Rochester Real Estate | LOCAL Homes For Sale https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com Rochester Real Estate | LOCAL Homes For Sale | Homes for sale in Rochester, NY, LOCAL Rochester real estate listings, market data, REALTOR® info, and high quality content updated every 15 minutes! Wed, 25 Jun 2025 11:50:30 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/cropped-SITE-LOGO-512-x-512-1-32x32.png 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home – Rochester Real Estate | LOCAL Homes For Sale https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com 32 32 June Home Maintenance Checklist: 40+ Must-Do Tasks to Prepare Your Home for Summer https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/june-home-maintenance-checklist-summer-prep/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=20501 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> May Home Maintenance Checklist: 30 Essential Tasks to Prepare Your Home for Summer https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/may-home-maintenance-checklist/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=20484 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> April Home Maintenance Checklist: How To Prepare Your Rochester NY Home For Spring https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/april-home-maintenance-checklist/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=20364 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> March Home Maintenance Checklist: Get Your New York Home Ready for Spring https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/march-home-maintenance-checklist/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=20338 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How to Buy a House in New York https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/buy-a-house-in-new-york/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19906 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How to Sell a House in New York https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/sell-a-house-in-new-york/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19905 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Risks of Buying a Non-Warrantable Condo In New York: What You Need to Know https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/non-warrantable-condo/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19796 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Builders Should Know About Spec Construction Loans In New York https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/builders-spec-construction-loans/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19795 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Moving To The Finger Lakes Region Of New York | Guide To Relocating To The Finger Lakes https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/moving-to-the-finger-lakes-region/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19875 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Navigating the Numbers: The Pros and Cons of Using Online Home Value Estimators For New York Real Estate https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/pros-cons-online-home-value-estimators/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19794 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Role of Location in Home Valuation In New York https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/role-of-location-home-valuation/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19768 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Lowe’s vs U-Haul: A Review of Truck Rental Companies https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/lowes-vs-uhaul/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19758 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Understanding the Importance of a Seller’s Property Condition Disclosure https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/property-condition-disclosure-statement/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19632 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What are Delayed Showings and Negotiations in Real Estate In New York? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/delayed-showings-negotiations/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19547 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 8 Viable Tactics to Selling Your Home and Moving Out of State https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/selling-home-moving-out-of-state/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19542 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Unconventional Methods for Selling a House: Thinking Outside the Box https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/unconventional-methods-for-selling-a-house/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19519 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Should I Sell My House Off Market: Pros and Cons Explained https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/sell-house-off-market/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19503 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What is PITI and How Does It Affect Your Mortgage https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/what-is-piti/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19498 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How To Set A Home Renovation Budget https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/home-renovation-budget/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19490 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How Does A Co-Borrowers Credit Scores Affect A Home Purchase? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/co-borrower-credit-score/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19474 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> New Construction Final Walk-Through Checklist: Ensuring a Seamless Home Inspection https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/new-construction-final-walk-through/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19458 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Essential Tips for Pumping a Septic Tank: What You Need to Know https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/pumping-a-septic-tank/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19450 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Can You Submit Multiple Offers On Homes At Once – A Legal And Ethical Analysis https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/multiple-offers-on-homes-at-once/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19414 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How to Get Your Home Photo Ready for Real Estate Listings https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/real-estate-photo-ready/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19409 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Does a Home Builder’s Warranty Cover? