Learn & Earn / Due Diligence / Next Topic
Doing the Homework  Choosing a Buyer's Agent is your sure-fire way to get some to do the homework for you because of their legal and fiduciary duties to buyers. Unlike the sellers agents who work for sellers they have to be the home buyers advocate and look out for their interests throughout the whole home buying process. As noted in the section on Exclusive Buyer Agency, exclusive buyer agents can make that guarantee because they never take listings that create the conflict of interest that comes from trying to sell a home for the highest price and trying to get the buyer the lowest price. This section is chock full of some of the tasks and research home buyers can undertake to improve their knowledge about home buying and about particular homes that they have identified and placed on their "short list" of homes that they would like to explore further as their new home. Some time spent a the town or city hall may yield some important information. Even a couple of visits to the local coffee shop can help you learn more about a community. Consider visiting the parks, schools, and libraries if you have children who will be using these services. And, lastly, walking the neighborhood is a crucial step to really getting the feel of an area. If you are the quiet, reserved type, consider asking an outgoing (nosy?) friend or relative to go with you so that if you meet up with someone from the neighborhood, you can find out what they like and dislike about the neighborhood.
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