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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Earnest Money?
A portion of a down payment given to the seller by a potential buyer indicating the buyer's intent to complete the purchase of the property.
2. Should I Get a Home Inspection? What Does a Home Inspector do?
For you're own safety, and to make sure you are getting your money's worth in the home you choose, using a home inspector is highly recommended. A home inspector will check a home's plumbing, heating and cooling, electrical systems, and look for structural problems like a damp or leaky basement.
Before you sign any offer, your real estate agent should make sure that it includes an inspection clause or other language which says that your purchase obligation is contingent on the findings of a professional home inspector.
A home cannot "pass" or "fail" an inspection, and an inspector will not say whether he thinks the home is worth the money you are offering. The inspector's job is to make the buyer aware of any recommended or necessary repairs.
A seller may be willing to renegotiate a price to accommodate needed repairs, or you may decide that the home will take too much work and money. A professional inspection will help you make a clearheaded decision.
Remember the purpose of a home inspection is to help you learn things about the home that are not easily discover able during your home-buying tour. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A "LAUNDRY LIST" OF MINOR REPAIRS FOR SELLERS TO COMPLETE.
3. What is an Appraisal?
A portion of a down payment given to the seller by a potential buyer indicating the buyer's intent to complete the purchase of the property.
4. What is a Home Warranty? What are the Benefits of Getting One?
A home warranty is usually a one year service agreement that covers the repair or replacement of many major home systems and appliances that typically breakdown over time due to normal wear and tear.
You can be covered against the expenses of unexpected repair or replacement for a full year after closing, less the standard deductible. Think about it, no matter how closely you inspect a home before you buy, you just can't predict certain things. There could be breakdowns from normal wear and tear, and there's always the possibility of mechanical failure during the first year of ownership. Things like internal plumbing, electrical wiring, or vital parts of the air condition and heating systems can give out unexpectedly. Even working components like washer, dryer, oven, refrigerator, and other items sometimes fail. Each warranty has some limitation, carefully read your policy. Pre-existing conditions may be a factor.
5. Do I need a professional photographer to photograph my home? How important are the pictures, really?
You're first showing happens online, so you want to put your best foot forward with quality photos that showcase what your home has to offer. Your realtor should have photos live the same day your home hits the MLS. A buyer is more likely to skip past a listing, while searching online, if it has no pictures or if the pictures it does have are poor quality.
6. Is there anything I can do to help improve my homes value?
There are many things you can do to help improve your homes value. From simple less costly projects like painting to more costly projects like Updating your Kitchen. For some helpful tips, watch the short video above.
7. What is a Survey Location Report?
A Survey Location report, also known as a mortgage or loan survey, briefly describes the location of existing structures & other improvements.
8. I like the house. Should I have my agent write an offer?
A home is a large investment and should not be taken lightly. You should always do your due diligence by asking questions. That way you can better protect your investment.
9. Should I accept this offer on my home or wait for a better one?
There are several important thing you should consider before writing an offer on your home. You need to know as many details as possible before accepting an offer on your home. You should ask you realtor questions to better understand the offer presented to you. The answers to questions like, "Is the buyer pre-approved?" and, "What are all your closing costs?" are just a few of the important details you need to know.
10. Is there anything I need to do before looking at homes?/ Are there benefits to getting pre-approved, before looking at homes?
Getting pre-approved before looking at homes will save you both time and money. A lender will let you know the type of financing you are approved for and any needed concessions from the seller. Being pre-approved also buys strength with your offer when presenting it to the seller.
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Updated . Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
