Buying and selling real estate is changing and it is becoming increasingly important for buyers to have representation. The market is mixed all across the country and given the trend of the last ten years or so of baby boomers moving to greener pastures, and Savannah GA is as green as any, it’s more important than ever to get good, reliable information on the buying side, especially in areas you are unfamiliar with -- the changes going in the Savannah real estate market are constant.

The amount of research necessary to really understand the real estate market in a new area of the country is time-consuming and confusing -- relying on a local expert to sift through and analyze the information with specialized knowledge of the area can save time and hassle and avoid miscalculation.

An experienced, knowledgeable Buyer Agent is valuable in making the process smooth and efficient. In Savannah, Ga there are many home-buying choices as I have mentioned in previous blog posts, and the market is mixed. There are some areas of Savannah that are doing quite well and other areas where the market has slowed. There are also more housing options becoming available constantly, from the countryside outside of Savannah, to the waterfront opportunities around Savannah and Richmond Hill, to the new development east of downtown Savannah along the Savannah River.

Services, shopping, dining and entertainment, and industry, are also undergoing changes in places around Savannah that have slowly begun to grow and transform. It is a painfully irritating process to go from listing agent to listing agent looking at house after house as you slog through the elimination stage of home-searching -- plus, you need to always remember the lisiting agent is representing the seller of the that particular property.

A Buyer Agent who knows the whole market can simplify this process and because the Buyer Agent is representing YOU, the buyer, the information will be delivered with objectivity and your interest in mind rather than with a particular sale in mind. The Buyer Agent has no preference of a home except the home that is right for the client, the buyer.

One of the main benefits of using a Buyer Agent in today’s real estate market is getting to a smartly structured offer. Putting together an offer is more than throwing out a price. Financing is becoming more and more important to sellers who watch deal after deal wither away because financing has become tighter and less reliable. Doing all the work upfront on what type of offer needs to be structured to get the best deal possible is becoming more critical. A seller may take less money for a home if the offer is tight and strong without a lot of shaky contingencies. A Buyer Agent can help put together a strong offer that will help you get the lowest possible price with the best terms.

I have been preaching Buyer Agency since 1996. Take my advice – get a Buyer Agent to help you buy a home.