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The tour does not create any sort of legal obligation. You are always free to say No, I am not willing or ready to sign a purchase agreement and walk away.
You may get some pressure to purchase, but that is part of the system. You want to buy, they want to sell. You need to stand up for yourself.
Contradictory message: Let me try to clarify... Touring a property should NEVER feel like you are pressured to buy it.... but you should be a real buyer, before wasting a lot of a seller's time, or an agent's time, touring places. Does that make sense?
Yep
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jkgourmet
I think you took wmns4life advice too strictly.
I'll say.
Of course you aren't "obligated to buy" every condo you tour, OP, and I never said that. There should be plenty of "shopping" going on.
But you SHOULD be vested in the buying process and not just "browsing." THAT is what open houses are for.
I'm assuming you're a first time buyer. Personally I don't think the Redfin model is good for first time buyers as it tends to be more "do it yourself." My opinion.
You're right: I am. But I use Redfin et al. as online showrooms of sorts. I use it to see photos of the condos I'm researching, to make sure they meet my criteria, such as a gas stove and a spacious bathroom. It'll help me, for example, exclude condos with an electric stove. Most of my narrowed-down suburbs are in central DuPage County. I guess I'll find out which agent specializes in those.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life
But you SHOULD be vested in the buying process and not just "browsing." THAT is what open houses are for.
This part I know. I would never tour a condo and waste an agent's time just to fill up my own free time. But perhaps starting out with open houses isn't a bad idea: it's a way to get my feet wet in the buying process.
I will say open houses are perhaps a good way to meet lots of buyer's agents. That's really what they're there for, to meet buyers. For that place, or any place.
Don't be afraid to talk to them. When you find one you like, schedule some time with that agent, to talk more about your wants and needs, financing options, and the next step.
You sound a lot like another first-time buyer and close friend we worked with recently. Some of us who've been doing it for a long time forget there are folks taking the first steps in this process.
Don't ever feel any pressure. Not from a desperate seller, nor a selling agent (representing you) who has gotten tired after showing you 30 properties with no offers. As long as you are genuinely searching for a home and have the means to purchase one, you are holding up your end of the bargain.
That said, an open house, assuming well attended, will be the lowest-pressure situation you'll find. They have already scheduled and opened the house to the public and you can be fairly anonymous if you choose to be. Redfin's agents should be pretty knowledgeable and helpful so I disagree with an earlier poster and think you'll be alright should you choose them to represent you. But no doubt you need an agent on your side. Good luck!!
I will say open houses are perhaps a good way to meet lots of buyer's agents. That's really what they're there for, to meet buyers. For that place, or any place.
Excellent. Let's take it and run with it. What's an open house like? Is it strictly guided and herded, like a bus tour in a cruise port of call? Or are you free to walk about, like in a museum or a trade show?
Excellent. Let's take it and run with it. What's an open house like? Is it strictly guided and herded, like a bus tour in a cruise port of call? Or are you free to walk about, like in a museum or a trade show?
Some are a strictly guided tour and others are a wander about type of open house. It depends on the agent and how they choose to run the open house.
Excellent. Let's take it and run with it. What's an open house like? Is it strictly guided and herded, like a bus tour in a cruise port of call? Or are you free to walk about, like in a museum or a trade show?
It really depends... on the specific circumstance... and sometimes, how busy the open house is... Are there lots of people? Or has the agent been sitting there alone for the past two hours feeling lonely?
If the home is currently lived in and filled with the seller's possessions, an agent has an obligation to accompany visitors and safeguard the owner's property. They may give guided tours.
If the home is vacant and empty, the agent may feel less need to follow along with everyone, particularly if there are multiple people there at the same time. They may wait outside on the porch (where we often set up if they weather is nice) or just stay in the kitchen and offer refreshments.
Find a buyers agent to work with. Have them help you screen things on line - they can send you a list of possibles, and you can also use to online sites to find things you are interested in, and they can double check on their end to make sure they think it's a good match.
Look at photos online and if something seems like a possibility, do a drive by on your own to make sure the neighborhood seems like a good fit, that it's a decent commute, etc.
Then schedule a showing through your buyer's agent. Don't waste anyone's time (yours, your agent, the homeowner) going to look at places that you don't have at least some realistic interest in, but going to a showing in no way obligates you to buy something. Your agent shouldn't (and very likely will not) pressure you into buying, but they will ask what you did and didn't like so they can help narrow the search and find something that fits your needs, taste and budget.
Second showings should be reserved for a home that you are seriously thinking about making an offer on. But even then, a second showing does not obligate you to offer, although if you've definitely decided against it, it's polite to give that feedback via your agent. Sometimes, you might have 2 or 3 final contenders and it's perfectly ok to do a second showing for all of them.
And going to open houses is a good, no pressure way to get started. If you are still looking for an agent, it's a way to potentially meet someone you click with - but personally, I'd rather go with someone I've gotten a personal recommendation for. You can still go to open houses even when you are working with an agent, just let the agent holding the open house know that you already have someone. If you like something during an open house, then you can schedule a private showing with your agent to see it a second time and get their input.
And it sounds like you are single? You may want to ask a friend who likes real estate to go househunting with you. A second set of eyes is very helpful and gives you someone to discuss the pros and cons. Sometimes you fall in love with a place and someone else can point out the flaws - which may not be enough reason to not go ahead and make an offer but at least you do so with your eyes open.
Good luck! Once you start to look at specific places, feel free to come back here and post links and questions and you'll get plenty of feeback!
And it sounds like you are single? You may want to ask a friend who likes real estate to go househunting with you. A second set of eyes is very helpful and gives you someone to discuss the pros and cons. Sometimes you fall in love with a place and someone else can point out the flaws - which may not be enough reason to not go ahead and make an offer but at least you do so with your eyes open.
I'm single indeed. Unfortunately, none of my close friends are. So I'll probably just go alone, and try not to get blinded by whatever catches my eye. I think I'll be fine, though. After all, I picked my current rental apartment while going alone, and I was very judicious about doing that.
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