- Why Choose Real Estate Sales NYC Team as a Buyer’s Broker?
- Creating Your Home Wish List
- 8 Steps to Buying Your Home
- Location, Location, Location
- 7 Main Roles of Your Real Estate Agent
- First Time Home Buyer Tips
- How to Negotiate with Sellers
- Opting for New Home Construction
- Specialized Agents
Why Choose Real Estate Sales NYC Team as a Buyer’s Broker?
We Will Sell Your Home For Free if you buy with us and within 6 months from the date of obtaining your legal title you are not happy with your purchase.
Save Time and Money:
As soon as new listings come into the market, Kelsey Uh’s dedicated team researches each listing to find the best deals. Each listing is sorted by special features of luxury, outdoor space, open view, fixer-upper, totally renovated unit, unique floorplans and penthouses to be ready to serve our clients. We also analyze floorplans to find extra bedroom space for Jr. 1, Jr. 4 and convertible 3, 4 bedrooms to help maximize our investor clients’ rental income. We notify our clients of new listings and price changes that are in their search criteria.
There is no Multiple Listing Service in Manhattan. Kelsey Uh’s Team’s database is updated daily from a broker’s database, other print sources and websites to have it all in our database. This enables our team to have much more extensive and up-to-date research than the public. We see homes every day, so we won’t show you homes that don’t suit your needs. Whatever you are looking for: a condo, a co-op, a townhouse or a building, we have an access to 99.9% of everything on the market.
As Manhattan Condo specialists, we have access to all new luxury condo developments and pre-construction in New York City. We have many relationships with developers and we will find you the home that best fits your needs.
No Broker’s Fee to a Buyer’s Broker
Buyers do not pay broker’s fee. In other words, the services of buyer’s broker are at no cost to the buyers, since commissions are paid by the sellers.
When the seller’s agent agrees to list a property for sale, a certain percentage is agreed upon as commission. When a property is sold to a buyer who is represented by a buyer’s broker, the commission is shared between the selling broker’s company and the buying broker’s company.
Currently in NYC, most sales transactions are done by both seller’s broker and buyer’s broker. By Law, seller’s broker must present all offers to the seller. Otherwise, they may lose their real estate license. Most sellers have brokers, and these seller’s brokers have fiduciary responsibilities to work on behalf of the sellers’ best interest, especially when it comes to the price negotiation. Therefore, the buyer should have a broker for their best interest as well.
Well Orchestrated Execution:
We will coordinate and provide the following whole purchase package for a smooth transaction after finding your home:
- Submit a strong offer package
- Negotiate the price and terms of the sale for your best interest.
- A list of professional mortgage brokers to arrange the financing
- Find an experienced attorney fluent in every language.
- Present the strong board package to qualify you for acceptance.
- Prepare you for your closing.
- A list of insurance and inspection companies
- A list of renowned management companies
- A list of reputable electricians, plumbers, painters and contractors for renovations and repairs
- A list of great priced stores for renovation materials such as granite, marble, kitchen cabinets and hardwood flooring
- A list of good interior designers and stagers
- A list of recommended movers
We specialize in the sale of condominiums in Manhattan and represent US and international buyers who want to buy property in New York City. We focus on services that benefit you and maximize your investment.
Real Estate Sales NYC Team looks forward for an opportunity to speak with you regarding your priorities, and to the ultimate success of your deal.
Creating your home wish list
Before the home search begins, your real estate agent will want to know as much as possible about the features and amenities you desire. To help your agent better serve you, analyze what you want and what you need in an apartment’s features and amenities.
Apartment Features:
- Age: Do you prefer charming prewar, or newer ones?
- Type: Which one do you want? Condo, condop or co-op?
- Bedrooms: How many?
- Bathrooms: How many? Are they updated?
- Living and Dining Areas: A traditional, formal layout, or a more open, contemporary plan?
- Square feet: How much space?
- Ceilings: How high?
- Floor to ceiling windows?
- Kitchen: How big? Recently updated? Open to other living areas?
- Outdoor space: Balcony, set back terrace, wraparound terrace or private rooftop?
- View: Park View, river view or city View?
- Washer/Dryer in unit?
- Do you have a pet?
