There is no denying that real estate agents can play a very valuable role on behalf of the person looking to buy a new home. They can help you get a better look at the for sale private market, help you understand prices, what kind of standards you should expect from areas, amenities, and more. However, if your home search begins and ends with real estate agents, there may be opportunities that you’re missing out on.

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Get on all the listings

One of the things that you need to know about both real estate agents and real estate listings is that they both routinely arrange to have exclusive rights to advertise certain properties. As such, if you’re relying on only one of them, you can end up missing more potential homes than you might think. For that reason, it’s worth signing up for a few realty listing apps that can alert you to new homes on the market and even show you homes nearest to your current location by using the GPS on the phone.

 

Look at property development teams

If you’re looking for a new build, then there are a few better sources to check than the developers who are responsible for getting them up in the first place. When it comes to things like newly built luxury apartments, it’s not a certainty that many real estate agents will know when they’re available or be able ot arrange things like a viewing. For that reason, when you’re looking at an area that’s developing and growing, get in touch with the developers yourself to get the real scoop.

 

Check out the foreclosures

This is a method of buying properties that is usually only done by real estate investors since it’s not always the most reliable way to find a property that fits all of your wants and needs. However, foreclosures and bank-owned homes can offer easy access to a range of properties before they go on the market. What’s more, they’re typically less expensive than buying a home on the market, meaning you can reduce your budget drastically if you manage to find a home that fits your needs.

 

Could you build your own?

It’s not an option that’s going to be widely available to everyone, but it is worth considering whether or not you have the ability to build your dream home instead of buying on. It’s more expensive in general, especially since you have to purchase land ahead of time. However, a bigger budget means that you also have the room to prioritize your wants and needs in a way that you simply can’t when buying a home. Just make sure you take your time finding trusted contractors to avoid getting ripped off.

 

This isn’t a recommendation that you skip working with real estate agents entirely, but rather simply a reminder that there are other options out there and that you can peruse more than one of these options at the same time. Happy hunting out there.