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/home-builders-warranty/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19394 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> July 2023 Greater Rochester NY Area Real Estate Market Update https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/july-2023-rochester-ny-real-estate-market-update/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19403 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Who Pays Real Estate Commission When You Buy or Sell a Home https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/real-estate-commission/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19366 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Quitclaim Deeds: What You Need to Know https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/quitclaim-deeds/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19358 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What to Know About Selling a Home As Is for Cash https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/selling-home-as-is-cash/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19347 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How to Know if My House Has Paranormal Activity https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/is-my-house-haunted/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19342 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Why Find The History of a House https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/find-history-house/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19316 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> June 2023 Greater Rochester NY Area Real Estate Market Update https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/june-2023-rochester-ny-area-real-estate-market-update/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19313 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Does a Real Estate Lawyer Do? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/real-estate-lawyer/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19181 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> May 2023 Greater Rochester NY Area Real Estate Market Update https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/may-2023-rochester-ny-area-real-estate-market-update/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19162 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What to Know About Buying a Home For The First Time https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/buying-home-first-time/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=19058 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> <strong>What Should a Buyer Look For at a Home Inspection?</strong> https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/what-look-for-home-inspection/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18983 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Companies That Buy Houses For Cash Reviewed https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/companies-buy-houses-for-cash/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18889 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Does Home Staging Work and What is The Cost? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/does-home-staging-work/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18814 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What to Avoid When Getting a Mortgage https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/avoid-when-getting-mortgage/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18797 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> <strong>5 Options For Replacing a Roof Reviewed</strong> https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/replacing-roof/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18771 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Are Restrictive Covenants in Real Estate? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/restrictive-covenants/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18714 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Can The Court Force The Sale of Your House in Divorce? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/court-force-sale-divorce/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18693 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Real Estate Agent vs. Broker: What&#8217;s The Difference? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/real-estate-agent-vs-broker/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18650 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How To Determine Square Feet In Your House For More Accurate Property Estimates https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/determine-square-feet/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18167 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 3 Things That Often Results in a Real Estate Agent Getting Sued https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/real-estate-agent-sued/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18133 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Top 5 Types Of Home Inspections Buyers Should Consider https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/5-types-home-inspections/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18119 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Pros And Cons Of Rent To Own Homes: What You Need To Know https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/pros-cons-rent-own-homes/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18104 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 5 Smart Things To Do Before Moving That Will Help Ease Your Transition https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/things-before-moving/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18084 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How to Become a Real Estate Agent https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/become-real-estate-agent/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=18071 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Renting A House Or An Apartment: Which Is The Better Option https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/renting-house-apartment/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=17871 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The 5 Most Important Factors To Consider When Buying A House https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/5-factors-buying-house/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=17851 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Buyers And Sellers Need To Know About An Appraisal Gap https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/appraisal-gap/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=17827 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Pros And Cons Of Renting With Roommates – What You Need To Know https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/renting-with-roommates/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=17794 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 6 Things You Should Know About Buying Land https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/things-know-buying-land/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=17773 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How Long Should Home Sellers Wait To Respond To An Offer On Their Home? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/home-sellers-wait-respond-offer/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=17745 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How To Buy A House With A Low Credit Score https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/how-to-buy-a-house-with-a-low-credit-score/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=16819 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Things To Consider When Shipping A Car https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/things-to-consider-when-shipping-a-car/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=16248 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Home Depot Truck Rentals: What to Know Including Pricing https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/home-depot-truck-rentals-what-to-know-including-pricing/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=16156 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 16 Things To Do Before Listing Your Home For Sale https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/16-things-to-do-before-listing-your-home-for-sale/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=16138 