Building Amenities:
- Doorman
- Health Club
- Swimming Pool
- Spa/Sauna/Steam room
- Yoga/Pilates/Kinesis room
- Play/exercise room
- Garage
- Concierge
- Golf simulator
- Rock climbing wall
- Basketball/Squash Courts
- Bowling Alley
- Club Lounge
- Bike room
- Courtyard
- Valet
- Playground
- Private Storage
- Cold Storage
- Rooftop Deck
- Pet Spa
- Cinema Room
- Conference Room
- Laundry room
8 Steps to Buying Your Home
1. Decide to buy.
Although there are many good reasons for you to buy a home, wealth building ranks among the top of the list. We call home ownership the best “accidental investment” most people ever make. But, we believe when it is done right, home ownership becomes an “intentional investment” that lays the foundation for a life of financial security and personal choice. There are solid financial reasons to support your decision to buy a home, and, among these, equity buildup, value appreciation, and tax benefits stand out.
Base your decision to buy on facts, not fears.
- If you are paying rent, you very likely can afford to buy
- There is never a wrong time to buy the right home. All you need to do in the short run is find a good buy and make sure you have the financial ability to hold it for the long run
- The lack of a substantial down payment doesn’t prevent you from making your first home purchase
- A less-than-perfect credit score won’t necessarily stop you from buying a home
- The best way to get closer to buying your ultimate dream home is to buy your first home now
- Buying a home doesn’t have to be complicated – there are many professionals who will help you along the way
2. Hire your agent.
The typical real estate transaction involves at least two dozen separate individuals – insurance assessors, mortgage brokers and underwriters, inspectors, appraisers, escrow officers, buyer’s agents, seller’s agents, bankers, title researchers, and a number of other individuals whose actions and decisions have to be orchestrated in order to perform in harmony and get a home sale closed. It is the responsibility of your real estate agent to expertly coordinate all the professionals involved in your home purchase and to act as the advocate for you and your interests throughout.
Seven main roles of your real estate agent
A Buyer’s Real Estate Agent:
- Educates you about your market.
- Analyzes your wants and needs.
- Guides you to homes that fit your criteria.
- Coordinates the work of other needed professionals.
- Negotiates on your behalf.
- Checks and double-checks paperwork and deadlines.
- Solves any problems that may arise.
Eight important questions to ask your agent
Qualifications are important. However, finding a solid, professional agent means getting beyond the resume, and into what makes an agent effective. Use the following questions as your starting point in hiring your licensed, professional real estate agent:
- Why did you become a real estate agent?
- Why should I work with you?
- What do you do better than other real estate agents?
- What process will you use to help me find the right home for my particular wants and needs?
- What are the most common things that go wrong in a transaction and how would you handle them?
- What are some mistakes that you think people make when buying their first home?
- What other professionals do you suggest we work with and what are their credentials?
- Can you provide me with references or testimonials from past clients?
3. Secure financing.
While you may find the thought of home ownership thrilling, the thought of taking on a mortgage may be downright chilling. Many first-time buyers start out confused about the process or nervous about making such a large financial commitment.
From start to finish, you will follow a six-step, easy-to-understand process to securing the financing for your first home.
Six steps to Financing a Home
- Choose a loan officer (or mortgage specialist).
- Make a loan application and get preapproved.
- Determine what you want to pay and select a loan option.
- Submit to the lender an accepted purchase offer contract.
- Get an appraisal and title commitment.
- Obtain funding at closing.
4. Find your home.
You may think that shopping for homes starts with jumping in the car and driving all over town. And it’s true that hopping in the car to go look is probably the most exciting part of the home-buying process. However, driving around is fun for only so long – if weeks go by without finding what you’re looking for, the fun can fade pretty fast. That’s why we say that looking for your home begins with carefully assessing your values, wants, and needs, both for the short and long terms.
Questions to ask yourself
- What do I want my home to be close to?
- How much space do I need and why?
- Which is more critical: location or size?
- Would I be interested in a fixer-upper?
- How important is home value appreciation?
- Is neighborhood stability and priority?
- Would I be interested in a condo?
- Would I be interested in new home construction?
- What features and amenities do I want? Which do I really need?
5. Make an offer.
When searching for your dream home, you were just that – a dreamer. Now that you’re writing an offer, you need to be a businessperson. You need to approach this process with a cool head and a realistic perspective of your market. The three basic components of an offer are price, terms, and contingencies (or “conditions” inCanada).
