qualified and experienced home inspector to do this, as they will be able to inspect and find any issues related to structure, systems (heating, electrical, plumbing), and damage anywhere. A home sales purchase agreement should be conditional on a satisfactory report from this home inspection.
MISTAKE #6: NOT BEING REPRESENTED BY A BUYER'S AGENT
If you haven’t been convinced before now, then I hope I can persuade you now: hire a real estate agent to represent you as a buyer. Plenty of buyers, whether they’re newbies or more seasoned, don’t bother to engage the services of a professional real estate agent. This can end up being a big mistake—a mistake that will cost you time and money. An agent can help you throughout the entire buying, selling, and overall downsizing process, but in this particular case, I’m talking about having representation to assist you as a buyer. You should never rely on the listing agent to represent you and you should never walk into an open house for a home in which you’re interested without an agent. This could make you appear vulnerable and an easy target, and the listing agent could easily take advantage of you. Remember, the seller’s agent has the seller’s interests at heart (sell the home for the highest amount in the shortest amount of time) while a buyer’s agent will be focused on the buyer’s needs in any negotiations. When it comes down to negotiating as a buyer (as we’ll discuss in more detail later on), it’s just too risky for you to try to navigate the negotiation process, including the final sales price of the home as well as any conditions, on your own without professional agent representation.
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