If you are going to buy a Sequim home, may I suggest three keys that have taken me a lifetime to learn. I’ve been in real estate 30 years, 20 of which were practicing real estate law. I’ve seen many mistakes in real estate, and I have learned through clients’ mistakes all about traps for the unwary. If you ask me what are the three most important considerations for a buyer, if I had to boil 30 years in real estate down to the three most important tips for buyers, here they are. May I say before you read these that they may sound simple, but there is much more beneath the surface to each of these. I could write a book about these. Wait, I did!
1. Find out the best way to do your research and how to find the ideal Sequim home.
This is clearly the beginning of the process in finding and buying your Sequim home. But this is more important than some realize. If your research tools and human resources are not the best, you can miss out on the best home and you can miss the opportunity of a lifetime. You can also end up with an inexperienced agent, and you could end up in a nightmare scenario, instead of the happy retirement plan you have been dreaming about for so long.
There are two powerful free online resources I recommend. They are both resources I created, but I created them to be the best two resources for buyers, and I believe they are. One is the largest Sequim real estate blog, which you’ll find at Sequim Real Estate Blog. This real estate blog has over 900 articles written for you as a buyer so you can make wise choices. I’ve written about almost every conceivable issue that comes up for buyers. This is my life’s experience given to you at absolutely no cost, no obligation, and you can read these articles anonymously without registering. I never force myself on my clients or prospective clients. The other resource is the easiest and most powerful MLS search site, which you’ll find at Sequim MLS. You can do simple or advanced parameter searches for your home, and there’s a great map showing the location of all the listings. If you want to, you can have the program keep track of the homes you want to bookmark for future reference.
2. Find the best buyer’s agent in the area.
Why not take a lifetime of education and experience and put it to work for you at no cost. Why risk so much money and the potential for mistakes by trying to be your own professional agent? This is not the time to learn by trial and error. As a buyer’s agent, my clients pay me nothing. The sellers always pay the commissions for the buying and selling side. Take advantage of a professional buyer’s agent’s education, experience, contract drafting knowledge, negotiating skills, and attention to inspection issues to keep you out of trouble and to reach your goal of a smooth closing. By the way, the answers you get are only as good as the questions you ask, but what if you don’t know all the questions? A great buyer’s agent will not only answer you questions, they will help you to raise questions that need to be raised to protect you. Believe me, a good buyer’s agent is worth his or her weight in gold. (Read Why You Should Never Buy From the Listing Agent)
3. Beware of traps for the unwary in the local real estate market.
One of the keys to success in life is simply avoiding major pitfalls. This is true in real estate. There are a hundred mistakes a buyer can make, mistakes that could cost you a lot of money and stress. When you buy real estate in a new area, you can bet there are unique real estate issues in each state and in each county. Find out what those issues are, especially for the specific location of your property, and do your due diligence with the right research, the right documents (feasibilities and contingencies), and the right processes within all contract deadlines. If you don’t know about all the local issues or traps for the unwary, this is another reason to hire a local buyer’s agent who does.
Some might say, “Yea, he’s just trying to sell his services.” Sure I am, but I also am honest and have a valuable lifetime of experience to offer my buyers. I work hard every day for my clients, and I work hard writing articles that are helpful to the public, whether they ever hire me or not. These three tips are honest and true. If you use these three tips, a lot of good will come out of your experience, and you’ll be glad you did when you buy your Sequim home.
Last Updated on September 4, 2011 by Chuck Marunde
Hi Chuck! thanks for your article. I know your giving information for the benefit of the buyers out there! I’m informed.. thanks for this… Sequim WA sounds like a fabulous place to retire. Keep posting.. I’ll follow..