How a Real Estate Agent Can Help You Choose a Home
Working with a real estate agent is almost always preferable to going it alone. Real estate agents have their reputations as well as their business on the line so protecting you isn’t just the right thing to do it’s also good business sense. A real estate agent will help ensure you aren’t taken in by a scam or vastly overpaying for a property, they can help with information on the neighborhood and keep out of even worse trouble. Even with a real estate agent on your side the choice is still up to you whether to go with a fixer upper opportunity or a well maintained move in. Here are some tips to help you make up your mind:
1. Break out the Calculator - The quickest way to determine whether a fixer up opportunity is worth it is to just do the math. Determine how much it is going to cost to get the house up to code, inhabitable, and comfortable. You will also need an appraisal of the home. Tally all of it up to see if it is worth the time and the investment or whether it is just a money pit.
2. Buy Wisely - It’s rather obvious you don’t want to just buy anything. When you are looking at fixer upper opportunities you are going to want to make sure you are buying a house that doesn’t need too much cowbell. A little bit of cosmetic repair such as a bit of paint or some new flooring can be a great bargain but a house with rotting timbers or extensive structural damage is likely to cost more to repair than just leveling it and building a new house.
3. Always Think about Time - You’re not a general contractor and you don’t do this for a living. A real estate agent might tell you that the projects are simple but they’re never simple for an individual or a couple that has to deal with school and/or full time jobs, children, etc. A fixer-upper can suck up a lot of your free time, so if you need a livable house sooner rather than later this may not be the best choice for you.
4. Know the Neighborhood - If the house is in a good neighborhood and just needs some TLC then fixing it up is probably a great idea. However if the area is bad you are sinking money into a pit from whence it will likely never return. If the neighborhood is bad, consider buying a better home or nicer area.
5. What Are Your Long-Term Goals? - If you’re planning on sticking around for a long time then fixing up the house can be a great way to start settling down. If you’re leaving in just a few short years however, the time, effort and money involved in all that remodeling is too much of an investment for a short stay. On the other hand (there’s always another hand) fixing it up might help you make a profit on the home when you sell it in a few years. Research can lead you toward the best option and a real estate agent can help you determine if it’s truly worth it.
Whether you’re looking for a Northern Virginia Real Estate Agent or a home in Virginia, our Northern Virginia realtors can help you grab up the perfect home at a price that you can afford. Don’t let that dream home slip by - contact Realtors in Virginia, together we can find the perfect home. Paragon Remodeling - 8000 Towers Crescent Dr - Vienna, VA 22182