Take the necessary steps before making your offer

There are many great Birmingham area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Value Report so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at 205-536-9194 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Today's topic is of the utmost importance, especially if you find yourself in a multiple-offer situation. If you want to ensure you get the home of your dreams you need to get full-approval before making an offer (note: some lenders might call it conditional approval). Here's why:

• Makes you look like a cash buyer to the seller.

• Can help you negotiate a lower price.

• Makes your offer look better.

• Lets the seller know you are serious.

• Gives you a lot more leverage in negotiations.

All of these things make you a more competitive buyer, which is important if you want to get your offer accepted. The pre-approval process doesn't take too much extra effort. It's simply a matter of being proactive about getting the necessary documents to your lender before you start making offers.

You should know that all lenders won't necessarily give you full-approval. We can put you in contact with lenders that will because we are 100% committed to making sure you take every measure to get the best possible scenario when buying a home. Give us a call or send us an email to take the preemptive measures necessary to avoid losing the home of your dreams.

Start Your Home Search the Right Way - Hire an Agent!

There are many great Birmingham area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Value Report so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at 205-536-9194 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Today, we're going to talk about the home search websites Trulia and Zillow. While they provide some value during the information gathering stage, they are ultimately full of inaccuracies and misinformation.  These sites are not intentionally misleading but they can ultimately lead you astray for a number of reasons:

• There is often a lag in the information they provide - sometimes as much as 3 days.

• Evaluations are often inaccurate, as they don't utilize the same information an agent does.

• Homes are often listed on these sites that are either under contract or no longer unavailable.

These are just a few examples that demonstrate why it's wiser to hire a trusted real estate adviser in your market. Sit down with an agent and let them establish your home search - they can help you determine what you're looking for in a home, and have access to information Trulia and Zillow do not. We're a great team to work with in the Birmingham area and would love to help you out. Give us a call or shoot us an email, we will give you a care-free but professional real estate experience.