so that this only has to be done once.

Real Estate Professionals

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