Buying a Home In Olympia
|
Buying a home is an exciting and complex adventure. It can also be a very time-consuming and costly one if you're not familiar with all aspects of the process, and don't have all the best information and resources at hand.
One of my specialties is representing the best interests of Olympia area buyers throughout the home buying process. I encourage you to visit my Buyers page at Phil Sharp Homes. My comprehensive, high-quality services can save you time and money, as well as make the experience more enjoyable and less stressful.
If you're like most people, buying a home is the biggest investment you will ever make. So whether you're buying a starter home, your dream home or an investment property, why not take advantage of my experience as a local market expert for Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, and Thurston County to make the most informed decisions you can, every step of the way? |
 |
By Completing the red form to the left, you will be directed to a page that will allow you to request a free MLS Market Snapshot , emailed to you and tailored to your neighborhood. The Market Snapshot is created from real time MLS data, not tax records, and provides clear information with mapping and a comparison chart that allows you to instantly compare your home against others in the neighborhood. Use the report to determine per square foot cost, cost differences based on age, time on market, and much more.
The following real estate articles provide useful information and are a great place to start if you're considering buying a home.
Your Realtor Should have Baggage
Finding the right realtor is not just about calling the agent with the best looking website or advertising; it is about finding someone whose personality is compatible with yours, and someone who will market and sell your home in a manner that suits you. Then you get to the nuts and bolts. When you hire a realtor, you are not just entering into a contract with him or her, you are engaging the services of that agents’ entire network. If your agent gives a funny look when you ask about affiliations, you should look elsewhere.
An accomplished realtor should have a network of associates who can assist in all aspects of your transaction. Starting with the Title company used by your agent to produce a title report (necessary to insure that there are not surprises at closing) to a contractor to repair items identified by the buyers inspector, your agent should have these people in a back pocket ready to resolve the inevitable issues that arise in the course of buying or selling a home.
You should expect, as a matter of routine, for your agent to bring up his or her network at your first meeting. I have made it a practice to discuss the following with all clients, buying or selling:
- Title costs and procedures
- Inspections/inspectors
- Reputable lenders (things to consider when finding the right lender)
- Contractors (plumbing, electric, landscape, paint, minor to major repair, etc.)
Your Realtor should also have the following “on tap” if needed:
- Land use planner/engineer (especially if you are looking to build)
- Septic designers and well drillers
- Architect or draftsman (many folks plan to add additions etc. after purchase, do you know if the people that issue the permits will?)
- Wetland/environmental experts (for all of the reasons mentioned above)
- Many others!!!
It never ceases to amaze me when I hear about people entering into contracts with no idea of the potential outcomes. Just because you buy a vacant lot doesn’t mean that the local jurisdiction will allow you to build on it. Nor does what the neighbor did have any bearing on your property. The rules are changing so fast that what was OK six months ago might be impossible today. If your network of experts is out of touch, it could hurt.
As realtors, we represent ourselves as experts in the field of real estate. The term “real estate” is very broad, it includes not only our homes, but the roads that serve them, the water, the sewer, community impacts, and everything else we take for granted until it affects our purchase or sale. No one person will have all of the answers; but you should insist that your expert know what questions need to be asked, and of whom.
Whether you are buying or selling a home, the name of the game is exposure. Marketing is what I do, on this site and numerous others; Ask me, I can prove it! And Get to Know Your Realtor©
Whether you say REALTOR®, "Realator" or "Realter", realty, "realety" or "reality", real estate or "realestate", our agents speak your language.