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GETTING RESULTS THROUGH BEST PRACTICES

Always Get A Home Inspection

Any purchase offer you make should be contingent upon your approval of a qualified home inspector's report, preferably a member of the American Society Of Home Inspectors ( Look for "ASHI" symbol ) http://www.ashi.org/, even when buying a new or almost new home. Friends, family, telephone yellow pages, your Realtor may be able to give you a list of good inspectors. Even if your lender does not require it, you may want to consider conducting a full land survey--property line and encroachment disputes could potentially cost you thousands down the road, and are typically not covered by title insurance. There are several other important inspections that you should consider depending on the house and circumstances--see your Realtor for a full list.  

Your Agent Should Be Cost Effective

When selling your home, you should select a real estate agent who can expose your property to the widest market to ensure the fastest sale at the best possible price. Ask your prospective agents about the different ways they plan to advertise your home. Good agents should use the MLS, national and local promotion on the Internet, yard and neighborhood signs, as well as ads in various newspapers and real estate publications.

Start Selling Your Home First

This is generally sound advice unless you live in an extremely hot neighborhood or  market niche. Even then, most sellers won't take their house off the market waiting for a buyer's house to sell, or for a buyer to get lender pre-approved. So timing is crucial. Start working with your agent to find a new home as soon as yours is listed. Simultaneously, identify a solid, reliable lender who will provide you with a printed pre-approval letter.  With a little bit of luck, the day you accept an offer on your home, you'll be able to make an offer on a new home and close both deals on the same day. At worst, you may have to live in a rental for a couple of months, but most people agree that moving twice is preferable to being stuck with two mortgage payments!