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Services for Home Buyers
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Homes are like people. They have their own personalities. They possess character and charm. They command our attention and capture our affection.
Congratulations! You have decided to purchase a home! Or maybe you are simply "dream building" and thinking about buying one. You'll be joining the ranks of those who realize that home ownership offers a number of benefits including building equity, tax benefits, saving for the future, and creating a safe, happy environment for you and your family. 
Utilizing the services of a Real Estate Agent to be your Buyer's Agent will protect your best interests and could save you thousands of dollars on your home purchase.
If you see a property for sale and call the agent on the yard sign, this agent is the listing agent who is contracted with the seller. By law, a seller's agent cannot recommend or suggest a price to you, negotiate effectively on your behalf, inform you of the seller's top or bottom price, or disclose any confidential information about the sellers unless authorized. The fact is, ANY confidential information you state to the seller's agent probably will be provided to the sellers by their agent. As a buyer, you should NOT provide any information to a seller's agent that you do not want disclosed. For more information on agency relationships, contact me .
Whether buying a For Sale by Owner home or a home listed on the MLS, get the upper hand in negotiating the purchase price of your next home and be fully represented by working with a buyer's agent. A buyer's agent can save you money! And typically utilizing a buyer's agent will not cost you anything as the seller normally pays the realtor commissions.
From those who have purchased homes in the past or are selling their current home and ready to buy another house, to First Time HomeOwners, to those looking to buy a house for investment, or a Renter wanting to buy a home ... Steve Swanson is a full time Realtor and an experienced Buyer's Agent. Steve is a Certified Negotiation Specialist (CNS) and an Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR).
We take the buying process as seriously as our buyers do, therefore we offer nothing but the highest quality of service to our clients. We want to earn your business, and that of your friends. Buying your home is one of the most important purchases you will make, so make sure you have the right agent whom you trust and can provide you with the experience and the service you deserve.
Please contact me if you have any questions about buying a home in Redmond Seattle Kirkland Bellevue or elsewhere in King County or Snohomish County in Washington State. |
To enhance your home buying experience, it’s my job as a Real Estate Professional to provide you with as much valuable information as possible. Topics include mortgages, viewing homes, the offer, closing details, moving ... learn more about the many aspects of the real estate market before making such a major purchase. In the following Free reports, you'll find some information that can help you in making a wise buying decision.
Select desired reports and complete the form provided below.
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Buyer's Agency Pamphlet
This pamphlet describes your legal rights in dealing with a real estate broker or agent. The obligations of a Buyer's Agent, Seller's Agent or Dual Agent are outlined here in "The Law of Real Estate Agency".
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Avoid The Most Common Buyer Errors
Some buyers, however, caught up in the excitement of buying a new home tend to overlook some items. When you have a systematic plan before you shop, you’ll be sure to avoid these costly errors. Here are some tips on making the most of your home purchase.
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Buying Your First Home?
Many renters are starting to think about purchasing a home of their own. This article highlights several factors that should be considered when purchasing a home.
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How Not To Pay Too Much For Your Home
This article helps you become a savvy buyer, by pointing out some of the pitfalls inherent in the home-buying process.
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A Smooth Home Purchase in Six Steps
Buying a home can be an emotional, time-consuming, and complex process. There are a few things that you can do to help make the process go as smooth as possible
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I can help you with all the details of buying a home, but first, it's important to leverage your buying power! The Northwest real estate market is highly competitive with multiple offers common. Here are some of the steps I will take to help you obtain your home:
Help You Get Pre-Approved
This step takes little time and is of great value. It will identify the price range for which you qualify. This is accomplished by speaking with your mortgage consultant and establishing what monthly payments you will be comfortable with and type of program that best fits your needs.
Helping Determine Your Needs and Wants
Next to becoming prequalified, this is one of the more important step in the process of shopping for your new home. By asking you a series of questions, I will be able to determine what you are looking for. My objective is to be productive with your time by not leading you to properties that fit don't your specific needs or fall outside your price range. I will listen and learn to serve you properly and efficiently. Throughout the buying process, I will maintain your confidentiality and represent only your best interests.
Home Shopping
We will use every available method to locate a property that matches your search parameters. This will include properties listed with our office, offered through other real estate companies, as well as unlisted properties. We will disclose all known facts about the property that are likely to affect your decision.
Note: After an initial meeting and road showing, it is preferable to go house hunting after you have been Pre-Approved by a Lender and have a Commitment Letter. In addition to making our time productive, this also respects the privacy of the Sellers and to ensure that only qualified buyers are entering the Seller's homes. Should you want to make an offer on a house, this Pre-approval letter is almost mandatory as many home sellers will not accept an offer without one.
Be prepared to preview a new listing quickly. Homes sometimes sell in hours! Be prepared to make a decision quickly and be accessible to change the terms if needed.
Making the Offer
When we find the home that meets your criteria, I will assist you in writing an offer using a Purchase & Sale Contract. As your representative I will present the offer to the listing agent and their client, and will consult and advise you as we negotiate the contract until an agreement is reached. Here are few tips:
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Submit a strong competitive offer. Ssubmit the offer as if there will be multiple offers.
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Minimize or eliminate contingencies. The fewer the contingencies, the stronger the offer!
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Create a buyer profile. This can include a small bio, reason for purchasing seller's home, etc. Personalize your offer to make yourself a strong candidate!
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Provide comparables on property. I will substantiate your offer by providing you with a competitive market analysis (CMA) of similar properties in the area that are currently for sale and that have sold.
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Be aware of new listings. I will stay on top of all new MLS listings and other listing resources for you!
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Maintain instant communication channels. Communication is key! We will maintain instant access to each other via office phone, cellular phone, pager, voice mail, fax, and email!
Service During & Beyond the Sale
I will continue to act as a liaison between you and the seller during the entire transaction, and will continue to fully represent your best interests and make sure inspections, appraisals, time lines, and the many other details are handled pro-actively and professionally. I will continue to be a resource for all your real estate needs even after you have moved into your new home and from time to time will send you items of value. |
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So, Who Is Working For You?
It is important for you to understand who the Realtor is working for. If both the seller and buyer have their own agents, the each agent is working on behalf of their repective client. If a buyer chooses to contact a seller's agent directly - and all three parties have not entered into a Dual Agency arrangement - then that agent is working for the seller, and must do what is best for the seller including disclosing any confidential information that may have been learned about you, including how much you're willing to pay...and may provide basic services to the buyer such as being just a facilitator of the paperwork.
The Buyer Agency Relationship
In Washington State, a real estate agent acting as a "Buyer's Agent" must, by law, do what is best for the buyer. A written contract called a buyer's agency agreement establishes the buyer agency. It also explains the services the company will provide and specifies what obligations a buyer may have. Typically, buyers will be obligated to work exclusively with the company for a specific period of time. Anything confidential that the buyer shares with the buyer's agent will be kept confidential and cannot be disclosed. A seller working with a buyer's agent can be expected to be treated fairly and honestly.
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Real Estate Agency Pamphlet
This pamplet describes your legal rights in dealing with a real estate agent or broker, outlines the obligations of a Buyer's Agent and those of a Seller's Agent, and more...
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