Helping Buyers Find Homes in Ashburn Virginia

A buyer’s real estate agent is an agent that works for you–the buyer. She helps you find the house that meets your needs, negotiate the best deal and advises you through the entire process.

If you’re buying in today’s marketing, you’re probably very savvy.  You’ve probably already started researching your home online using websites like  Trulia, Zillow and Realtor.com.  You know what your price range is and what you want in your house.  Online searches make the whole process seem easy.

But once you start your online research, you quickly move into unknown territory.  Online searches can give you homes in neighborhoods you’re not familiar with.  They can give you homes that are asking a lot more than they are worth.

And when you start visiting homes, it gets even more confusing.  You can waste hours going to locations that  are undesirable.  If a home is competitively priced, it may be snatched up by someone else before you even realize it.   You could offer too much for a home because you don’t know any better.

And if you ask the seller’s agent for advice, don’t count on good help.  It’s like asking the fox to guard the hen house.

A buyer’s agent like myself works for you.

• I save you time by weeding through the many listings on the MLS and getting you straight to the homes which are most suited to your needs.
• I spot good homes at a good price right away and I let you know.  I can tell you if a home is overpriced, and give you advice about negotiating strategies.
• I remind you of details that keep your home owning experience pleasant.
• I follow-up on your offer and help manage it to the end.

What does a buyer’s agency do for you?

1.  I help you find a home that fits with your life. What if you need to commute to DC, the Pentagon, or the Reston Tech Corridor?  What if you want to lived in a planned community like Ashburn Village, Brambleton, or Broadlands?

Internet research can only go so far.  For example, I know commute routes and times.  On a Google map, all routes look short and easy.  I am better than a Google map because I know the inside story that people who drive the routes every day know.  I will keep you from saying, “I wish I knew that before I bought this house.”

2.  I help you take care of your family. If you don’t know about schools, parks, churches and other family community services, you can end up in regretting where you live.  I’ve not only lived in the Ashburn area for 10 years and graduated my 3 daughters from Loudoun County high schools, but I also worked in the Loudoun County Public Schools.  I know intimately the resources available to families in Ashburn; I know the homes in Ashburn, VA.

Can you look at a map and know which side of the street goes to one school and which one goes to another?  Do you know which parks have play structures and which have soccer fields?  From a map, do you know where there is new construction, and where the neighborhoods are more established?

Probably not, because who does?  If you’re new to the area, all of this is new.  But even if you have lived in Loudoun County for years, you will know the detail of your neighborhood, but not of all neighborhoods.

I know Ashburn in great detail.  I know what matters to you as a home buyer.  I can look at a MLS listing and tell you what is not described on the form.  And if I don’t know the answers, as a Keller Williams agent, I have the resources of all other Keller Williams agents combined–it’s like having a team help you buy your home.

3.  I help your offer close. With the aftermath of the mortgage collapse, financing has never been more complicated and volatile.  Pre-approval does not mean what it used to mean and banks expect you to jump through more hoops than ever before.  Deals collapse easily.

I monitor your home deal from start to finish and escort it through the process.  I make sure you don’t miss any deadlines.  I have a huge rolodex of reliable resources to solve any snags along the way.  You are not alone.  I make sure you get the house you fell in love with.

4.  While you fall in love with a home, I investigate the house. When you view a home, what do you see?  Fireplaces?  Master baths?  Flooring?

It’s likely you will miss a lot.

Looking at homes is overwhelming.  The details run together.  It is exhausting and it is hard to mentally erase the seller and draw in yourself.

I’ve got your back.

When we view homes together, I see what you miss.  Window quality, appliance and mechanical age, carpet wear–they’re not romantic but all of these things matter.  By knowing brand names, construction details, and neighborhood histories, I advise you about the quality of the building.

I see problems that may hit you later.  I look for stains on the concrete that indicate basement leaks. I see the signs of mold–even if the seller has tried to cover it up.  I look for clues that show pending repair bills.

And I see potential.  A home needing a coat of paint can save you thousands because most people can’t see past simple wear and tear.  Maybe the basement can easily be remodeled to include the home office you need.  Seeing the potential in a home can get you a bargain that others miss.

When you are imagining your family having Thanksgiving dinner in the dining room, I am thinking about all the details that keep your dream home from becoming a nightmare.  Go ahead and fall in love with the home.  I will remind you of the practical details that make it lovable.

A Buyer’s Agency Saves You Money

A home doesn’t just make a difference in your family’s scrapbook.  It makes a difference in your pocketbook.  Seeing the real truth about a house and negotiating wisely can save you thousands of dollars.

Having a buyer’s real estate agent like myself means that you have an advocate, an adviser and a friend on your side.  Buying a home is not only a huge financial investment for you and your family, it is an investment into the place that will hold the memories for your family for years.  Don’t make such a big investment alone.

Contact me today for a free consultation.  Even if you are not ready to commit, a conversation costs you nothing.  Contact me and I will tell you how I can help you find the home that you will love for years.

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