Home buying is one tedious process and certain home buyers do not enter the market with the intention of buying a house that is listed for sale by the home owner and their real estate agent. But, if you look at it closely, it can be beneficial for the owner as well as the buyer.
Before you set out to buy a house that is for sale in San Antonio, here are a few things you should know as to how this process is different from the traditional home buying process and also the factors you need to consider.
FSBO – What it means
Before knowing what the process is, it is important to understand the term FSBO. It means “for sale by owner” wherein the homes are sold by the owner without taking the help of a listing agent.
Typically, they use this method to avoid paying commissions to the real estate agent. You as a buyer, can have many reasons to buy or not to buy a house that is listed as FSBO.
Let us look at its advantages and disadvantages –
Advantages –
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One to one communication –
The biggest reason why buyers prefer purchasing a FSBO home is that they have a direct one to one communication with the seller. When they speak directly to the seller, they can receive more information in a short span of time.
This results in elimination of a listing agent as a mid-man and waiting long enough for the questions to get answered. It also gives the home buyer more room to negotiate the final selling price of the property.
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Detailed Information about the property –
Effective communication between the buyer and the seller will lead to more specific information about the property. The home owner is the best person to give all the necessary information about the property and its surrounding as they have been living in the area for a long period of time.
An FSBO seller will answer all your queries about the home. They can also give you the recommendations of recreational centers like popular restaurants, parks, places to hangout and other major attractions of the area.
Disadvantages –
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Untold information –
Not all sellers will give you all the information related to the property as negative information will always be kept undisclosed. Law makes it mandatory for the sellers to disclose all the information related to the property during its sales process.
If a problem is found in the property after closing, you may be entering in a difficult and very expensive legal process. For that, you should prove that the seller was aware about the problem, but he chose to keep quiet and not inform you about it.
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Sellers don’t necessarily follow the market value –
Home sellers think very highly of their homes and have little to no information about the real estate market. In that case, they may have unrealistic ideas related to the value of the property.
This results in FSBO sellers to overprice their homes which can be a problem during the appraisal and closing of a home. Buyers too, pay more than they should. In any case, you as a buyer should thoroughly research about FSBO homes and its market value.
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Additional Cost Coverage –
In most cases, FSBO’s goal is to save money. So, they might not do the necessary repairs or cover the improvement costs. This can only happen if you convince an FSBO seller to help you out.
How to buy a FSBO House –
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Mortgage Approval –
Getting a mortgage approval is the first and important step in purchasing any home. This gives you an idea of your affordability for your future home.
Therefore, before you start looking for homes, get yourself a mortgage approval.
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Work with an experienced agent –
If you are unfamiliar with the entire FSBO process, it will be beneficial to work with the buyer’s agent. They will be able to negotiate on behalf of you and keep the paperwork in order.
They will also give you several information and show you the properties if you have not narrowed any down. Whatever be the situation, make sure that you consult a real estate agent in San Antonio when you purchase a FSBO house.
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Attend Home Showings –
Once you have a property in mind, you should go ahead and attend a showing. Just like any other real estate transactions, it is important to get an in depth look at the home before you seal the deal.
You can schedule a showing with the buyer’s agent. If you are working on your own, you can go ahead and contact the seller directly.
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Offer, Negotiations and Price agreement –
Say you like the property after attending its showing, you can make an offer. You can then talk with your real estate agents about the houses for sale in San Antonio and discuss the price range. Your real estate agent will then guide you about the property prices and its appraisals in the future.
You from your end can do a personal homework and research about the same. You then need to negotiate with the FSBO Seller and come to a final price that meets both the party’s needs. You can then go ahead and prepare a purchase agreement and consult the real estate professional.
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Hire a home inspector –
Before going ahead, our experts suggests that you get the house inspected well. During a home inspection, the inspector will check the home’s structure, appliances and its system.
If there are any problems during the inspection, remember to consult a real estate agent. From thereon, you can ask the owner to fix the problem or to reduce the selling price.
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Closure –
Once your mortgage is approved and you are happy with the property that you have chosen to buy, you can close the deal. And finally, the house will be yours! Once you put the down payment, you will have the keys to your new property.
Conclusion –
If you plan on buying a FSBO, do your research well and contact Reyes Signature properties, a well-known real estate agent in San Antonio, committed to making your home buying process easier.