Why You Need a Buyer's Agent

I've been asked over and over again why buyers of Lawrence, KS Homes for Sale need an agent to help them with their real estate purchases? I find the reason for this question sometimes stems from the enormous amounts of information available to home buyers on the internet. The fact that buyers can find homes listings, property values, comparable data and sales information does not provide all one needs to know when making, what is quite often, the largest purchase of one's lifetime.

There are several other considerations which buyers may or may not be aware of. Much of the sales data on the internet is outdated. Sites like Trulia and Zillow are notorious for displaying outdated information such as sales data or current listing prices. Only a realtor can provide you with up-to-date and accurate sales data for Homes for Sale Lawrence, KS.

Many buyers just do not have the eduction or experience to interpret the sales and market data. For example I use absorption rates to compile and evaluate actual sales data that includes any seller concessions that might have been paid at closing. Lawrence, KS Homes for Sale data can be very confusing and buyers will do themselves a favor by making sure they understand it before making an offer on a Lawrence, Kansas Home for Sale.

Most buyers simply do not have the time to thoroughly research the housing market and may also not fully understand the best type of property to purchase based on their individual needs. It has been my experience that many buyers start out with a desire to have one type of Lawrence, KS Home or floor plan and end up changing their minds after looking at several homes with that plan. For various reasons buyers change their minds about their dream home once they start working with a professional.

Many buyers do not understand "buyer representation". So many buyers are surprised to learn that in many areas the realtor fees are all paid for by the sellers. So to have buyer representation costs the buyers nothing. The buyers also do not understand that the listing agents are legally obligated to the sellers of Lawrence, KS Homes to get them the most money and the best terms. The seller's agents simply cannot represent the buyer's interest. The sellers of Lawrence, KS Homes for Sale are counting on their agent to do their best to negotiate a great deal for them. Shouldn't you, as a buyer, get that same kind of representation? 

Most buyers are unfamiliar with the residential sales contracts and all the other legal documents that are utilized in the real estate transactions. A buyer can literally save themselves thousands of dollars by having a professional advocate working on their behalf. A realtor can keep a buyer from making mistakes that could get them sued or from buying a home that will cost them huge amounts of money, disappointment and /or regret.

Realtors can provide buyers information about lending and lenders. This is really the first step in the home buying process. If you as a buyer have not been approved for loan, then you are doing yourself a big disfavor by looking at homes before you know for certain that you can buy a home. Furthermore, until you've been approved you have no idea what price range you should be looking in.

Realtors can provide buyers with answers regarding the zoning restrictions and regulations, building codes that pertain to their new Homes Lawrence, KS, school information, neighborhood history and many other valuable data regarding the community. Location does matter and it matters most to home buyers.

Buyer's should do their homework before selecting a buyer's agent. Be certain that your choice of a real estate agent is based on the following criteria:
The person should be a "Realtor". A certified realtor will also serve you better if he or she is educated as well as experienced. Make sure you check to see if the person has gone beyond the state required education and has earned the designations such as ABR (Accredited Buyer's Agent),  CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) and GRI (Graduate of Realtor Institute). There are many other designations, but these are mandatory if you want the best service possible.


  
   

City of Lawrence, KS "Pooch" Friendly

On August 22, 2011 the City of Lawrence opened the municipal swimming pool to all the canine citizens of Lawrence, KS Homes. The city closes the pool to the public a few days before this event every year. If you have a dog who loves water and loves to swim, you should mark your calander for next year.

I was on my way to see a buyer about some Homes for Sale Lawrence, KS when I first noticed the dogs heading to the pool with their owners. On the way back to my office, Realty Executives-Hedges Real Estate, I stopped and enjoyed watching the canine belly flops and the pooch plunges. It seemed that all the dogs were very social and enjoying all the canine company. It was a fantastic event for the pooches and their owners. I watched as the dogs all jumped in, dog-paddled around, got out, shook their coats and repeated the process. The dogs and the owners all seemed to have a ton of fun.

Buyers looking to purchase Lawrence, KS Homes will be fortunate to live in a community that is really "pooch" friendly.

Silver Lining in Midst of Stock Storm?

For millions of Americans the decline of the stock market in the past few days has been a painful reminder of what can happen when we listen to our leaders instead of doing our own homework and being prepared. Many of us have seen this storm brewing for the past two years, while unfortunatley most did not. The vast majority of people are too caught up in their daily lives to take time out to seriously consider how the politicians, from the President on down, are taking our country in the wrong direction. Most Americans are good and decent people who just want to believe that the politicians have their best interest at heart.

The "leaders" of this great nation seem to have no problem mis-leading the American people. The policies they make for us does not affect their wallets or their retirement accounts. I, for one, would like to see them all take an immediate pay cut and start contributing to their health insurance and retirement systems. But that's a story for another day.

I'm hopeful that more and more Americans will WAKE UP, smell the proverbial coffee and either get their money out of the stock market or at least put some of it into precious metals and real estate. It is really a wise move to diversify. One way to do that is to look at purchasing Real Estate for Sale in Lawrence, KS.

