Buyer Antics You Should Avoid

Home buyers are a blessing to real estate agents, and you just have to believe them whenever they say that they are happy working for you (because they really are!). While most home buyers think that agents are just in on it for the commission, most realtors we know actually get a kick out of being able to positively contribute to a person's life and future by helping them find the home of their dreams.

But your agent's love for you has its limits, especially if you are "[un]knowingly" committing these home buying faux pas. We bring you Realtor's list of 4 home buying antics you should avoid:

1.  Caring too much about aesthetics (tile color, wallpaper, etc.) The aesthetics of a home are going to change when you buy the home, as these will be changed when you renovate and redecorate. Instead of dwelling on these things, you should check to make sure if the home has your desired specifications: four-bedroom, facing east, with a large private backyard, etc. Customizations may follow later.

2. Thinking it's all about the money (it should be about people, home, and future). Another thing that agents don't want to hear from their buyers is "money, money, money". Thinking you can get away with what you want simply because you're paying can lead to some very harsh realizations (like a seller who just wouldn't sell to you or an agent with a dampened attitude).

3. Talking to the other team. If you are working with an agent, then you should trust your agent to speak with the seller's party, aka the listing agent. Going directly to the listing agent, or worse, the seller, can indicate that you have trust issues with the agent representing you. Don't antagonize and complicate matters in your home buying process. Hire a realtor, then stick with dealing with just him/her. The agent is there to work for your best interests after all.

4. Lowballing the counteroffer. You have every right to make a lower offer or a counteroffer but there is a thin line between asking for a discount and disrespecting the property as how its value is seen by the seller. Lowballing is a bad idea, especially if you think about it-- you are buying a large investment for your family, and not some hair accessory at a persian bazaar. Negotiate with caution and ask your realtor's opinion.

Committing these offences is sometimes unintentional. But knowing that these four things that buyers do may make it more difficult for our agents to help us, it's our responsibility as buyers to exercise caution and tread the home buying path with care. To learn more about home buying no-nos, check out our blog or read the original article from which this post was based here.