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Buying a home in Charleston?

Whether you are a first time or fifth time home buyer, this buyers guide will help you successfully navigate buying a home in the Charleston South Carolina real estate market.

In today's information packed Internet world, you really don't need a real estate agent to help you find a home (but I'd be happy to help you with your search if you prefer). What you do need is a "go - to" resource throughout the sales process to help guide you through all the complicated legal documents and financing concerns.

Find out how and why it's important to select a buyer's agent to represent you and help you develop a strategy to buy the right home at the right price that meets your wants and needs, protect your interests and negotiate on your behalf, and then help to insure the smoothest possible closing by guiding you through the complexities of inspections, financing and understanding legal issues whether you are considering new construction or a pre owned home in the Charleston area.

With homes for sale in Charleston ranging from luxury homes in the Historic Charleston Peninsula or oceanfront and ocean oriented homes in world class resorts to homes for any budget in suburban communities and neighborhoods, it just makes sense to have a professional to help you with the buying process.

There are many characteristics, skills and qualities that exemplify being an excellent real estate professional: personal integrity, in depth community and housing market knowledge, a high quality professional network and outstanding negotiating skills. All of these are hallmarks of how I work.

Having said that, in my experience as a Charleston real estate professional, I've found that providing the very best possible service is essentially about putting my client's first. This means being available and responding quickly to your needs and being a excellent communicator.

This client - first philosophy has always been my approach.

It's my version of The Golden Rule, treat others like you would like to be treated.

Home Search

It's very easy for today's buyer to find homes for sale but sorting through the options available requires that you prioritize what is most important to you. Having a good idea of what you are looking for will simplify the process.

Your wants and needs will determine how many bedrooms, bathrooms, the minimum square footage and any additional rooms including formal living, separate dining, great room, a home office or a bonus room you look for. What about the kitchen, the heart of the home today. The age of the home, the condition, the floor plan, how many stories, master bedroom up or down or split from the secondary bedrooms, a garage, lot size and view are just some of the many considerations you'll be taking into account in your home search.

Location

Again, you have lots of considerations to factor including how convenient the home is to work, schools, shopping, dining and recreational facilities.

Personalized Home Buying Services

If you prefer, I'd be happy to help you refine your search and set up listing alerts when new homes come on the market or there is a price change for any properties that meet your criteria. Additionally I can:

• Provide immediate access to any new listing
• Preview homes that may be of potential interest to you
• Provide a comprehensive market evaluation of all homes you choose to investigate further
• Provide consultation and recommendations of the written offer to purchase with terms approved by you
• Negotiate the best possible price for you
• Offer step by step communication of all processes leading to the transaction closing

For personalized assistance with relocation to Charleston, click here.

When you are buying a home, the advantages of using your own real estate agent as your buyer representative are significant. Whether you are interested in new construction or an existing home, you can use your own agent to negotiate for you and protect your interests in the transaction.

Many consumers don't realize when they go to the builder's model home that the salesperson is actually representing the builder. Likewise when you call on an ad or a yard sign, the real estate agent you are calling represents the seller of the property. In effect, while you certainly can successfully conclude a transaction, your interests are not being fully represented. For more information, please ask about South Carolina's required agency disclosure form.

A buyer's agent protects your best interests! Buying a home is often one of the largest financial decisions you will make in your lifetime. Being represented by a professional Charleston real estate agent could save you from otherwise avoidable problems and potentially thousands of dollars in a real estate transaction. Sellers have agents working for them and home buyers should too.

Why choose me to be your buyer's agent? As a dedicated buyer's agent, I perform services for you that a seller's agent can't - such as showing you reasons not to buy a certain property, negotiating the best price and terms for you including any contingencies in the contract that protect you rather than the seller and keeping confidential any information that could hurt your bargaining position. Value added services include using my extensive vendor support team where I can provide referrals to legal, financial, home inspection, warranty and other services all tailored to your unique needs.

My personal commitment goes far beyond a single point of sale. From house hunting to closing, I'm here for you every step of the way - don't leave home without me!

Do you want to get the best house you can for the least amount of money? Then make sure you are in the strongest negotiating position possible. Price is only one bargaining chip in the negotiations, and not necessarily the most important one.

The strongest position you can be in when making an offer to buy a home is to be preapproved for your loan.

Terms, such as the purchase price or the proposed closing date are critical to a seller. In years past, I always recommended that buyers get "pre-qualified" by a lender. This means that you spend a few minutes on the phone with a lender who asks you a few questions. Based on the answers, the lender pronounces you "pre-qualified" and issues a certificate that you can show to a seller. Sellers are aware that such certificates are worthless, and here's why! None of the information has been verified! Oftentimes unknown problems can surface including recorded judgments, child support payments due, glitches on the credit report due to any number of reasons both accurately and inaccurately, down payments that have not been in the clients' bank account long enough, etc.

Therefore, the way to make a strong offer in today’s market is to get preapproved. This happens after all information has been checked and verified. You are actually approved for the loan and the only loose end is the appraisal on the property. This process takes anywhere from few hours to a few weeks depending on your situation. A preapproval letter will demonstrate that you are a "strong" buyer when the seller is reviewing your offer.

Quick Tip - Develop your wish list and “rule outs”

Before house hunting, make a list of ten things you want in the new place. Then make a list of the ten things you don't want. You can create a scorecard to rate each property that you see which will help avoid confusion and keeps things in perspective when you're comparing homes.

When house hunting, keep in mind the difference between "skin and bones". The skin represents easily changed surface finishes like flooring, paint, wallpaper and window coverings, etc.,. The bones are things that cannot be changed such as the location, view, size of lot, floor plan, school district, noise in the area to name just a few. Buy the house with good bones, because the skin can always be changed to match your tastes. I also recommend that you imagine each house as if it were vacant and consider each house on its merits, not the seller's decorating skills.

For FREE Buyer reports instantly emailed to you, please visit the free reports page.

And finally, a word about the Benefits of Home Ownership

Home ownership offers a number of benefits including building equity, saving for the future, and most importantly, creating an environment for your family. There are tax advantages to home ownership and the equity you earn is yours.  Despite the downturn of the past few years, over time, homes have historically increased in value.

To begin your search for the perfect home or to sell your home in Charleston or for more info,
please call or text Howard Arnoff at 843.343.3004 or by email