Buying a Home in Santa Barbara Without An Agent? It Could Cost You
While buying most things is a point-click-add to cart operation, there is a reason buying a home in Santa Barbara is a bit more complicated. With skyrocketing prices, having to spend even more than you already are doesn't seem like a wise decision. The Santa Barbara real estate market can be complex, and having an experienced advocate to negotiate on your behalf is always helpful. So let's look at some of the ways a Santa Barbara Realtor will help when buying a house.
Do You NEED a Santa Barbara Real Estate Agent?
First, let's be 100% clear; you absolutely CAN buy a home on your own. In fact, 11% of all home purchases in 2023 were made without the help of a Realtor. Tools like Zillow make it easier than ever to find homes, get prequalified and tour a home. Technology makes it easy to take a virtual walkthrough of a house, so you can even schedule showings when you're not local.
However, saying you don't need to enlist the services of an agent when buying a home in Santa Barbara is a lot like saying you don't need to use a mechanic to fix your electric vehicle. You probably have some general knowledge in terms of the way real estate, or a car, work. However, when you look at the dynamically changing nature of the Santa Barbara real estate market, or the difference in a Tesla, you may get tripped up on the specifics.
5 Reasons to Hire a Santa Barbara Realtor When Buying a Home
While there are several reasons you should hire an agent to help you when purchasing a home in Santa Barbara, there are 5 very important ones that will save you money and protect your interests so you don't end up regretting buying your house in Santa Barbara.
A Santa Barbara Realtor can help you find the house you can afford
While anyone can go on Zillow and sort homes based on price and features, understanding the true cost of a home in Santa Barbara isn't as straightforward. You might not realize the cost of a home is more than simply the price on the listing. There is a larger number that includes closing costs, mortgage interest, taxes, insurance, utilities, yard maintenance, repairs, and homeowners association fees.
Additionally, it is important to prioritize your needs and wants. While it is important to have the right number of bedrooms for your growing family, or single floor living to make life easier on your joints, a pool might not really be a 'need.' The homebuying process is exciting and it can be easy to get caught up, causing you to look at homes you can't really afford with amenities you don't need.
A Santa Barbara Realtor will be an impartial guide, giving you the facts about closing costs, taxes, and other 'hidden' expenses. Additionally, your Santa Barbara real estate agent will be a voice of reason to help you prioritize your needs and wants when you are buying a house.
Santa Barbara real estate agents also have access to information and technology that you won't. New platforms are being built every day that help to find homes that aren't right next to the airport or have potential dangers nearby.
A real estate agent in Santa Barbara can make sure you don't overpay
Listings always look so gorgeous online (if the seller is using an agent), showcasing the best features and generally being presented in an almost cinematic way. However, a Santa Barbara Realtor can help you put that gorgeous home in the context of the market as a whole. With access to sales data, your agent can let you know the pricing trends and whether the home is overpriced when compared to similar homes, or if you are getting the deal of a lifetime.
Once you've found the right house in Santa Barbara, your agent will continue to save you money through negotiation. Creative solutions are sometimes required in order to make a home purchase work in your favor, and your Santa Barbara Realtor will be able to help you craft an offer that not only will impress the seller, but also prevent you from spending more than you need to.
Santa Barbara Realtors know the ins & outs of mortgages and financing
So you've found 'the one'. Now it's time to get approved and submit your offer. But you don't have the conventional 20% down payment? That's ok, there are several different programs offered by one lender based on helping those in specific professions, like education or emergency response, get down payment assistance. Or, another mortgage company has a new loan product that enables you to put a full cash offer in on a house rather than having to present the traditional mortgage-backed offer, which will help you close faster.
Santa Barbara real estate agents network with mortgage professionals regularly, keeping up on the latest offerings in home lending to help their clients write compelling offers and get the home they want. Being busy with life, you may not have the time to do the proper research on different mortgage products for Santa Barbara homebuyers.
Your Santa Barbara agent will be your concierge
The best hotels in the world have concierge service. A great concierge will help you reserve a table at a great restaurant, get you tickets to the hottest new show in town, and generally ensure your stay is as smooth as possible.
Realtors in Santa Barbara serve the same purpose for the homebuying process. From providing you with updated listings, to scheduling your showing appointments, to handling negotiations with the seller, your agent is the concierge service for your Santa Barbara real estate needs.
Closing day can be relaxing because your Realtor will handle everything
A major part of the concierge service offered by a Santa Barbara Realtor is handling the vast amount of paperwork. From offers to contracts to closing documents, there is no shortage of paperwork when buying a home. Closing day will be your biggest paperwork day, and your agent will be there to handle it for you.
If you're buying a home in Santa Barbara, then contact a top selling Santa Barbara Realtor with Maureen McDermut & Associates today.