Price – the right price to offer must fairly reflect the true market value of the home you want to buy. Your agent’s market research will guide this decision.
Terms – the other financial and timing factors that will be included in the offer.
Terms fall under six basic categories in a real estate offer:
- Schedule – a schedule of events that has to happen before closing.
- Conveyances – the items that stay with the house when the sellers leave.
- Commission – the real estate commission or fee, for both the agent who works with the seller and the agents who works with the buyer.
- Closing costs – it’s standard for buyers to pay their closing costs, but if you want to roll the costs into the loan, you need to write that into the contract.
- Home warranty – this covers repairs or replacement of appliances and major systems. You may ask the seller to pay for this.
- Earnest money – this protects the sellers from the possibility of your unexpectedly pulling of the deal and makes a statement about the seriousness of your offer.
6. Perform due diligence.
Unlike most major purchases, once you buy a home, you can’t return it if something breaks or doesn’t quite work like it’s supposed to. That’s why home owner’s insurance and property inspections are so important.
A home owner’s insurance policy protects you in two ways:
- Against loss or damage to the property itself
- liability in case someone sustains an injury while on your property
The property inspection show expose the secret issues a home might hide so you know exactly what you’re getting into before you sign your closing papers.
- Your major concern is structural damage.
- Don’t sweat the small stuff. Things that are easily fixed can be overlooked.
- If you have a big problem show up in your inspection report, you should bring in a specialist. If the worst-case scenario turns out to be true, you might want to walk away from the purchase.
7. Close.
The final stage of the home buying process is the lender’s confirmation of the home’s value and legal statue, and your continued credit-worthiness. This entails a survey, appraisal, title search, and a final check of your credit and finance. Your agent will keep you posted on how each if progressing, but your work is pretty much done.
You just have a few preclosing responsibilities:
- Stay in control of your finances.
- Return all phone calls and paperwork promptly.
- Communicate with your agent at least once a week.
- Several days before closing, confirm with your agent that all your documentation is in place and in order.
- Obtain certified funds for closing.
- Conduct a final walk-through.
On closing day, with the guidance of a settlement agent and your agent, you’ll sign documents that do the following:
- Finalize your mortgage.
- Pay the seller.
- Pay your closing costs.
- Transfer the title from the seller to you.
- Make arrangements to legally record the transaction as a public record.
As long as you have clear expectations and follow directions, closing should be a momentous conclusion to your home-searching process and commencement of your home-owning experience.
8. Protect your investment.
Throughout the course of your home-buying experience, you’ve probably spent a lot of time with your real estate agent and you’ve gotten to know each other fairly well. There’s no reason to throw all that trust and rapport out the window just because the deal has closed. In fact, your agent wants you to keep in touch.
Even after you close on your house, you agent can still help you:
- Handle your first tax return as a home owner.
- Find contractors to help with home maintenance or remodeling.
- Help your friends find homes.
- Keep track of your home’s current market value.
Attention to you home’s maintenance needs is essential to protecting the long-term value of your investment.
Home maintenance falls into two categories:
- Keeping it clean: Perform routine maintenance on your home’s systems, depending on their age and style.
- Keeping an eye on it: Watch for signs of leaks, damage, and wear. Fixing small problems early can save you big money later.
Location, Location, Location
- Where you buy not only affects the home’s current and future value, but it also affects your lifestyle. Your agent will be able to conduct a more targeted home search if you outline your preferences in neighborhoods and nearby amenities. Here’s a checklist of items you should consider and communicate to your chosen real estate agent.* Commute time
* School districts
* Desirable neighborhoods
* Proximity to the airport
* Proximity to restaurants and retail
* Access to major highways and thoroughfares
* Access to public transportation
* Health care facilities
* Parks and recreation
* Length of time you plan to live in the home (Your agent should be knowledgeable about growth trends and projections that could affect your investment.)
7 Main Roles of Your Real Estate Agent
How can a real estate agent help me?
A Buyer’s Real Estate Agent:
- Educates you about your market.
- Analyzes your wants and needs.
- Guides you to homes that fit your criteria.
- Coordinates the work of other needed professionals.
- Negotiates on your behalf.
- Checks and double-checks paperwork and deadlines.
- Solves any problems that may arise.
First Time Home Buyer Tips
- Pre-Qualification: Meet with a mortgage broker and find out how much you can afford to pay for a home.
