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Q & A » Orlando-BuyersAgent.com
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Contact 407-539-1053

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What Home Buyers Should Know

Florida Buyers

Exclusive Buyer Agent Explained

Q & A

How long will it take for me to find a property to buy?

Depends upon how available your requirements are.  If your criteria is readily available, 2-3 days of house hunting is typical…in a couple of days of viewing you will see the best of what is available.

If you are looking for something particular or difficult to find, it could be several months of watching the market closely, waiting  for the “right property to come on the market.   We will always accommodate your needs at your speed,  so the decision is always yours to make.

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How will I find properties?

You can search for homes on your own on our updated website, or if you like or we can set you up on a customized home search where you will receive all the target properties available by e-mail and also all the new listings as soon as they come on the market.

In order to receive this free service from us, we will need to have a phone consultation so that we have a good understanding of your home buying needs before

Can you show me all the properties or will I need to call other agents?

Yes, we can show you everything so you will not need to call anyone else! We have access to all properties that are available for purchase including foreclosures, short sales, new construction, single family, townhomes, condo’s, holiday homes, investment property, vacant land, farms, estates, luxury homes, and custom builder homes.  We can also help you buy a “for-sale-by-owner” property.

Our office only serves the needs of home buyers so we are familiar with all parts of Central Florida and offer a complimentary phone consultation

Are you a regular licensed Real Estate Agent?

Licensed, yes, “regular” no.  We are all licensed Real Estate Agents by the State of Florida however we are not “regular” as our specialty niche Exclusive Buyer Agency; representing only the best interest of the home buyer and never the seller.  We are members of the Orlando Regional Realtor Association, Florida Regional MLS, Florida Association of Realtors, and the National Association of Realtors.  We are also active members of the National Association of Exclusive Buyers Agent.

How do Exclusive Buyers Agents get paid?

Exclusive Buyer Agents are paid like all other agents, from the co-operation fee from the listing office, or from the seller at closing or from the builder on new construction.

How will I need to prepare to view homes or make an offer?

Financing: If you are planning to finance, a pre-qualification with a Florida mortgage professional  is an absolute must before viewing homes. As a home buyer, this will verify what type of financing you qualify for, the amount required for down payment, the closing costs needed and also confirm that you are comfortable with the monthly payments.

Cash: Buyer will need “proof of funds” to verify that the cash is readily available to consumate a cash purchase.  This can be a bank or financial statement, a letter from buyers financier, or written confirmation from personal banker.

Every seller will require a pre-qualification letter or “proof of funds” to be submitted with the offer.

Does cash talk?

Yes, cash is always more favorable if the offer is competitive.  Sellers will typically take the highest offer and most favorable terms for them before they will just “take the cash”.  Cash will not make a difference if the offer is low.

What if I still need to sell my current home before I buy?

If you need to sell your home before you purchase another home, be aware that you are looking at property a bit too soon.  Good properties sell quickly, and sellers in Central Florida are not willing to consider a contract that has a contingency of selling your home first.

However, if you currently do already have a contract on your home from a buyer wanting to purchase, than YES, most sellers will consider your offer on their house.  We will just write the offer subject to the closing and funding of your existing home.  No problem.

How long will it take to negotiate the price and terms on an offer?

If it is a regular sale and the owner is in town than usually 24-48 hours.  If the seller is out of town it could take a few days longer.  A bank owned about a week and a short sale, several months.

Will I need an appraisal?

Yes, if you are financing, no if you are paying cash.

What if the property does not appraise for the sales price?

This is a common problem in Central Florida.  Depending upon how your contract is structured, if the appraisal is short you can either pay the difference, walk away from the contract or try to re-negotiate the contract with the seller.  We recommend that we re-negotiate the contract and try to get the seller to reduce the price to the appraised value.

What kind of inspections will I need?

That depends upon what type of property that you are buying…you will always need a basic comprehensive home inspection and WDO report (wood destroying organism).  Additional inspections may include septic, structural, elevator or additional in depth roof, electrical and plumbing just to name a few.

How long between the time that I purchase and the closing when I take possession?

Typically, 30-45 days but can be adjusted with the buyer and sellers agreement.

Do I need to be in Orlando for the closing?

No, your documents can be sent to you for signatures (called a “mail-away”) and the $ funds needed can be wired into the title company’s escrow account.  You can also do “Power of Attorney” to authorize another person to sign on your behalf.

Who will provide title insurance, complete the title and lien search, and provide the closing documents?

We recommend that you pay for and select your own title attorney/title company to make sure that all the documents have been scrutinized, that the liens are all satisfied and title work is accurate.  It is never a good idea for a buyer to use the sellers title agent or any title company that has a financial relationship with the listing agent/office.

How accurate is Trulia and Zillow?

Neither are dependable…Zillow gives “zestimates” not appraised values and Trulia lists properties that are only in foreclosure but not available to purchase.  To learn the true availability of a property please search homes on our updated website or call us to ask about a property value.

What about auction property?

Auction property is a risky proposition.  In addition to paying a “buyers premium” added to the purchase price, there are no contingencies, no home inspections, and all the liens are attached to the property will be the responsibility of the buyer…even if unknown or not disclosed.

What is the difference between a bank foreclosure and a short sale?

A bank foreclosure has been foreclosed on and is currently owned by a bank and can be readily purchased with closing to take place in about 30 days.

A short sale is a property that has more money owned on it than the property is worth.  It is still owned by a seller who is probably behind on mortgage payments.  The bank has to approve the contract because they will be taking a “short” payoff…less than what is owed.  Short sales always take a long time to negotiate (months) with price and terms that will most likely change.