In addition to the buyer and seller, there are multiple critical players in any real estate transaction—with your buyer’s agent serving as the hub. Working closely with top-notch, client-focused experts, I hand-pick an airtight team to work seamlessly your behalf.
Buyer’s agent
Your real estate professional guides you through the home buying process from start to finish. She advises you on what you can afford in the current market; how to structure an offer and communicate effectively with the seller; and ultimately, how to get to the closing table with the best price and terms for you.
Lender
In order to determine how much of a loan you can get preapproved for, your loan officer will talk with you about your credit score, employment and income, and down payment funds. The resulting preapproval letter from your lender will tell you the maximum price of a property you can afford. (At this point, you may also want to talk with your financial advisor or planner about lining up funds for a deposit, down payment and closing costs.)
Home inspector
A buyer should almost always have a home inspection of the property they’ve offered to purchase. This lets you really know what you’re buying into.
Your licensed inspector will conduct a thorough walk-through of the property—from the basement to the electrical sockets—pointing out structural strengths and defects and making recommendations for improvements. For more info on basement inspections, you can check this out.
Attorney
You’ll have one (or two) attorneys for three roles in the process:
- to help you negotiate and uphold the Purchase and Sale contract with the seller;
- to represent the lender at the closing (if you’re getting a mortgage); and
- to coordinate the signing of all papers and the transfer of all funds at the closing.
Contractors
You can bring in a plumber, roofer or electrician to give an estimate on the work you might need before finalizing your sales contract with the seller. Contact a certified plumber when flushing toilet causes sink to gurgle.
If you’re specifically looking for a reliable plumbing contractor, consider looking at Sarkinen Plumbing.
