Buyer Advocates

Having the experienced team of The Realty Shop on your side can save you thousands.

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Top
5
Real Estate Brokerages in St. Louis
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client earned equity funds
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The Realty Shop Advantage

In today's highly competitive market, it's critical to have someone advocating for you every step of the way. When you sign up with The Realty Shop, you get more than an agent; you get our whole team of experts! Our real estate professionals are here to help you navigate the local market, qualify for the best mortgage, anticipate unpredictable interest rates, negotiate for the home of your dreams, and so much more.

  • Information Gathering

    Making the decision to purchase a home and going through the process of purchasing a home is an exciting, yet often daunting, experience. So, how are you supposed to know where to get started?

    No matter what type of home you are looking to buy or when you are planning ot purchase, you are going to need to take a few steps to set yourself up for success. Our home-buying experts at The Realty Shop are here to assist and advocate for you through every step! Here are a few tasks you will want to accomplish before you begin your home search.

    • Check Your Finances
    • Find a Real Estate Agent You Can Trust
    • Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage
    • Determine Your Needs & Wants

  • Needs vs Wants

    This is the fun part, but the number of options can be overwhelming. As part of our advanced property search, we will provide you with a "Buyer's Wish List" to help you identify key elements for your new home. Your personal non-negotiables may include:

    Home style
    Age of home
    Layout preference
    Finished Basement
    Fireplaces
    Acreage
    Bed / Bath count
    School district
    Yard needs / restrictions
    Zip codes
    Save and See Listings

    Favorite properties and tour homes

    Click the ♥ icon when you find a house you love to save it in your favorites section and let us know you like it. Hit "See This Listing" or reach out to your agent directly to schedule an in-person showing.

    Get Listings Alerts

    Be the first to know when a property hits the market

    When you save a search on the site, any new homes matching your wish list criteria will be delivered straight to your inbox the moment they go up for sale.

  • Contract Negotiations

    Contracts can be daunting, but our licensed advocates will guide you through every step. We know the contract inside and out and know where we have the most room for negotiations.

    • Price Negotiations

      Price is typically the first thing buyers think of that can be negotiated when purchasing a house. Your agent is an expert you local housing market and will help you draft the strongest offer possible for you by looking at CMA's, understanding what type of market you are in and what prices the market will tolerate, and will be able to separate their emotions from the deal to truly advocate on your behalf. Your agent advocate will also best advise you should the seller make a counter offer to either keep the deal going or decline base on your best interests.

    • Earnest Deposit

      An earnest money deposit, also known as a good faith deposit, is put down by the buyer before closing on a home to show you are serious about purchasing. This is often non-refundable (unless a deal falls through due to the seller) and protects the seller if the buyer backs out during the deal. The exact amount depends on the market, but is typically 1-3% of the sale price and can be negotiated by your agent advocate to help strengthen your offer if needed. Earnest money is not always a requirement, however you agent advocate can best advise you depending on your specific situation.

    • Inspection Contingency

      The inspection contingency offers you the opportunity to discover information about the property beyond your visual observations. The process begins by allowing you a specific period of time to obtain written property inspection reports from a qualified, independent inspector. If you are not satisfied with the inspection results, you must provide a written inspection notice within the specified time to allow both parties time to reach an agreement or terminate the contract.

    • Government & Occupancy Inspections

      A certificate of occupancy verifies that the home you want to purchase is safe to live in. This is typically paid for and provided by the seller in a resale situation, or by the builder if purchasing new construction. If the inspection comes back with issues that need to be resolved, your agent advocate can negotiate with the seller to make repairs or lower the price of the home to compensate for necessary repairs. If there is a problem obtaining a certificate of occupancy, you may have issues getting approved for a mortgage and home insurance, as both entities often require one before the deal can go through.

    • Title & Survey Contingency

      This contingency provides you the opportunity to inspect the title of the property. The Title Contingency process begins with the choices provided on the sale contract and negotiated between you & the Seller. The agreement may be for the "Seller to Order, Provide and Purchase Title" or for the "Buyer to Order and Purchase Title." In either case you can select the title company to provide the title insurance and where the closing will take place.

    • Appraisal & Financing Contingency

      The financing contingency contains a provision that allows you to apply for and attempt to secure specific financing as a part of the residential sale contract. This clause requires you to proceed in good faith and cooperate fully with the lender, including a timely loan application and payment of required fees. Should there be an issue with financing, we will review this contingency in detail with you.

What is Agency &
why does it matter to you?

As a Top-Ranked Agency in the St. Louis area, our Company has built its reputation on a simple standard: Our success is measured by our ability to advocate for each client we serve.

By definition, a Buyers Advocate is a Licensed Real Estate Professional who is legally obligated to represent the buyer and their interests in a real estate transaction. It is our job to ensure we are protecting your best interests at all times throughout the sales process and advising you based upon our expert knowledge and experience.

What is particularly important to understand when considering signing advocacy that many individuals may not be aware of is that, in the state of Missouri, without an executed Buyers Agency in place, ALL agents are sub agents to the seller. This means they are working on behalf of the Seller unless you hire them to work for you.

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Financing Your Home

Now that you know you want to buy a house, how do you know how much you can afford and if you can qualify for a loan? Get started by going through the pre-qualification and pre-approval process with a lending specialist. The Realty Shop can recommend several lending specialists you can trust.

Pre-Qualification

This first step tells you how much money a bank will lend you based on your income, assets, and debts.

Pre-Approval

This step involves completing a loan application and documenting your income and assets.

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Testimonials

Loved working with The Realty Shop! As a first time home buyer I've been told that house hunting can be stressful! However, The Realty Shop made me feel so comfortable with the process! My only regret is finding my perfect home so quickly! The house hunting was fun while it lasted and I look forward to working with The Realty Shop in the future! Thank you to the team that made this possible!

Michael H.

The Realty Shop was very flexible in working with our crazy schedules. They found us houses to look at that I didn't find in my searches. My agent was always on time and eager to assist us. We felt well informed every step of the way.

Kathy S.