For those looking to buy Lawrence, KS Homes for Sale, the opportunity couldn't be better. If you have good credit and you're applying for a loan to purchase one of the many Homes for Sale in Lawrence, KS you'll be pleasantly surprised at the low interest rates. Other than gas prices coming down, the continuation of low mortgage interest rates is the silver lining within the storm.

Think about diversifying your investment portfolio by adding a piece of Lawrence, KS Real Estate now while the rates and the property values are low. Many sellers of Lawence, KS Houses for Sale are very much in the mood to look at your offer. Just as owning silver is a good insurance policy, owning a home could help to shelter you from furture storms.

Dry Hot Weather Puts Damper on Lawrence, KS Home Sales

For more than 3 consecutive weeks we've endured 100+ temperatures here in Lawrence, KS. Those who are struggling to find success in selling their Lawrence, KS Homes for Sale, have felt the heat in more ways than one. Lawrence, KS Houses for Sale have seen far less showings during this time and fewer offers and sales.
Today we finally have RAIN! I'm optimistic that with cooler weather the home buyers will be more inclined to go out to open houses and begin calling agents about the Lawrence, KS Houses for Sale they see online.
In addition, I'm hopeful that now that it's cooler, more and more buyers will be out driving through the neighborhoods and see all the Homes for Sale in Lawrence, KS real estate signs in all those Lawrence, KS Homes' yards and give the agents a call in order to schedule showings.

Will Raising the Debt Ceiling Help or Hurt Home Sales?

When thinking about the issue of raising the debt ceiling, one might also wondering how that will affect, or not affect, the housing market. For sellers and buyers of Lawrence, KS homes for sale it could be a concern. Homes for sale in Lawrence, KS are already sitting on the market too long in many cases and the last thing sellers of Lawrence, KS Homes for Sale need is Washington maker matters worse.

The experts say that the connection between the debt ceiling, the housing market, the construction industry and the broader economy is the rate of interest paid on the US Treasury bonds and the mortgage rates. Failing to raise the debt ceiling, which is the maximum amount the government can borrow without additional congressional approval, would cause the interest rates to climb. The climb could be mild or more severe and could keep rates higher for some time.

Obviously, this is not something you want to see happen if you currently have a Home for Sale in Lawrence, Kansas. This would most likely prevent many buyers of Houses for Sale in Lawrence, KS to be unable to afford those Lawrence, KS Homes. Therefore, any rise in interest rates would have a negative impact on the housing market.

However, whether the debt ceiling is raised or not, there is no assurance that the housing market will be stable. There are too many other factors that are negatively impacting the housing market nationally as well as locally. Therefore, the decision to raise or not raise the debt ceiling will not destroy the housing market. It will continue to limp along either way.

What's "Up" with Lawrence, KS Home Sales?

The May 2011 National Association of Realtors (NAR) home sales statistics were released a few days ago. According to Lawrence Yun, the chief economist for NAR, there are several factors that attributed to the decline. Read his article http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2011/06/may_decline

When I first read the article, I have to admit, my heart sank as I thought about all the Lawrence, Ks homes for sale and the sellers of those Lawrence, KS homes. I represent several of those sellers who are struggling to sell their Lawrence, KS houses. I have a responsibility to stay informed about what the housing market is doing in order to advise my seller clients on what steps they need to take in order to successfully sell their Lawrence, Kansas Homes. So when I read another article about how Kansas home sales were better than the national sales, I wanted to share it. You can read the article here: http://kansasreporter.org/75190.aspx.

I'm hopeful that Kansas homes sales and more specifically, Lawrence, Ks homes for sale will continue to sell at a stronger pace than some of the other areas in the country.

Lawrence KS Homes for Sale

Many Lawrence KS Homes for Sale have been for sale for far too long. Sellers of Lawrence KS Houses are finding it increasingly difficult to find buyers for their Lawrence KS Homes. In order to successfully market a home there needs to eventually be a buyer bringing the seller a contract that will culminate in a closing.

How do a sellers accomplish the challenging task of closing their Lawrence KS Homes for Sale? They must take into account many factors affecting the housing market. Sure, sellers must look at their Lawrence Ks Houses for Sale and what the local market is doing, but they also need to consider what the housing trends are nationwide.

Equally important to sellers is the market plan for their Lawrence KS Houses for Sale. Internet market is key to getting buyers in the door. However, there are many aspects to a great marketing plan. In these times, sellers need to employ many or all of them.

The best way for sellers to figure all this out is to hire a qualified Realtor. They can be worth their weight in gold when it comes to analyizing the market trends. A really good Realtor can help sellers understand some of the reasons why certain Lawrence KS Homes for Sale have been on the market for over a year while others have sold in just a few days or weeks. This insight will aid all sellers with Lawrence KS Houses for Sale, especially those who may have been trying to sell their homes without the assistance of a qualified, educated and experienced Lawrence KS Realtor.