After closing over $50 million in real estate transactions, no matter what comes up, chances are we've lived through it. There are so many questions that will come up during your home search process and many that we will pose that you may not have thought of. Is the neighborhood appreciating in value? Does the builder have a good reputation? Is the seller asking a fair price? How much did the seller pay for the property and how long ago did they purchase it? Are there problems with the home not readily visible? What inspections should I perform and who should I use? What costs can I expect to incur? What lender should I use? What loan products should I be looking into? Should I pay for this line item or does the seller typically pay for this? What can I expect at closing? What happens if I decide to back out of the contract? These are all just the tip of the iceberg! We are here to answer your questions and advise you based on our industry knowledge. As part of the Compass agent community, we have access to the pooled resources of the top producing agents across the U.S. If for any reason we are unfamiliar with your question, we have quick, direct access to find quality answers from subject matter experts. 

In addition to the many questions you will have about buying a home, the process itself can be complex. There are a lot of moving parts, and it can be easy for you to become overwhelmed, particularly when unexpected obstacles arise. Our job is to use our experience to see around corners and anticipate bumps in the road to ensure your transaction goes as smoothly as possible. It all begins with an offer, and in a competitive market like Houston, there are often multiple buyers bidding on a property. We have special tips and tricks to make your offer stand out from others to give you the best possible chance of winning over the sellers. There are many points of negotiation besides the sales price (earnest money amount, option fees and days, how costs are divided, etc.), and you need to know how to best present your offer. Once an offer is accepted, there are a lot of things that need to happen before the transaction closes. We serve as your project managers, ensuring that key deadlines are met to protect you from breach of contract and make sure you close on time. While under contract, inspections and appraisals will be performed, and there may be additional repairs and/or credits that need to be negotiated. We will take care of this on your behalf to ensure you are treated fairly and take ownership of the property in the condition you expected. Even after you close, there will continue to be questions, particularly for new home buyers. How do I file for homestead exemption? Who should I use for repairs or maintenance? What factors should I consider for resale value when undergoing renovations? Our relationship does not end at the closing table. We will continue to be your trusted advisors throughout your journey as a homeowner!

According to realtor.com, 92% of home sellers use an agent to sell their home. Chances are, if you are buying a home, the seller is utilizing a real estate agent. Not being properly represented puts you at an unfair advantage. Unless you have undergone several real estate transactions yourself and are well versed in the complexities of the process, there are many things you may overlook and questions you will not think to ask. The seller's agent has a fiduciary duty to his or her client, so they will not be able to advise you in any way. In addition, if other buyers bidding on the same property are utilizing well qualified agents, those agents may use their expertise to present more desirable offers to the sellers, giving you a lower chance of having your offer accepted. Our job is to give you the best possible advantage when submitting an offer for your next home and to advise you when terms are not favorable.

Contrary to popular belief, using a real estate agent does not cost the buyer anything. The seller pays their listing agent a fee for selling their home. The seller's agent then splits that fee with the buyer's agent. While it is true that in some cases you may be able to get the seller to reduce the price a bit if you aren't using an agent, that is not always the case. It is up to the seller's agent (not the seller) whether or not to release that side of the fee back to the seller to pass along to you as a reduction in price. However, making sure you are protected in a real estate transaction by using an experienced real estate advisor will almost certainly save you more in the long run. On a $500,000 home purchase, not using a real estate agent could save you $15,000 on the sales price, but using a qualified real estate agent who knows what inspectors to use and is skilled at negotiating could bring you more than that in agreed upon repairs and/or credits before closing. In addition, following our advice could help you avoid certain builders or products that are known to cause problems and neighborhoods or structures that can be poor investments, saving you tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars down the road. 

While no one can know for sure the future of the real estate market in any specific area, our job is to pay careful attention to market conditions and make informed predictions concerning areas likely to appreciate in value. We are familiar with the differences in quality of certain builders, types of structures, and materials. Unfortunately, catastrophes can happen when owning a home that are unavoidable, but we can try our best to avoid pitfalls. For example, poorly installed stucco can allow moisture into the home's structure, especially in Houston's wet and humid climate. Fixing rotted wood as a result can cost tens of thousands of dollars and put a huge dent in a family's finances. Knowing the builders that install materials correctly and the inspectors who specialize in certain areas of expertise is crucial in avoiding potential disasters.