Homes for Sale in Athens GA

Buying a House?

You want to buy a house and you've started looking at homes for sale! Athens GA is an ideal location for buying a home!

Congratulations on taking a big step that will positively affect the rest of your life. That's no exaggeration. Purchasing a home has been found to be the largest source of investment for people in the United States. Unlike most purchases, buying a home is a complicated process. It is the largest financial commitment that most people ever make. It only makes sense then, that you seek guidance from someone who has been through the process multiple times.

Mark Mahaffey and Associates Real Estate have that home buying experience, and we are glad that you have found us. We are passionate about helping people find the perfect home, whether you are a first time home buyer, moving up to fit an expanding family, purchasing a getaway home at the lake or down sizing to spend more time traveling and less time maintaining a home.

The Home Buying Process

The process of purchasing a home in the Athens area can be overwhelming. It might seem like there are a million details, but we want to encourage you to not let the thought of those details keep you from fulfilling a dream...what some people call "The Dream" of home ownership. Our real estate professionals at Mark Mahaffey and Associates Real Estate can take that pressure off of you when you delegate the details to us. Of course, you'll have access to our advanced systems and our experience, but you'll also enjoy working with someone who might end up becoming your friend...that has happened with many of our Athens clients.

The best time to get started is now, but we will work at your pace. If you have just started looking for homes for sales in the Athens area and hope to be in a home within a couple of years, we'll work with you over that period of time and will be here for you as you work towards that goal. On the other hand, if you are starting a new job in a few weeks and absolutely must find a Athens home immediately, we can handle that too.

What Does A Buyer Pay In Commission?

Before going any further, let's address a question that almost always concerns our first-time home buyers, and that is: What is it going to cost for our home buying service? The answer may sound too good to be true, but in most cases, the buyer only pays a very, very reasonable administrative fee...nothing like the thousands of dollars that a seller will pay in commission.

Here's how the process works. A listing real estate agent (seller's agent) agrees to market a seller's property. The seller agrees to pay that agent a commission when the house is sold. In turn, the agent that listed the property agrees to split their commission with the agent that represents the buyer. So, as a buyer, you get the best of both worlds...your own representation (extremely important), but also the benefit of (usually) not paying a commission to the real estate agent.  Why is it important that you have your own representation?  Because the seller's agent has a loyalty and a legal obligation to the SELLER!  Their entire job is to remove as much money as possible from the buyer's pocket! :( As a buyer, you NEVER want to deal directly with the seller or the seller's agent.  That's like a sheep wandering into the wolves lair...ouch! And no, the seller's agent (probably) does NOT know more about the property.  Most likely, they were there one time to list it and haven't been back since. However, our buyer's agents show properties on a regular basis and are often in the same home multiple times to show it to different clients and have usually obtained more in-depth knowledge and information.

So, when DOES a buyer pay a commission? A 6% commission is common. This amount is split evenly between the two agents...3% each. In some cases, an ill-informed seller will decide to reduce the amount they will pay to the buyer's agent from 3% to 2.5%. Their thought is to try to save themselves money by making the buyer pay a portion of the commission. In this example, that would be 1/2 of 1%. While not a fortune, it is still something to consider when dealing with this type of seller. If they are already giving an indication of being difficult to deal with, do you really want to get involved with them in something as complicated as a home purchase? Of course, a buyer can choose to pay the difference, but keep in mind that this could amount to an extra $1,250 on a $250,000 home. Of course, if you love the home, the extra money might be worth it to you. By the way, we say, "ill-informed," because MOST buyers will choose, on their own accord, to self-exclude. In other words, they will choose to not work with a seller like this, because of the fear of dealing with someone that is already uncooperative, and because they don't want to pay the difference. We inform our seller clients to NOT do this!  They don't want to lose a potential buyer by choosing this strategy, as it limits the number of buyers that will be interested in the home.

Overall though, in most cases, the SELLER is payng 100% of the commission and even in the odd cases, over 80%, so a buyer is still getting the better end of the deal, and there is no reason to not begin exploring further, homes for sale in Athens GA. We have tried to answer many questions that buyers often have in our FAQ section. Please visit there next for more in-depth information, or contact us to begin a conversation about how we can assist you with your dream.

Frequently Asked Questions About Buying A Home.

Buyer FAQ

Need Gas Service for Your New Home?

• Would you like $100 off of your gas bill?

• No deposit on your gas service?

• Free Tickets to Popular Attractions?

Another great reason to work with Mark Mahaffey and Associates Real Estate when buying your new home!

$100 Gas Credit

Avoid A Big Breakdown Bill!

You just purchased a home. Everything is going great, and you are loving life. The last thing you need is a big bill from an unexpected breakdown. Don't worry, we've got you covered. One of our preferred partners is HWA (Home Warranty of America). Take a look here to find out more about how we can help you avoid major bills after your purchase.

Frequently Asked Questions About Buying A Home.

ACHOSA Home Warranty