Kurt Grafe, Realtor

One of the most important first steps in the decision to purchase a home is securing financing.  Few people have the resources to pay cash for a home, expecially those purchasing their first home, so finding a reputable lender is an important part of the process.  There are many options available when looking for a home mortgage.  You may want to first speak to a loan officer at your local bank or credit union.  There are also many reputable mortgage brokers who have the resources to "shop around" for you to find the best lending options.  Interest rates can vary greatly from loan to loan as can the lender's fees for securing the loan, so it's important to look at more than one lending option.  Visit the "Links" page for some resources to get you started, or give me a call, and I'd be happy to point you in the right direction.

There are numerous real estate companies in the Bryan/College Station area with listings of properties for sale.  Just because a property is listed with company X does not mean that you have to call that company to see the property.  Most properties are entered into the local Multiple Listing Service, a data base that lists all the properties for sale in a given area.  Any REALTOR who is a member of the local MLS can access these properties and show them to you.  Choose ONE realtor you trust to help you find the property that is right for you.

It seems these days that more and more people are trying to sell their homes without using realtor services.  Although these properties will not usually be listed with the Multiple Listing Service, most home sellers will be willing to work with a buyers agent to secure a sale.  NOTE:  Using a REALTOR to access information about a home is always in your best interest.  A REALTOR can determine if a home is accurately priced and can help greatly through the process of property inspections, securing finances, and closing the deal, and remember...realtor services are always FREE for buyers...why try to go through the process by yourself?

The answer to this question will depend on whether you are the buyer or the seller.  In our maket, realtor fees are paid by the seller.  That means that realtor services for buyers are FREE.  For sellers, realtor fees are negotiable, however the industry standard is 6% (3 % goes to the listing agent and 3% goes to the buyers agent).  NOTE:  Statistics show that home sellers will usually get a higher selling price when listing their property with a REALTOR than when trying to sell the property on their own.