What can I say about the home buying experience. I've been through it twice -- once when we withdrew from the deal because of our dissatisfaction with the builder, and once where the sale was consummated.

The first purchase was one that we tried to make on our own. We went to a builder in a subdivision in our area -- one that made his position clear that he did not want to deal with a real estate agent. indeed, he informed us that the price of the house would be 7% higher if we went through an agent, because he would not surrender one cent of profit. That should have been the signal to run -- but it was later, after having the wrong brick put on our house, the wrong tub installed in our master bath, carpet laid down over a soup-bowl size hole in the concrete and another problem too gross to mention, we refused to go through with the deal. I suspect an agent could have gotten us out sooner -- or solved the problems for us.

Our second go at buying a house came a few years later. We found an agent with a local big name company. She found houses for us quickly, made arrangements for us to see them, and helped us put in offers for three of them. One sold for more than we offered (and more than the house was listed for), one went to an identical offer, and the third became our home. On this house she negotiated her way through the obstacles placed by the seller's agent -- who wanted closing in 72 hours so it would count as an April sale -- to get us a house that we really do love.

I'd have to say that going with a reputable agent was the best decision we could have made the second time around. I'd urge you to do the same. And if you are in the market for Atlanta Area Real Estate, check out Mark Teytel and Lena Zaretsky at Realty1st.

Paid Endorsement.

Posted by: Greg at 02:40 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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