- Pre-Approval: While knowing how much you can afford is the first step, sellers will be much more receptive to potential buyers who have been pre-approved. You’ll also avoid being disappointed when going after homes that are out of your price range. With Pre-Approval, the buyer actually applies for a mortgage and receives a commitment in writing from a lender. This way, assuming the home you’re interested in is at or under the amount you are pre-qualified for, the seller knows immediately that you are a serious buyer for that property. Costs for pre-approval are generally nominal and lenders will usually permit you to pay them when you close your loan.
- List of Needs & Wants: Make 2 lists. The first should include items you must have (i.e., the number of bedrooms you need for the size of your family, a one-story house if accessibility is a factor, etc.). The second list is your wishes, things you would like to have (pool, den, etc.) but that are not absolutely necessary. Realistically for first-time buyers, you probably will not get everything on your wish list, but it will keep you on track for what you are looking for.
- Representation by a Professional: Consider hiring your own real estate agent, one who is working for you, the buyer, not the seller.
- Focus & Organization:In a convenient location, keep handy the items that will assist you in maximizing your home search efforts. Such items may include:
- One or more detailed maps with your areas of interest highlighted.
- A file of the properties that your agent has shown to you, along with ads you have cut out from the newspaper.
- Paper and pen, for taking notes as you search.
- Instant or video camera to help refresh your memory on individual properties, especially if you are attending a series of showings.
- Location: Look at a potential property as if you are the seller. Would a prospective buyer find it attractive based on school district, crime rate, proximity to positive (shopping, parks, freeway access) and negative (abandoned properties, garbage dump, source of noise) features of the area?
- Visualize the house empty & with your decor: Are the rooms laid out to fit your needs? Is there enough light?
- Be Objective: Instead of thinking with your heart when you find a home, think with your head. Does this home really meet your needs? There are many houses on the market, so don’t make a hurried decision that you may regret later.
- Be Thorough:A few extra dollars well spent now may save you big expenses in the long run. Don’t forget such essentials as:
- Include inspection & mortgage contingencies in your written offer.
- Have the property inspected by a professional inspector.
- Request a second walk-through to take place within 24 hours of closing.
- You want to check to see that no changes have been made that were not agreed on (i.e., a nice chandelier that you assumed came with the sale having been replaced by a cheap ceiling light).
- All the above may seem rather overwhelming. That is why having a professional represent you and keep track of all the details for you is highly recommended. Please email me or call me directly to discuss any of these matters in further detail.
How to Negotiate with Sellers
Buying a home is one of the most important purchases most people will make. In order to make the right decision the first time, potential buyers need to be prepared. Consider the following before starting negotiations:
- Be prepared Research the housing market in the target area. Once you have information about the general area, focus on the particular property and seller. Look for answers to questions such as:
- Why is the homeowner selling? (If they’re moving because they find the area undesirable, you might want to consider this issue.)
- How long has the home been on the market? (If it has been on the market for a long time, perhaps there are negative facts about the property that you need to know.)
- How much did the seller pay for the home compared to the current asking price? (If the seller paid more, find out why. Was it a general real estate trend, or did property values in that particular neighborhood go down?)
- What is the seller’s time frame for selling and moving? Does it fit within your needs?
- Are there any defects in the home or problems with the surrounding neighborhood? (For example, is the roof so old that it will likely leak during the next storm? Is there a new construction project in the area that will lead to major traffic congestion?)
As the potential buyer, you want the advantage. While you want answers to all your questions to the seller, reveal very little about your circumstances. Do not give the seller personal information such as your income, the maximum you are able to pay for a down payment or the home, or when you want to move. Make sure that your agent knows not to reveal any such information to the seller or his/her agent.
Also, do not let the seller see how much you want the property. If you appear desperate or overly enthusiastic, the seller then has the stronger bargaining position. When meeting with the seller or listing agent, keep your emotions in check.
- Establish a Timeline Find out if the seller needs to have the sale closed sooner rather than later. If the seller is feeling pressured to sell, use that to your advantage in negotiating. Even if you, the buyer, are the one with the deadline for purchasing a home, don’t let yourself be rushed into making concessions or a purchase you may regret later.
All information is from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, prior sale or withdrawal without notice. No representation is made as to the accuracy of any description.
