A year ago, my husband and I used a realtor who was representing the builder (seller) and us…read more(buyer). After owning the home a year, we continue to like the home, but we've bought lots of homes and this agency's purchase process appeared complex. Since our purchase, we've had friends happily use smaller realtor agencies, and I wonder if smaller firms have smoother processes.
Since purchasing, we've invested unplanned money/work into the home by getting worrisome trees removed, significant driveway work done, minor plumbing repair work, minor appliance installation corrections, and adding gutter guards but we still have perplexing overflow issues. Also surprising, long cracks have emerged in several rooms' ceilings where taped sheetrock joints come together, and the wooden floors seem to be swelling or buckling in spots. We still like the house, but at the one year mark, I don't want to do the math to figure out how far beyond the bank's appraisal we've gotten.
If anyone asked me for recommendations on purchasing a home, these would be my suggestions. Consider getting a copy of the Beverly Hanks agreement to read, prior to making an offer.
If time allows, before making an offer, visit the useful website "Graphic Information Systems Buncombe County," and check flood zones, school districts, surveys etc.. Also, if considering applying to public schools outside of your child's district (a complex process with variable success) you may want to consult public school employees.
City & state employees & the "North Carolina Real Estate Commission" have varied free info resources. Brock Law firm helped us with the toughest unexpected problems and appeared affordable, thorough, honest---definitely recommend this firm! Glad we had this firm pick our title insurance too, though Beverly Hanks can do this.
Pay attention in the final process. I ended up on my knees, scrubbing orange clay off decks, hours after purchase, as the home seemed to have been shown by agents while under-contract, but there weren't mats on the deck during the rainy, messy, muddy spring. Nothing like celebrating a home purchase with more ibuprofen than champagne. Finally, if possible read over your bank's final loan agreement before closing. I hadn't done this, and our agent had come to closing but forgot to give us a final bill for close to $2,000 dollars for misc things, so I needed to drive a few hours to meet & take care of this bill and other forgotten things the week following closing. This will be small potatoes in the long-run, but I hope others can learn from me now.
My understanding is that some companies use open and close-ended questionnaires following purchase to improve the process. I wonder if Beverly Hanks sellers, buyers and agents might benefit from this. Asheville is a friendly, green area, and we like our home.
(PS--a neighbor purchased a similar new home by the same builder and told me that these new homes have propane tanks installed, but there are convenient natural gas lines on the street. The neighbor said that if the builder had connected the houses to the street lines that home owners would $ave onutilities and enjoy added convenience. Within a month or so of a brand new home purchase, this neighbor paid quite a bit to have a new propane tank removed and to have a gas company run a line from the street to the home. This is something that I might do in the future, as it can cost hundreds of dollars to fill a propane tank, and there is a yearly rental tank fee too.)
