Soft housing market? Guidance with offer needed... (sale, home builders)

[bohunak]

[quote=crone;43856630]Texas is a non disclosure state.

Sales prices are not public record.


Once the house is sold, it's really easy to find for how much. How somebody mentioned here, Redfin is pretty accurate.

[Failed Engineer]

[quote=bohunak;43859737]

Originally Posted by crone

Texas is a non disclosure state.

Sales prices are not public record.


Once the house is sold, it's really easy to find for how much. How somebody mentioned here, Redfin is pretty accurate.

It's not "pretty accurate". It's exact, to the dollar. I just checked some sold prices on home of family members kind of throughout the metro.

[ipuck]

Redfin is the best app to search homes imo, much better than HAR. Their neighborhood and school zone search are very accurate.

I use homesnap to see the price history of a home. Redfin only show the price change with the existing listing, while homesnap will show the price change even under a different listing.

[whogo]

Originally Posted by Meyerland

If you use a realtor for a new home, you don't have to pay for it and it's already budgeted on their end. A realtor is more likely to know how much wiggle room the builders have and how much they can get for their clients. I would never buy a new home without a realtor.

Get 2% cash back.

[crone]

[quote=bohunak;43859737]

Originally Posted by crone

Texas is a non disclosure state.

Sales prices are not public record.


Once the house is sold, it's really easy to find for how much. How somebody mentioned here, Redfin is pretty accurate.

That information has to be disclosed by a dues paying, Texas licensed real estate agent.

The fact that Redfin has the information does not change the fact that Texas is a non disclosure state.

Texas decreed that public schools would be paid for mostly through property tax dollars. They also decreed that information required to assess if the appraisal districts were fair and
accurate would be owned by a trade organization.

The lot my house was on was appraised at $25,000. The blocked sized lot where we parked our car on game nights directly across from the Crawford train station entrance was $10,000. Then I Started looking around. Homeowners are getting royally screwe. And we think we are getting good information from Redfin.

[DSL_PWR]

Originally Posted by Meyerland

Lots of times they give 20k in upgrades if you use an experiences realtor who works with lots of the new builders. If so, they saved 5k right there. Talking to a realtor is free and can save you big bucks. Just ask them which builders offer which incentives.

Using a realtor always costs somebody. Nothing is free.

I am one of those that prefer to do their own legwork and save big bucks. If said builder or whatever I am trying to negotiate doesn't want to deal then I move on. Simple as that.

[jtothemak]

If you know what you are doing and know the market well you can buy a new home without a Realtor. I started the process without a Realtor. Builder would not give me what I wanted so I told him I would be back with a Realtor if he could not make the deal happen. Came back with a Realtor and got what we wanted. Ironically the builder was even giving an extra 2% bonus to Realtors. So instead of 3% it cost them 5% extra.

[Failed Engineer]

Builders are trying to sell all their homes in a given community, not looking to save a penny here and there with the random self-represented buyer. Realtors help them reach their objective so they compensate them and stay on their good side by not discounting to the self-represented buyers.

However, I generally agree that with new construction you really don't need one. There are many discount brokers out there that will give you 2% back if all they have to do is show up to the builders office a couple of times.

[whogo]

Originally Posted by DSL_PWR

Using a realtor always costs somebody. Nothing is free.

I am one of those that prefer to do their own legwork and save big bucks. If said builder or whatever I am trying to negotiate doesn't want to deal then I move on. Simple as that.

The thing is you can get 2% of that 3% commission so you are getting the realtor for just 1% of the sales price.

[DSL_PWR]

Originally Posted by whogo

The thing is you can get 2% of that 3% commission so you are getting the realtor for just 1% of the sales price.

Why bring an unnecessary party to the equation? I get that there are people who refuse to do anything without a realtor but I am not one of them. But the suggestion is noted.