Pinetop White Mountain Blog

Good Evening Everyone,

Buying property in today's market takes Patience, Persistence, & a Good Agent to get it done.  You start out real excited about buying a home.  Whether it be your first, last, or something in between, you need to be prepared for the realities of today's market.  It is rough out there and while the initial rush of finding the perfect home is wonderful, you need to be prepared for the realities of the actual transaction.

Let me start with Lending.  Lending is a royal pain today and there is no way to sugar coat that.  Lenders seem to take more time than ever to underwrite a loan.  They question the appraisals over and over again just to be sure the value on the property is correct.  And even once all that is done, they take forever to get the final loan documents to the Title Company for signing.  Most sales are being delayed as much as a month to get closed.  It is frustrating for everyone but it is worth it in the end.  Patience and Persistence are the keys to getting your loan finished.

The last thing I mentioned was a Good Agent.  By a good agent I don't mean just someone who knows how to find you the right house.  I mean an agent who is skilled in all areas of real estate and has the tenacity of a bull dog to help you over the complexities of a Real Estate transaction in today's market.  Contrary to what many people perceive as a Real Estate Agent's job, the truth is there is a lot more to a Real Estate transaction than just finding the right property.  Your agent better know all the legalities involved and be able to find out information when it is needed.  They need to stay on top of the details and deadlines and make sure everyone involved in the transaction is kept in the loop. 

Keep in mind there are a lot of people involved in a property purchase.  There are other agents/brokers, there are Title Officers, perhaps Attorneys, there are loan officers, loan processors, inspectors, appraisers, and now we have the appraisal middleman, the HVCC too; not to mention you the buyer and the seller and in some cases even conservators or guardians.  There is a lot to remember and there is a lot to know and your agent needs to be involved with every aspect of the transaction from the very beginning until the closing and you get your keys. 

So how do you find a good agent?  Well start with asking your friends and acquaintances for a referral.  If they can't help then get on phone and start calling or jump on the internet and look for agents who specialize in the area you are interested in and have content relating to your needs.  If you are a first time buyer, you want someone who has worked with first time buyers before and can help you with financing, down payment assistance programs, and who will guide you along the way.   The first site your find on page one of google isn't always the best choice.  That probably belongs to a corporate real estate company who pay a fortune for that placement but it will be the luck of the draw who actually ends up with your inquiry.  An individual agent's site is a better bet and one who works in your area of expertise.  Look for content relating to your needs.  See if there is a search link so you can access the local MLS.  Start looking and then call the agent and see if they can help you with your needs.  You will know if they are the right one because they will try and help you, not sell themselves. 

So am I asking you to contact me, of course.  But my main point is to make sure you know that in today's market there are many challenges involved in buying Real Estate.  You really need someone who is in your court working really hard for you to have a successful transaction.  One of my old tags was "Experience the Difference" and that still holds true today.  Experience does make a difference and a successful transaction makes everyone happy.

Have a great evening everyone!  Until next time.....

Sandra Paulow, Associate Broker, GRI

(928) 242-0300