Buying Delaware Beach Real Estate Tips

Get Prepped in Home Buying Basics

Before you begin, get educated about the home buying customs where you live. Relatives or friends who live in another area or state might have some "good advice", but don't rely solely on it to make such an important decision like buying or building a new home.

So How Do You Begin?

Remember the real estate process can be very different from one area to another and from one state to another. So, take the initiative and talk to a licensed professional Realtor about the typical home buying scenario in the area. Choose a professional Realtor like an agent from the team at the Beach To Bay Real Estate Center. He or she should be able to inform you in on nuances of buying a home, commercial property or land in Sussex County, Delaware. Please note this should not be a meeting that must lead to a Buyer/Agent Agreement for that agent to represent you. Any agent who won't take the time to acclimate you about the "buying process" and pressures you to sign an agreement isn't much of an agent, so if the first few calls don't produce someone who will help you no strings attached, keep looking.

Home Buying Questions to Ask

• If you decide to work with this realtor, will he or she help you compose your offer to purchase a home? If not, who does help? If the agent uses fill-in-the-blank forms, ask for a blank copy to take home and review.
• What types of disclosures are sellers in your area required to give to buyers? Can the agent give you a sample copy of typical disclosures?
• What types of home inspections are standard in your area? Are there other inspections that the agent recommends?* How much do the inspections usually cost? Are they regarded as a buyer expense? * When are inspections done?
• Is a survey required for most transactions? If so, who typically pays for it, the buyer or the seller?
• Who does the title search to verify that the deed is problem free, attorneys or a title company? What's the average cost for that service?
• Who acts as settlement agent, the person who puts together final paperwork for you to sign? (attorney, title company personnel, real estate broker, other)?
• Other than loan costs, what's the average total cost for other closing fees? * Taxes, settlement agent fees, etc.
• How long does it usually take to close on a home once an offer is accepted?

Keep a Cool Head

Even simple problems in the home buying process can be a burden when you have so many details to take care of, so keep a cool head and don't over-react if you hit a few snags on the way to settlement.