Ha ha. ‹wipe tear› Laugh more.

Let's get this one out of the way right off the bat. There are very few perfect home listed for sale. There are perfect neighborhoods, perfect home styles, homes perect inside or outside, perfect layouts, perfect lots, perfect size, – you get the idea. But all of those perfects will not – likely – ever come together in one house or for the price you are able to pay.

A better way to view your home search is to find a perfectly acceptable home. Which means there are going to be a few quirks that you can live with or repair. While house hunting, you should make a list of things that you can’t live without and things that are like-to-haves. Then prioritize them so its easier to make decisions based on what you need.

Homes – like people – aren't flawless but we love and enjoy with them anyway. A good buyer's agent can help you identify the major issues that may be a deal-breakers. It’s all about keeping perspective and separating the big picture from the irritating but correctable details.

Nuh–uh.

Sellers will sell at a price they can live with. Submit an offer that’s very low and you can expect a rejection fairly quickly. The value a seller accepts will depend on what is motivating them to sell, and how much they still owe on their mortgage.

Don't count on it..

The term buyer’s market is thrown way too often nowadays. It misleads buyers into thinking that they can wait weeks – or even months – for their dream house to drastically drop in price. The truth is: good homes in good neighborhoods will go fast - no matter the price. If you think you’re going to wait for the perfect price on your perfect home, then be prepared to be disappointed when someone else is moving into your dream house.

Bad Idea!

Funny story, did you know that the founder of ForSaleByOwner.com recently had to hire a Realtor® to sell his home. Ironic, huh?

Since about 95% of homes are listed with a Realtor®, you will be severely limiting your home choices if you want to deal only with FSBOs. How are your negotiation skills? Let’s say you can handle the purchase negotiations, contract and paperwork. Do you know what questions to ask the sellers? Will you be able to obtain and interpret the complete, unbiased history of the home? How will you respond to issues that may arise with inspections, surveys, encroachments, disclosures, covenants, etc? Every sale has a few bumps in the road – will your wheels fall off?

No! No! A thousand times: No!

Buying a home is a detailed legal matter involving enormous sums of money. Home buying is increasingly complex because properties are complicated, people’s expectations differ, and neither will easily reveal their true natures.

For these reasons – and to make it a legal transaction – all real estate contracts must be in writing. Buyers agents deal with real estate transactions on a daily basis and are well versed in the forms that should be filled out, the steps to take and the pitfalls to watch out for. Never rush into signing a contract you have not read. Before you sign, ask your buyers agent to explain the terms to you. If you have no questions, you probably haven't read it!

Ummmm. Boy, this is awkward.

This may be a tough pill to swallow as you so often turn to your loved ones for their opinion. But odds are they don’t understand the intricacies of the real estate business. Even some “real estate professionals” may not be able to give you the best advice possible. It’s amazing how many people switch Realtor®s after working with a weak agent who was a “friend of the family."

Actually…

On paper, foreclosed homes do appear to be a little cheaper, however, in many cases, you'll be buying the home ‘as is’. This means there are no contingencies when it come to damage and repairs that are normally applied to home sales contracts. If you have to do those repairs yourself, the cost could just gobble up all the money you saved by buying a foreclosed property.

Probably not.

Some buyers may be under the misconception that if they use the listing agent who comes along with the house they will have a “package deal” advantage in getting the best price. The reverse is actually true. The listing agent has a prior fiduciary relationship with the seller, who is paying said agent to get them the highest price. In this situation, you are in “dual agency” and you'll be on your own with negotiations.

When you use a buyers agent, they represent you in the deal. A buyers agent will look out for your best interests and their fiduciary responsibility is to you not the seller.

The best news of all: the seller's listing agent is the one who pays your Realtor's® fee. Not you!