It’s exciting to buy a new home- whether it’s your first house or not it’s an exhilarating process to embark on the journey of finding the right home. Once you decide to move, there are plenty of considerations to make- no matter if you are moving within the same neighborhood, city, or even if you are relocating.
One of the most important keys to success in purchasing the ideal home is to seek expert advice and guidance. Becky Lund, who is one of the top Realtor’s in the Sacramento area, tells it like it is, “People don’t realize what it takes to buy or sell a house. It’s way more complicated and involved than people realize, and it is truly in their best interest to use somebody who understands the laws, the disclosures, negotiating… and that it actually saves them money in the long run.”
When on the hunt for a new abode it’s important to be knowledgeable about the area that you plan to purchase in. Prices in neighborhoods can vary and if you don’t have professional help and you aren’t careful, you might end up with a bad deal. This is especially true in Sacramento, the capital of California, as there are many neighborhoods that greatly differ. While Lund serves all of Sacramento, her niche as a Realtor lies in the lovable Sacramento neighborhood of Fair Oaks. Coming from a seasoned professional, Lund states, “In Fair Oaks, it’s a very eclectic town and the value of a home on one street may be very different than a very similar home two streets away.”
With so many intricacies, it is best to consult with a professional when either buying or selling a house. It is vital in understanding the value of a home to find someone who specializes in knowing the fine details of an area. Not knowing the value of a home is extremely common, surprisingly, even among home owners who want to sell their houses. Lund acknowledges this, “That’s often a problem because people don’t understand their home’s value. Because I know the area so well and understand the market and buyer motivation I can help people price their home so it sells at the best value and sells for the best price.” Knowing the ins-and-outs of an area has it’s benefits- you get a better deal and you can actually find the home with all of the qualities that you want. It’s a well known common mistake to try and skip the step of working with a real estate agent. By doing this home buyers are missing out, not just on expert advice, but also on having an advocate for their finances and their ideal home. In essence, they are depriving themselves of someone who is truly on their team. Top real estate agent, Lund confirmed this:
“Common mistakes that I see buyers make is that they don’t pick a real estate agent, they’ll just call the listing agent and they don’t form a partnership where they have someone working for them… you know, someone trying to find them the right house or the best area. Someone that they do build a relationship with and they build trust and they come to know that that Realtor is truly out to help them make the best decision for themselves.”
It’s never a bad idea to have a team behind you, especially when making a big investment, like buying a house. The value that a Realtor can offer is so much more than just finding the right home in the right place. Other factors come into play as well, like having a better buying experience, having assistance with negotiations, reducing stress, and having overall smooth transitions throughout the buying process. Lund agrees with this, “It does make for a less stressful life and they [the clients] can move on to wherever they want to go and whatever they want to do– whether it be downsize, or upsize, or move to a different location. Our goal is always to make it the best experience for our clients and we have a lot of systems in place to make sure that that happens. We just care about the people that we are dealing with and we want to get them what they want.”
Having ideals and dreams come into fruition when buying a house is part of the fuel that drives people to buy a home. Realtors are an essential part of buying or selling a home because they are the experts and are available to assist clients in obtaining their picture-perfect home. A common, but untrue, fear is that Realtors are only in it for their own selfish reasons. Lund goes on to address why some people may be frightened to work with a real estate agent:
“Many times, people think working with anybody who is paid on a commission, whether that person is a real estate agent, or an insurance broker, or a car salesman, that they are only out for themselves…that they don’t have the client’s best interest at heart. That would be the biggest fear.”
This fear could not be further from the truth. A true model of what to look for in a Realtor, Lund has the home buying and selling industry tied to her very roots. Some of Lund’s most fond memories consist of experiencing the real estate hustle and bustle with her real-estate-tycoon grandmother, “My grandmother was a very successful Realtor in Oakland, in Montclair, and as a little girl I remember going to open houses with her, her writing ads, and just the respect that she had in the community.” With real estate deeply ingrained in her, Lund is a prime example of what to look for in a Realtor. Her passion for homes is undeniable and her belief in what a house is fuels her excellent advocacy for her clients, “ I have always loved homes mainly because of what they represent. It’s always a starting point for anyone.”
