They say that “home is where the heart is,” but let’s be honest; buying and selling homes is usually much more about the money. According to the Washington Times, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has sold his home for a whopping 1.7 million dollars. This is just about the same as the price of the cheapest single family home in the most expensive town in America which lists at about 1.6 million (in Atherton, CA), CBS News reports.
Money isn’t the only thing to think about when buying or selling a home though. You don’t even have to buy a house because a condo is a smart alternative — the price range of condos can vary and often be less expensive than a single family home. You also don’t have to go it alone. You need someone to help you with one of the most important purchases of your life (almost 90% of buyers use a real estate agent or broker). Hiring a real estate agent seems like a daunting task, but Mary Beth Storjohann has written a handy article to make choosing an agent the least of your real estate worries.
You should know your agent.
Besides asking to see their references (at least three), you should ask about their experience. This will help you find out if your real estate agent knows the area that you are buying or selling in which can be beneficial because they may know things about that neighborhood that other agents don’t.
You should know your agent’s methods.
You should find out how their strategy for buying or selling your home and how much they charge. Know how they will work with you and keep you up to date on matters concerning the sale or purchase of your home. You might ask to see an outline of what they plan to do and how they plan to work on your behalf. You also need to know whether they work alone, and the number of clients they represent because this is indicative of the attention they will be able to dedicate to you.
Make sure you like your agent.
More than anything else, you should be sure that your agent is enthusiastic about helping you. Additionally, be sure that your agent is a person that you will be able to communicate with and solve problems with pretty often.
Once you hire a real estate agent you can focus on what you want in a home. A condo is likely a less expensive alternative to buying a house while still keeping a good amount of space, with less (or none) of the associated responsibilities of maintenance or lawn care.
You might not be spending upward of a million dollars on your next home — but you might be able to say “a condo is where the heart is.”
