Tips for closing on your Greater Boston Area home

Once you've found that ideal Greater Boston Area home, your work still isn't over! Closing can be a difficult and frustrating experience if not approached correctly. Congratulations on finding the home you want! Now follow these tips for a smooth closing experience on your Greater Boston Area home:

Enlist a pro

A professional has years of negotiating experience. Experience is very helpful here. Having a qualified professional with a good track record on your side is well worth it.

Don't low ball

If your initial offer is too low, the sellers might be offended. Worst case scenario? They refuse to negotiate with you further. Even if negotiations continue, the seller might remain suspicious or guarded, which is not how you want things to go. Of course you want your initial offer to be for an amount lower than you hope to pay, but be sure to consult a professional and get a feel for the current market so you don't go too low.

Get to know the seller

Ask questions and do research. Why are they selling the house? Have they already moved out? How long as the house been on the market? Have any other offers been made? Why didn't they go through? These questions will help you get a feel for how eager the sellers are to close. They will be ore likely to negotiate lower if they are motivated to sell quickly.

Let the seller get to know you

Write a letter to the sellers and include basic information about everyone moving into the house. Let them know a bit about your history, if you've owned before, and why you think this place would be a perfect fit. Sellers often allow their emotions into the sale. They want to know the place they've taken care of and loved for years and years will be in good hands. Making a good impression matters and can improve your chances of getting a lower price.

Get it in writing

All of your negotiating might have gone to waste if you do not get everything in writing. Are they going to leave the washer, dryer, refrigerator, and oven behind for you? Put it down on paper. Are they going to make some minor repairs? Get it written down. If it is not in your paperwork, they don't have to do it. There are many things that factor into negotiations. If the price is lowered (or not lowered) because of something they say they will do, be sure to make it official.

Hopefully these tips help as you close on your Greater Boston Area home. If you have any questions about buying or selling real estate, or would like to hire me as your professional, do not hesitate to contact me!

Michael Feldman
Keller Williams Realty-Boston Metro

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Choosing the best Greater Boston Area home for you

You've decided to purchase a Greater Boston Area home.  Fantastic!  Now is the best time to lay out, in detail, exactly what you are looking for in a home.  Going about your home search this way will make the home buying process operate more smoothly.  It also saves you a lot of time and effort by helping you know where to focus your search so you don't unnecessarily research or visit homes that don't fit your criteria.  Here are tips on how to guide your Greater Boston Area home search:

Determine your price range
This is important.  You don't want to buy a home that puts a big strain on your finances.  You want a home that you can pay for comfortably without sacrificing your ability to pay other bills and continue to save money.  Look at your budget and figure out how much you can afford to pay now and how much you can pay each month.  From there, subtract the average monthly cost of property taxes and home repairs.  Finally, use a mortgage calculator.  Input your down payment amount and

Choose the type of home that will fit you
Are you a young professional who doesn't spend much time at home and wants to live where the action is?  Then maybe a condo is a good choice for you.  If you want to plant a garden in your yard, however, a single family home will better suit you.

Narrow down your top locations
Do you drive to work or take public transportation?  Do you need to live within a specific radius of a certain train line or highway?  If so, determine the acceptable boundaries based on your commute needs and do not look at listings outside of those boundaries.  Do you have or plan on having children?  Do you know where you want them to go to school?  This can also help you narrow town which neighborhood or town in which you're willing to live.

Lay out some details--but not too many
Settle how many bedrooms you need and other important details.  If you're very into cooking a baking--a tiny kitchen isn't going to cut it.  That said, do not go overboard.  Keep in mind that many things can be changed.  If you dream of a house with a large, fenced-in yard, don't turn down the perfect place just because it's missing a fence!

Hopefully these tips help get you started on your Greater Boston Area home search.  If you have any further questions about home buying, or want to enlist my professional help, do not hesitate to contact me.

Michael Feldman
Keller Williams Realty-Boston Metro

Check Out My Website
See Boston Homes for Sale or Rent
Find me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Connect with me on LinkedIn