CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 47 W hile jumping out of a perfectly good airplane at the direction of your jump- master is the best way to get a birds- eye view of Fayetteville's growth, a lei- surely drive about town can serve the same purpose, albeit without the adrenaline rush. Whichever way you choose, one thing remains certain – low interest rates and new homes springing up daily con- tinue turning renters into first-time home buyers. While buy- ing your first home might not be as groundbreaking as the Wright brothers' first flight, conducting a pre-flight check be- fore takeoff ensures that your flight into home-ownership will be as smooth as possible. Your initial and possibly most important choice is selecting the right co-pilot. You want someone who's done this before. Enter the real estate agent, who is by your side from takeoff to landing. An agent who has the right stuff possesses important knowledge regarding the area school districts, the develop- ment in the area that might affect your home's prospective value, and if you're looking near the edge of town, has an idea about the city's annexation plan. In addition, your agent might be able to negotiate for seller concessions such as a reduction in price, or for a seller contribu- tion toward closing costs. Another benefit of the buyer hiring a real estate agent is that the services of the buyer's agent are provided free of charge, at least to the buyer. While subject to variations, most residential contracts for sale compensate both the buyer's and seller's agents by charging a commission to the Jumping into home ownership with both eyes open By JOhn MandaLuK & susan BEnOIT Look out below! legal In many instances, consulting local lenders results in a more favorable in- terest rate and less costs at the closing table, as a local lender does not have the overhead associated larger banks.

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