If you are a first time home seller or a first time home buyer chances are someone has given you the advice to get a realtor to help you out. The first time I bought a home, I followed this advice and found myself paying a lot of money for advice and support I actually did not need. Was my experience a case of hiring the wrong agent? I do not believe so. My case was discovering exactly what a realtor does.
A realtor is a salesperson, who has the final goal of guiding you to purchase a home. A realtor can help you find possible homes to buy because they have access to the MLS database. Some realtors will offer a service where they send you emails whenever a home you would be interested in appears in the MLS database. I thought this was a great idea when I was looking for a new home, so I actually paid my realtor a weekly fee. Â
Once I became a little more knowledgeable about home buying, I was shocked to discover that I could save money in my purchasing processes by gaining direct access to the MLS system. The internet has opened up home buying and selling to anyone. We no longer need to rely on a realtor to provide the information available in the MLS database. By signing up for a flat fee home buying program, I can receive the same emails the realtor was sending and I can save money as well. Â
Saving money is important whenever I buy a new home. The money I save can be reinvested in my home or directly applied to my mortgage. Being smart and savvy about home buying means I can do it alone and know I’ve done it right.Â