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Biggest Home Inspection Mistakes to Avoid https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/biggest-home-inspection-mistakes-to-avoid/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=16112 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How Your Credit Score Impacts Your Ability To Buy A House https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/how-credit-score-impacts-buying-house/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=16086 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Top Winter Home Selling Mistakes | 7 Errors Made While Selling A House During The Winter https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/top-winter-home-selling-mistakes/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=16051 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Top Winter Home Buying Mistakes | 11 Errors Made While Buying A House During The Winter https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/winter-home-buying-mistakes/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=16013 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Address Change Form Should I Use At The Post Office? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/address-change-form-post-office/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15981 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Does Contingent Status Mean in Real Estate? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/what-does-contingent-status-mean-real-estate/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15956 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> DIY Renovation Ideas For Your Backyard https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/diy-renovation-ideas-backyard/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15937 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How to Rent Your First Apartment Guide https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/how-to-rent-an-apartment/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15931 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Tips For Selling A Home Virtually https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/tips-selling-a-home-virtually/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15907 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Complete Winter Storage Checklist For Your Belongings https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/winter-storage-checklist/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15885 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Should I Waive My Home Inspection When Buying A House? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/should-i-waive-my-home-inspection/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15870 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Biggest Self Storage Companies Reviewed https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/biggest-self-storage-companies/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15836 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Earnest Money and House Deposits Explained https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/earnest-money-house-deposits-explained/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15760 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Moving Mistakes To Avoid https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/moving-mistakes-to-avoid/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15568 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Top Mortgage Myths | Demystifying Common Home Loan Misconceptions https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/top-mortgage-myths/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=15102 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> First-Time Home Buyer Mistakes to Avoid https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/first-time-home-buyer-mistakes/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=14815 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 10 Tips For Adding Appeal To Your Home This Summer https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/10-tips-adding-appeal-to-home-this-summer/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=14237 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Exploring The Merits of Smart Home Technology When Selling a Home https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/smart-home-technology-selling-a-home/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=13782 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Top Frequently Asked Questions From Home Sellers https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/top-frequently-asked-questions-home-sellers/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=2424 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> First Time Home Buyer Programs In Rochester NY &#8211; Updated January 2025 https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/first-time-home-buyer-programs/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock http://rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=580 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How New Doors &#038; Windows Can Boost Your Home Value https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/how-new-doors-windows-boost-your-home-value/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=13643 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Top 5 Things To Know When Flipping Your First House https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/5-things-to-know-when-flipping-your-first-house/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=13574 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Are The Best Mortgage Options for Self Employed Borrowers? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/mortgage-options-for-self-employed-borrowers/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=13450 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Top 10 Best Places To See Christmas Lights In Rochester NY https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/top-10-best-places-see-christmas-lights-rochester-ny/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=10236 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Are The PROs And CONs Of Multifamily Homes? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-multifamily-homes/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=13219 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> What Low-Cost Home Improvements Should You Make Before Selling Your Home? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/low-cost-home-improvements-you-should-make-before-selling-your-home/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=13114 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 15 Things Millennial Home Buyers Look At While Buying A House https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/15-things-millennial-home-buyers-look-at-while-buying-a-house/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=13028 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How Does A Fence Increase The Value Of Your Home https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/how-does-a-fence-increase-the-value-of-your-home/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12995 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 5 Simple &#038; Low Cost Fixes To Make Your Home More Appealing To Buyers https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/5-simple-and-low-cost-fixes-to-make-your-home-more-appealing-to-buyers/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12779 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How To Improve A Homes Curb Appeal In Rochester NY https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/how-to-improve-a-homes-curb-appeal-rochester-ny/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12665 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 7 Ways to Create an Energy-Efficient Home While Conserving Your Budget https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/7-ways-create-an-energy-efficient-home/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12633 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Hiring Movers Vs. Moving Yourself | The PROs &#038; CONs Of Each https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/hiring-movers-vs-moving-yourself/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12592 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Should You Pay Off Student Loans Before Purchasing a Home? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/pay-off-student-loans-before-purchasing-a-home/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12531 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Should I Build A New Home Or Buy An Existing Home? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/should-i-build-a-new-home-or-buy-an-existing-home/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=2497 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> Buying A Condo Vs. Renting A Condo | What Are The PROs &#038; CONs? https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/buying-a-condo-vs-renting-a-condo/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12402 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 9 Money Saving Moving Tips | How To Cut Costs When Moving https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/9-money-saving-moving-tips/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12341 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> How to Create a Proper Home Maintenance Checklist https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/how-to-create-a-proper-home-maintenance-checklist/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12300 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> 5 Tips For Tenant Screening | How To Weed Out Bad Tenant Applicants https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/tips-for-tenant-screening/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12291 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Best Social Media Blogs For Real Estate From 2017 https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/best-social-media-blogs-2017/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12045 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Best Home Improvement Blogs From 2017 | Advice For Home Remodeling https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/best-home-improvement-blogs-2017/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12044 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]> The Best Mortgage Blogs From 2017 | Advice For Home Financing https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/best-mortgage-blogs-2017/ Tue, 30 Jun 2015 11:30:33 +0000 Kyle Hiscock https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/?p=12043 10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate When Buying A Home[/caption] Buying a home, especially for the first time, can come with lots of confusion and unanswered questions.  Buying a home requires things such as patience, persistence, and dedication.  Another very important thing that is extremely helpful when buying a home is making sure you have a top producing buyers agent working on your behalf! There are certain things that home sellers should expect from their real estate agent when selling their home and it is no different for home buyers.  It's extremely important that before you choose a real estate agent to represent you as a buyers agent, you take the time to properly interview prospective buyers agents. Like most professions, there are top producing buyers agents, middle of the road buyers agents, and others fall short of their fellow real estate agents.  A buyer who chooses to work with a top producing buyers agent gives themselves a huge advantage over their competition, other potential home buyers.  Having a top producing buyers agent working for you can make a huge difference especially if you're trying to buy a home in a competitive sellers market. So, what things should you expect from your real estate agent when buying a home?  The following 10 things are items that you should absolutely make sure you will receive from your buyers agent when buying a home. Disclosure / Honesty When buying a home, it's important that you choose to work with a buyers agent who is honest and believes in full disclosure.  All licensed real estate agents are supposed to adhere to a stringent set of documents called the code of ethics and standards of practice. It's not always the easiest task to judge whether a buyers agent is completely honest or is practicing full disclosure, but there are certainly ways to feel fairly confident this is the case. First and foremost, trust your "gut feeling."  If your "gut" is telling you that something doesn't seem correct about the prospective buyers agent, then choose not to work with them.  There are lots of buyers agents to choose from that will give you a positive vibe. Another great way to find out whether a prospective buyers agent is practicing full disclosure is to ask for the contact information from some past buyers the agent has represented.  The agent should be able to provide at least a handful of past clients you can reach out to. It's important that when looking at homes you have an extra set of eyes looking out for potential red flags in a home.  An honest buyers agent should be the first person to point out potential red flags in a home when viewing prospective homes. Frequently Communication One of the most common reasons why prospect home buyers choose to "fire" their buyers agent is due to a lack of communication.  When you set out to purchase a home, you should expect frequent communication, bottom line.  A top producing buyers agent should at least acknowledge receipt of an e-mail, text message, or phone call within a few hours of receiving the message. It's extremely important that when buying a home in a competitive sellers market, your real estate agent is staying in frequent communication with you.  They should be letting you know when a new listing that might be your perfect home is listed and also letting you know if a home you had interest in potentially buying has been having lots of other showings or potentially other purchase offers. If you're actively and aggressively looking to purchase a home, you should expect some type of communication from your buyers agent every couple days. Use Of Current & "Cutting-Edge" Technologies Technology in general is changing on a daily basis and that is no different in the real estate industry.  There are new gadgets, apps, and programs that are being introduced in the real estate industry daily.  It's important that when you set out to buy a home, you expect that your real estate agent is utilizing the most current and "cutting-edge" technologies. One of the most popular advances in technology that you should expect your real estate agent to be using when buying a home is some form of digital signature software.  There are several companies and programs available that allow a real estate agent to obtain required signatures without having to physically meet with a buyer.  This can save lots of time not only for a real estate agent, but also you.  Since most home buyers have very busy work schedules and personal schedules, this can eliminate a delay in getting signatures on a required document and also expedite the transaction and help avoid potential delays. Another piece of technology that your real estate agent should be utilizing is a mobile app that is linked to their respective MLS.  