Accredited Buyer Representative

Accredited Buyer's Representative

Buying a home is no small matter. Besides being the largest financial transaction you may ever undertake, it’s probably also the most complex. There are many good reasons to work with a qualified real estate professional—especially a trained professional who has earned the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation, representing best-in-class buyer services.

When you look for an ABR® before you look for a home, you’ll be served, not sold. Your interests become their interests. And you’ll be working with someone who has gone the extra mile by completing specialized training in delivering the best in buyer-representation services. Plus, a REALTOR® who has an ABR® Designation also has an established track record, with proven experience in representing the concerns of home buyers.

The ABR® Designation is awarded through the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council, or REBAC, which was founded in 1988 to promote superior buyer-representation skills and services. REBAC is an affiliate of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

Find a Buyer’s Rep – Directory of ABR®s and other buyer’s reps working to achieve this designation.

Buyer Consultation

 When we meet for the first time, here are some topics we will discuss:

• The important definitions that relate to home purchasing so that you're able to speak the language to all the parties involved (buyer agent, mortgage lender, lawyer, home inspector, etc)
• A complete explanation of Buyer Agency... what a Buyer Agent should be doing for you in the transaction, how they get paid, why some agents are NOT motivated to get you the best price and what one extremely important question you should ask BEFORE signing any buyer agency contract
• What happens at a Buyer Consultation and what the pitfalls are if your buyer agent does not take the time to have one with you
• The difference between how much you can afford to pay and how much you want to pay monthly for house or condo expenses. Don't get caught eating Kraft Dinner every night so that you can pay your monthly mortgage!
• The specific benefits of filling out a 'Wish List' before you start looking at houses or condominiums to help you focus on and decide what type of home suits your lifestyle best
• How to choose the proper home when you're out viewing properties with your buyer agent AND ways to determine how much to make your initial offer for
• Learn how to calculate 'Fair Market Value' and avoid overpaying even if you've fallen in love with the property
• What happens at a Mortgage Consultation... learn what your mortgage options are and how you can negotiate the absolute best rate
• Zero down payment options and how to create a down payment even if you haven't saved a penny so far
• What does the home inspector do? Why can some of them be a major liability to you? What should you be doing while the home inspection is going on?
• Hear real life examples of how the offer presentation process really works... what conditions in your offer are different between a house and a condominium and what $$ deposit you need when you present your offer
• Find out what lawyers do during the real estate transaction and when you need to get one involved in the process
• Once your offer is accepted, what needs to happen next... when do you assemble your down payment and when and where are all the documents signed?

 When we first meet, I will bring with me a Home Buyers package prepared specifically for you. It covers everything I wish I’d known when I bought my first house. The contents include:

• The costs associated with buying a home
• Who is responsible for these costs, and when they are due
• Who gets paid by whom (from your mortgage representative, to real estate commissions, to lawyers, etc.)
• Information on mortgages
• A copy of the Agreement of Purchase and Sale
• What to expect in the offer process
• What to expect in the weeks before you move in
• Utility information

Knowledge is power. The more you know going into the process, the fewer surprises there are.

If you are interested in receiving my Home Buyer’s Package, please call or email me at sandiecollins@remax.net