SETTING BUYER EXPECTATIONS
- Negotiations
- Our philosophy about real estate is rooted in honesty and fairness. We’re not attempting to steal, and we don’t want to get taken to the cleaners. Thus, when we advise you, we’ll do so based on the available data, on what the market is telling us. When we negotiate for you, we are most successful when we can negotiate based on this data. We’ll always be pushing for the lowest possible purchase price, but we strongly advise you to have a perspective shaped by the data
- Inspections and Attorney Review
- Inspections are intended to find latent defects, or defects not easily visible to the naked eye during a showing. Defects you observe or are told about in a showing should shape our negotiations, not the attorney review process. Some wear and tear is normal for a property that isn’t new construction, and this normal wear and tear is not grounds to request repairs or credits. (It may be something to factor into your original offer.)
If you are purchasing a home in an association, such as a condo or townhome, you will have an opportunity to review the association’s governing documents. However, the association is not party to the transaction, so we cannot negotiate with the association. We can ask for clarification, but will not be able to request changes to the way business is done within the association.
- Inspections are intended to find latent defects, or defects not easily visible to the naked eye during a showing. Defects you observe or are told about in a showing should shape our negotiations, not the attorney review process. Some wear and tear is normal for a property that isn’t new construction, and this normal wear and tear is not grounds to request repairs or credits. (It may be something to factor into your original offer.)
- Mortgage Contingency
- Your lender will require a substantial amount of paperwork from you. It is in your best interest to deliver the documentation they require as soon as possible, to avoid any delay in processing your loan. The mortgage contingency date is occasionally extended, but it is not guaranteed that the seller will accept such a request.
- Final Walk-Through and Closing
- We schedule the final walk-through as close to the time of closing as possible to ensure that you are completely comfortable and aware of the property’s condition before accepting ownership. A closing can take anywhere from 1-3 hours—possibly more, if we encounter delays in funding—and either you or someone with your power of attorney must be present for this. This will take place at a title company, or an attorney’s office.