This is very helpful in the event you have questions about a specific property as this app will allow the real estate agent to access the information you desire. Quality Business Connections [caption id="attachment_2803" align="alignleft" width="450"]Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home Quality Business Connections Should Be An Expectation Of Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home[/caption] Throughout the home buying process, there are many different professionals that are usually needed.  Professionals such as mortgage consultants, home inspectors, structural engineers, and attorneys are just a few of the professionals who you can expect to be in contact with when buying a home. It's important that you expect from your real estate agent that they have a solid group of business connections available to recommend.  Without a solid group of business connections, it's possible you may not receive the quality of service you deserve. For example, it's strongly suggested that when buying a home you have a home inspection and having a quality home inspector recommendation is important.  Just like there are differently levels of real estate professionals, it's no different in the home inspection field, and hiring an inspector who is not top notch can cost you lots of money in the future due to missed decencies during a home inspection. Professionalism Whether your buying a home, buying a car, or buying a television, professionalism is something you should expect.  When buying a home, it's important that your buyers agent is a professional.  Real estate professionals hate when buyers don't respect their time, however, it should also be expected that a real estate professional respects the buyers time. When buying a home, you should expect that if your real estate agent says they will meet you at a property at 11:00 AM, they are there at 11:00 AM or before.  Being late to appointment after appointment shows a lack of professionalism. Proven Track Record & Success When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and a sales history.  One big mistake that buyers make when choosing a buyers agent is not asking about their sales success.  A real estate agent who hasn't sold a single home or only a couple is not going to have the same level of experience and knowledge as an agent who has sold fifty homes. Make sure when buying a home, you expect that your real estate agent has a proven track record and you know what their sales history is.  When you're interviewing prospective buyers agents, make sure you ask them about the number of homes they have sold to buyers in the past year. Knowledge Of The Local Real Estate Market Real estate markets can drastically change from one town to another.  It's important that you expect your real estate agent to have knowledge of the local real estate market that you're looking to buy a home in. Why is it important that your real estate agent have knowledge about the local real estate market?  When it comes time to determine how much to offer for a home, a buyers agent who has sold several homes within the local market is going to be able to recommend a price that is likely to be more accurate than an agent who has never sold a home in the local market. Knowledge Of The Local Rules, Regulations, & Required Documents Just like the market values can drastically change from one town to another, the local rules, regulations, and documents can as well.  When buying a home, you should expect your real estate agent has a strong knowledge of the local rules, regulations, and various documents that maybe required. If you're going to be purchasing a condo, it becomes even more important that you expect your real estate agent has a strong understanding of homeowner associations.  There are many differences between purchasing a single family residence and a condo.  First and foremost, the purchase contract is different for purchasing a condo.  It's also important that your real estate agent has experience helping buyers purchase a piece of real estate that is part of a HOA. Availability [caption id="attachment_2805" align="alignright" width="450"]When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available When Buying A Home You Should Expect Your Real Estate Agent To Be Available[/caption] Buying a home, as mentioned above, takes time and devotion to have a successful and enjoyable experience.  When buying a home, you must be ready to make yourself available when you're not working.  This being said, you should also expect that your real estate agent is available to devote time to you, even if it's not during the most convenient times. One of the best aspects of being a real estate agent is the ability to have a flexible schedule.  One of the biggest things that people who are thinking about getting their real estate license fail to think about is that with a flexible schedule often means that the hours that potentially can be worked are long and often odd times. If the only time you're available to look at prospective homes is after 7:00 PM on weekdays or weekends, than you should expect that your real estate agent is going to make time to show you prospective homes.  If time and time again you're requesting to see a property at 7:00 PM on a weeknight and your real estate professional is always making up excuses, you may want to reconsider whether they are the best fit for your home search. Strong Negotiator & Reputation When buying a home, you should expect that your real estate agent is a strong negotiator as well as they have a strong reputation with their fellow real estate professionals.  A top producing buyers agent will advocate for their buyer until they are blue in the face.  It's important that to obtain the best possible price they have are able to be strong but not overly pushy or aggressive with the sellers real estate agent. It's also extremely important that you expect your real estate agent has a good reputation with other real estate agents.  A real estate agent who is known to be difficult to work with on transactions or who is lazy is a great way to have a purchase offer rejected.  Believe it or not, if a seller is looking at two comparable offers, the reputation of the buyers agent can play a big role in which offer wins! Final Thoughts Since buying a home requires lots of patience, dedication, and persistence, it's important that you have a top notch buyers agent in your corner.  There are certain things you should absolutely expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, many of which are listed above.  By having a top producing buyers agent in your corner, you've given yourself a huge advantage over other home buyers. Other Top Home Buying Resources Are you a prospective Rochester, NY home buyer?  Are you trying to find locate a top Rochester, NY real estate agent to assist you with your home purchase?  If so, make sure you expect the above 10 things from your real estate agent when buying a home.  I'd love the opportunity to help you with your home search and explain why I've helped hundreds of home buyers move around the Greater Rochester, NY area!  Contact me for a no obligation, no pressure appointment to discuss your housing needs so we can determine whether we will mutually benefit.
Subscribe To Our Blog (it's FREE) & You'll Receive All The Top Real Estate Tips, Trends, News, and More in your e-mail inbox!:Delivered by FeedBurner
About the authors:  The above article "10 Things To Expect From Your Real Estate Agent When Buying A Home" was provided by the Keith Hiscock Sold Team (Keith & Kyle Hiscock).  With over 30 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise. We service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, and Victor NY. Visit our website at www.HiscockHomes.com.]]>