choosing

Planning Your Move

Planning your move

As you put your home on the market, the next step is planning the logistics of your move. There are many things to consider, but the item to tackle right away is choosing a reputable moving company. You can ask friends, relatives, and your Texas REALTOR® about their experiences with and recommendations for moving companies.

Keep in mind that many people move between May and September when they’re children are out from school. If you can’t avoid this peak moving time, be sure to call to schedule your move far in advance.

Moving day can be stressful, but thinking ahead and being prepared can make the process run more smoothly. Make sure you’re on hand to answer questions the day the movers are packing your belongings into the moving truck. As a driver does an inventory of the home, walk through with him to verify that he is accounting for everything. It’s also imperative to sign the bill of lading, which is the contract between you and the mover, which will allow for claims to be made and will legally ensure that everything is accounted for when the truck reaches its destination.

A few other helpful tips include not packing your jewelry and other valuables like family heirlooms, antiques, and silverware. It’s better to take these items with you than place them on the moving truck. Also make sure you keep important papers with you like school records, birth certificates, passports, closing papers, and mover estimates. These documents are very hard to replace if lost in your move.

Finally, consider using different colors to designate which boxes go to which room. You can use a red sticker for the living room, green for the kitchen, etc. When the moving truck gets to your home, you can have these colors on the doors of the respective rooms so that the boxes can quickly and efficiently be unpacked.

Texas Association of Realtors®

choosing

Choosing your Real Estate Agent

Buyer/Seller Resources

10 Recommendations for Choosing your Texas Real Estate Agent

As a prospective homeowner, selecting the right real estate agent is critical. Your REALTOR® will keep you abreast of this rapidly changing industry, swings in market conditions, and the availability and demand for property inventory. Your agent also guards your legal interests when facing tough negotiations or confusing contracts.

The safest way to hire a strong real estate agent is to interview more than one specialist. Here are 10 tips to guide you:

Identify at least three (preferably five) real estate professionals.

• Look around your neighborhood. Is the same for-sale sign in every other yard? Call this REALTOR® and arrange an interview.
• Use the Internet. It’s easy to search for an Dallas area REALTOR® online.
• Ask a neighbor or friend. Who helped them buy their home? Which real estate agent in Dallas would they hire if they decided to buy?

Interview the real estate professionals you have identified. Having a conversation with the person is a good way to find out if your personalities and goals match. Here are things you want to ask:

• “Are you a REALTOR®?” You will have the best luck finding the right home if you work with a REALTOR®, not simply a real estate agent. REALTORS® are members of the National Association of Realtors. They are generally full-time agents who have committed financially, educationally and professionally to being an expert in the real estate industry.
• “How often will you notify me of new listings?” In some Texas markets, houses enter the market and sell within the first hour. You need a REALTOR® who is serious about finding a home you’ll love. Buyers should expect to hear from their agent whenever a home matching their description appears on the market.
• “How often can I expect to hear from you?” Just because your dream house isn’t on the market yet doesn’t mean you won’t have questions. Be sure to work out an arrangement with your REALTOR® from the beginning.
• “How quickly can I expect you to return phone calls?” You don’t want to be ignored. If the REALTOR® doesn’t have a callback policy (“You’ll hear back from me within two hours/30 minutes/before the day ends”), you may not get the service you expect.
• “Are you a full-time REALTOR®?” “Hobby agents” aren’t as capable of meeting your expectations because their attention is divided by other responsibilities. Limit your search to full-time real estate agents.
• “Who will you represent in my real estate transaction?” Depending on local laws, the REALTOR® representing you may be a subagent for the seller (not what you want as a buyer). Find an agent who can truly represent your interests without having to bow to another client. You may want to consider hiring a Buyers Agent.
• “Will you give me your honest feedback?” Avoid “yes-men.” If you can’t find your dream house because it simply doesn’t exist at the price you’ve quoted, you need more options. When you find a strong real estate agent, you get more out of each meeting.
• “How long have you actively worked in the area?” While the answer to this question shouldn’t necessarily be a deal-breaker, a REALTOR® who has worked in the area a long time may be more aware of properties that match your description.

Compare interview notes.

Think about each agent, and decide which one is right for you. You should choose someone aggressive, but who doesn’t make you feel anxious or pressured.

Experience pays.

Experienced real estate agents often earn designations that separate them from the pack. These designations are earned through training that helps the agent become a specialist in certain areas. Pay attention to agents who have designations listed after their names on business cards. Specifically ask the agent what each one means.

Find a REALTOR® who is savvy about technology.

Through the online tools available to agents these days, you can expect nearly immediate e-mails about new property listings and quick replies to your queries.

Ask for references from your Texas REALTOR®.

This shouldn’t be a big deal; it’s a last-step investigation that could confirm or reject your impression of the agent.

Before signing a contract, know that the term “Disclosed Dual Agent” often means that the real estate agency does not represent your interests 100 percent.

Try using a Buyers Agent to represent you.

Buyer agency agreements are common, but be careful.

What if the REALTOR® doesn’t follow up with you? What if you don’t get along? What if the agent doesn’t understand your needs? Remember that a buyer agency agreement is negotiable, and you can help negotiate the specific terms.

Select a strong negotiator.

Ask your REALTOR® whether he or she has ever been in a tough negotiation and how he or she negotiated a fair price.

Talk money.

Usually the seller foots the bill for a real estate professional’s commission, but don’t assume this will be the case.  Ask point-blank what your financial obligations are throughout the process. Your real estate agent has the knowledge and experience to provide you with a smooth, hassle-free transaction.