Competent buyer’s agents can help veterans think clearly as the home-buying process unfolds. For example, if a house is a good buy, a buyer’s agent might suggest looking past the dated bathroom and kitchen and look at the space above the garage that will make the perfect art studio you desire. Likewise, a cute house with all the amenities but with knob-and-tube wiring or a 30-year-old roof might not be worth the asking price. According to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Home Guide, if you decide to buy with the intention of building an addition, or making modifications to accommodate a veteran who uses a wheelchair, or has another type of disability, the agent should advise you to check the zoning before making an offer. Working with a seller’s agent is a mistake, according to an article by Amy Fontinelle of Forbes’ Investopedia. Any information you reveal will become leverage that the seller can use in a purchase negotiation. A buyer’s agent is legally required to maintain your confidentiality, disclose material facts to you, and maintain loyalty to you. These are fiduciary duties.
LOOK FOR PROPER CREDENTIALS AND DESIGNATIONS
You wouldn’t trust a doctor who didn’t have the proper credentials, designations and licensing. Don’t trust a real estate agent who doesn’t present theirs or doesn’t have them at all. It’s easy to find real estate agents who can take the job, but finding agents with special credentials and designations — like those who have gone that extra step to take additional classes in certain specialties of real estate sales and have worked with veterans using their VA benefits to buy a home — is worth looking into. Here are just a few credentials within real estate that you should be on the lookout for: • Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR): Completed additional education during representation of buyers in 10
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