Your Home Buyer Plan
Step-by-Step

OK, you've decided to see what Charlotte can offer you - What's the first step?

1. Call an Exclusive Buyer's Agent (EBA) to represent your best interests if you plan to buy a home.
An Exclusive Buyer's Agent represents buyers only, never sellers, and works for a company that doesn't list properties. Carolina Buyer's Agent specializes in Buyer Representation Only, and we can be your EBA on any home for sale, including a "for-sale-by-owner" home, at no additional cost to you!

Know someone whose home sold for less than what he or she paid for it? If you pay too much for your home when you buy it, then when it's time to sell, your home may not appraise for the price you need. As your EBA, Carolina Buyer's Agent will prepare a market analysis on the home you're interested in, and can find out how much the seller paid for the home, its tax value, its length of time on the market, and why the the seller is moving before you make an offer. Or, if you're interested in new construction, we can help you compare the relative merits of area builders, and tell you which ones are offering inventory close-outs or special pricing.

Carolina Buyer's Agent will represent your best interests, and we'll negotiate your purchase price and terms on your behalf with full confidentiality and 100% loyalty to you. And our fee can still be paid by the seller just like with a "regular" buyer's agent! Visit our Exclusive Buyer's Agent page to get the negotiating advantage!

2. Get information about the area.
Visit our ABC's of Charlotte page to find out more about the schools, housing market, taxes and areas of interest to prepare you for your visit to the Charlotte area. Then call Carolina Buyer's Agent when you're ready to to narrow down the areas and get the answers you need to make an informed decision about the right home for you and your familly.

3. Ask your lender to pre-approve you before you start looking at homes.
Your EBA can introduce you to lenders that offer programs specially designed to meet your needs. Our lender partners will pre-approve you for free and depending on your credit score, Carolina Buyer's Agent may be able to negotiate a below market interest rate on your mortgage, too! By getting a pre-approval letter in advance, you'll know what price range of homes to target. Your home finding visit will be spent more productively, and when you do find the right home, you'll have more negotiating leverage, too! Visit our Financing Tips page and get pre-approved.

4. Take advantage of free home finding, apartment rental, and temporary housing assistance.
Your EBA can provide referrals to companies who can provide these services at no charge. He or she can also include magazines of homes currently on the market in your destination city so you know in advance how far your housing dollar will stretch compared to the housing market in your city of origin. Visit our Home Searches and Maps page to start the search for your next home.

5. Decide what you are looking for in your next home.
Is the school district important? (Remember however, that school districts can change after you move.) How long are you willing to commute to work? Do you want a small low-maintenance lot, or the wide open spaces of an acre or more? Do you mind remodeling an older home, or would you prefer a newer home in move-in condition? Prioritize the list of features you want in your next home and discuss them with your EBA. Or just click on Contact Us, and describe the home you're looking for. We'll help you narrow down your search to the most desirable homes that meet your criteria. And we can E-mail you regular updates on the new listings as soon as they hit the market! Find out more about how you can make sure you get the attractive, user-friendly home you deserve - one that makes living better for you as well as one that's good to look at: BetterHomesBetterLiving.

6. Ask about child care, senior care, and health care facilities if you need special assistance in this area.
Your EBA can provide you with referrals to agencies who can offer free assistance in finding and selecting child care to meet your family's specific needs. Special resources are also available for information and referral services for older adults. For more information, see the Child Care and Senior Care sections on our ABC's of Charlotte page.

7. Ask your EBA for referrals of companies and employment agencies that can help your spouse secure employment in the Charlotte area.
If your spouse will be looking for employment, ask your EBA or personnel department for names and phone numbers of companies in industries that are appropriate for your spouse's area of expertise. Temporary and permanent employment agencies can also assist in the search for employment. For more information see the Employers, and Jobs sections on our ABC's of Charlotte page.