Why You Need a REALTOR® to buy a home

Source: Buying a new home? An experienced real estate agent is essential.

When you buy a new house, do you need the services of an experienced real estate agent? The answer is yes, and here’s why. 

When you buy an existing house, what you see is what you get for the asking price. When you buy an as-yet-unbuilt house, what you see in the builder’s furnished model is notwhat you get for the advertised base price. 

Had you been working with an experienced real estate agent, you would have avoided disheartening experiences, because the agent would have directed you to new construction that fit your budget in the area where you want to live. As you toured models together, the agent would have helped you distinguish the upgrades from the basic house and pointed out the options that are prudent choices, said David Zadareky, the broker/owner of Re/Max Evolution. 

When choosing specific options, Zadareky advises his buyers to get features that will be difficult or costly to add later; in our earlier example, this would be the four-foot family room extension and the bay windows on the front. The to-die-for kitchen and the hardwood flooring can be future remodeling projects, and some options should be nixed outright because they will not translate into a better resale price. “No one will pay extra for a fireplace in the master bedroom,” he said. 

Why don’t most new-home buyers use real estate agents to help them navigate a brand-new house purchase? 

It requires planning ahead, and most new-home purchases begin spontaneously when the buyers chance upon a “Grand Opening” for a new-home development and stop to take a look. When asked to “register” by the model sales agent, they fill out a card with their name and contact information. 

To get the real estate agent’s help, the agent must register the buyers on their initial visit. But if you visit the model and decline to register, you should be able to return later with an agent in tow, Zadareky said.