Being a Confidant Buyer

Its understandable that the process of buying a home can be somewhat overwhelming. There is a lot that needs to be done in order to make the process as hassle-free as possible. Naturally the seller is going to be concerned over a few things, the buyers ability to obtain proper financing is a major one, and whether or not their home will close quickly. This is a major concern if the seller has already purchased another home and is wanting to leave their current home as quickly as possible.

Being confidant as a buyer will entail a few steps. Mostly this will involve the financial aspects of the purchase, but it will also concern the process and how justified you feel in asking for certain conditions. One of the ways that you can gain confidence as a buyer is to have all your financial issues ironed out previous to the offer. This means clearing up any outstanding issues in your credit, and having a full mortgage pre-approval in hand. Pre-qualification is simply not enough. The difference is that with a pre-qualification all that has happened is a conversation with a mortgage company, and they have agreed that you "qualify" for a mortgage. This is the point where you ask them to "show you the money." This is a full pre-approval. The pre-approval is one thing that sellers look for to ensure that their closing will be without issues. Pre-approvals give you a definite number, and actual dollar figure. Do you think you would be a bit more confidant with that aspect of the sale already dealt with?

Don't be afraid to be forward in your assessment of the home. After all, you are spending a lot of money. You should get what you pay for right? Be firm on the issue of inspection, the last thing you want to do is pay big for a home and then discover numerous issues after the home closes. There is nothing more heartbreaking than buyer's remorse. Except buyer's remorse with a $200,000 + price tag. Educate yourself on the inspections process as best you can, and ask a lot of questions of the inspector. Do they check for mold? If not, have the home checked. These are things you can never be too careful about.

Liz Bacall is an experienced realtor specializing in Palm Beach real estate. A dedicated charity worker, Liz donates 20% of her professional fees to charity. For the best service in the Palm Beach area, contact Liz or visit www.lizbacall.com today.