Helena, Montana Real Estate Agent Jack Thomas, Broker Discusses The 4 Things Every Renter Should Know

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Tips for Home Buyers

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January 26, 2009, by Jack Thomas in Tips for Home Buyers

Do you want to get the best house you can for the least amount of money when buying a home in Helena, Montana? Be sure you are in the optimal position from which to negotiate. Price is only one bargaining chip in the negotiations, and not necessarily the most important one. Often other terms, such as the strength of the buyer or the length of escrow, are critical to a seller.

In years past, we always recommended that buyers get “pre-qualified” by a lender. This means that you spend a few minutes on the phone with a lender who asks you a few questions. Based on the answers, the lender pronounces you “pre-qualified” and issues a certificate that you can show to a seller. When dealing with certificates that hold no value, sellers are becoming more wise, so let me explain why! None of the information has been verified! Oftentimes-unknown problems surface! Glitches on the credit report due to any number of reasons both accurately and inaccurately, down payments that have not been in the clients’ bank account long enough, etc,some of the problems I’ve seen include recorded judgments, child support payments due.

When you're "pre-approved," your offer is seen as coming from a stronger starting position. This occurs following the verification of all of the details. You are actually APPROVED for the loan and the only loose end is the appraisal on the property. This process takes anywhere from a few minutes to a few days depending on your situation. Something we strongly suggest for all of our clients to have.

It is an advantage to be a renter when competing with buyers who already own their home because their financing can be dependent on selling their current home. Two. Play the Game of Nines

Before house hunting in the Helena, Montana market, develop a list of about 9 items you want in your new location Then make a list of the nine things you don’t want. “NINE OF THIS AND NONE OF THAT”,I call this You may utilize this list like a scoring guide in order to rank all the properties you check out. The highest final rating is the winner! This helps avoid confusion and keeps things in perspective when you’re comparing dozens of homes. When house hunting in the Helena, Montana, consider the contrast between something called "SKIN AND BONES". Such as the location, view, size of lot, noise in the area, school district, and floor plan,the BONES are things that cannot be changed. The SKIN represents easily changed surface finishes like carpet, wallpaper, color, and window coverings. Buy the house with good BONES, because the SKIN can always be changed to match your tastes. We always recommend that you imagine each house as if it were vacant. Consider each house on its underlying merits, not the seller’s decorating skills. Third: Don’t Be Pushed Into Any House

Your agent should show you everything available that meets your requirements. You should not make a decision on a house until you have seen enough to pick the best one. Your agent may not provide the complete list of homes for sale. By sitting with him at the Multiple Listing computer you can ensure for yourself that he will. Helena, Montana get the home you really want instead of whatever the agent has chosen to let you take a look at.

Just a couple years ago, properties in Helena, Montana usually sold a few days after listing. In that kind of market, agents advised their clients to make an offer ON THE SPOT if they liked the house. At that moment, it was a sage opinion. Only homes that are very under priced, and you'll know the ones that are, usually have this sense of urgency. Remember the dangers of waiting too long; the property could be sold before your bid arrives. If you really like a house, get an offer written and make sure your agent writes in the proper clauses to get you out of the offer if need be.

Let's not forget that when making your consideration, also remember to do research into the SCHOOL DISTRICTS that are located in the same area. For more information about schools in the Helena, Montana market you can visit my website at www.helenamtrealestate.net. Information is available on every school; such as class sizes, % of students that go on to college, SAT scores, etc.

Take care - the agents in Helena, Montana make the phone ring by creating ads Many of the homes have some drawback that’s not mentioned in the ad, such as traffic noise, power lines, or litigation in the community. What’s not mentioned in the ad is usually more important than what is. This is why we think it prudent for you to take great care when going over advertisements. Remember that the person writing the ad is representing the seller. The most important thing you can do is have someone on your side looking out for your best interests. Your own agent will critique the property with an eye towards how well it meets your needs and will point out any drawbacks you should know about. So whether you decide to work with us or not, pick an agent you feel comfortable with and enlist the services of that agent as a buyer’s broker. Then you become a client with all the rights, benefits, and privileges created by this agency relationship, and you’re no longer just a shopper. Did you know that many homes are sold WITHOUT A SIGN ever going up or an AD EVER BEING PUT IN THE PAPER. These “great deals” go to those people who are committed to working with one agent. When an agent hears of a great buy, who do you think he’s going to call? His client, who he has a legal obligation to work hard for, or someone who just called on the phone and said “keep your eyes open”. So, to get the best buy on a property in the Helena, Montana our highest recommendation is find yourself an agent you're comfortable with and stick with him or her for all your real estate market needs.

There is a lot of free information available to you about buying, selling or investing in Helena, Montana property. To obtain full details about the Helena real estate market including current homes for sale, property values and more please visit the most complete website online dedicated to everything Helena, Montana property. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have when you contact me. Call me on my cell at 406-431-0599 or I can be reached by email at hydro@bresnan.net.