recommended. Do your due diligence to make sure you hire someone experienced, qua lifi ed, professional, and knowledgeable. Step 8: Make an O ff er Once you’ve found the home that you and your agent are sure is the one — it falls within your price range, it’s in the right area and neighborhood, it meets all your needs criteria and maybe most of your wants, it’s been thoroughly inspected and examined — it’s time to make an o ff er. Th is is the fir st step to actually purchasing a spe cifi c property. “Making an o ff er” essentially means proposing a price to buy the property, and depending on the seller, the listing agent, your own agent, and the current housing market, that proposal could be equal to, less than, or more than the asking price. Further, a “spoken deal” means nothing; many legal requirements and written documents, such as the Residential Purchase Agreement, are involved in o ffi cially making an o ff er on a home, and this is another area where you truly need the expertise of a good real estate agent. If you choose to work without an agent, especially if you’re a fir st- time home buyer, you put yourself at risk of making expensive mistakes, or even screwing up the entire deal. Further, keep in mind that real estate laws and requirements can vary from state to state and can change over time. Keep yourself abreast of all new home-buying and housing market information applicable to your area. For second- or third-time home buyers: Don’t assume that because you bought a home in Oregon two years ago that you know the rules or conditions in North Carolina. Th e process of actually drawing up an o ff er on a home in which you’re interested is a bit complicated. Here are a few basic things that are important to know about making an o ff er . Th e o ff er:
81
Powered by FlippingBook