Some important points to remember:
- It's o.k. to buy a house that needs a little touch-up: Excellent
buys are often made on homes that require a little paint and soap. Two
identical homes can be priced $1000's apart when one needs about $200
of work.
- Let me do the leg work for you: Working closely with me, I
can pre-screen homes that meet your criteria, and save you endless hours
of running around.
- Help with the purchase: Your parents, family or friends can
contribute to the purchase of your home by way of a "Gift Certificate."
Ask them if they are willing to help you out by means of this convenient
contribution.
- You will need a deposit on any offer that you want to submit:
Each contract offer that you make on a home must be accompanied by a
deposit in the form of cash or check.
- Price your offer correctly: If you are serious about buying
a particular home, it is important to price your offer correctly, you
wouldn't want to lose the home to a better offer, if you were prepared
to pay more.
- Be accessible after you make an offer: Make sure that you are
able to be reached after your offer has been submitted. Multiple offers
on the same property are quite common these days, and you need to be
able to counter an offer in a timely fashion if you expect the property
to still be available.
- When is the contract is binding: The contract is binding only
after your offer has been submitted, and the seller has agreed to sell
you the property. Even if you make a full purchase price offer, it does
not guarantee that the seller will sell.