Any licensed real estate agent can act as a Buyers Agent, just as any licensed Doctor can perform brain surgery. But if you were going to have brain surgery wouldn't you want a Specialist?
What's the difference? The difference is training, experience, and commitment to knowing everything they can learn about their specialty. Any good Doctor knows quite a bit about brain surgery. In fact he or she knows just enough about brain surgery to know that you need a Specialist if you need brain surgery.
Would you want to use a "part time" brain surgeon?
Ordinary Agents list houses (most of the time), "help" Buyer's (some of the time) (note: when "helping" a Buyer, the Agent represents the Seller and is duty bound to get the highest price and best possible terms for the Seller), act as Dual Agents (some of the time), Facilitators (some of the time), Appointed Agents (some of the time), Designated Agents (some of the time), and in some areas even work as "non-agents" (some of the time) so they can "put deals together". In other words, they are "part time" Buyers Agents.
By the way, you will pay the same price for an Agent who is a "part time" Buyers Agent as you will pay for a full time Buyer Specialist, so why not get the real expert?
Do yourself a favor. Before you decide which Agent to use, talk to someone who has the specialized experience necessary to do an outstanding job of representing you and is dedicated 100% to serving Home Buyers!
San Diego County:
Agua Caliente, Agua Caliente Hot Springs, Allied Gardens, Alpine, Alpine Heights, Alta Vista, Ballena, Bankhead Springs, Banner, Barona Mesa, Barrett Junction, Barrio Logan, Bay Park, Bear Valley, Birch Hill, Blossom Valley, Bonita, Bonsall, Borrego Springs, Borrego Wells, Bostonia, Boulder Oaks, Boulevard, Broadway Heights, Buckman Springs, Buena, Cameron Corners, Campo, Camp Pendleton, Canebrake, Canyon City, Cardiff by the Sea, Carlsbad, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Carmel Valley, Cas De Oro, Castle Park, Centre City, Chollas Creek, Chollas View, Chula Vista, City Heights, Clairemont, Combs Camp, Coronado, Coronado Cays, Cottonwood, "Crest, Crown Point ", Cuyamaca, Dehesa, Del Cerro, Del Dios, Del Mar, De Luz, Descanso, Descanso Junction, Desert Lodge, Dulzura, Eagles Nest, East Elliott, Eastlake, Eastlake Greens, Echo Dell, Eden Gardens, El Cajon, Emerald Hills, Encinitas, Engineer Springs, Escondido, Eucalyptus Hills, Fairbanks Country Club, Fairbanks Ranch, Fallbrook, Fernbrook, Fleetridge, Fletcher Hills, Flinn Springs, Foster, Glen Oaks, Glenview, Golden Hill, Grant Hill, Grantville, Green Valley Falls, Grossmont, Guatay, Harbison Canyon, Harmony Grove, Harrison Park, Hidden Glen, Hidden Meadows, Hillcrest, Hulburd Grove, Imperial Beach, Indian Springs, Irving's Crest, Jacumba, Jamacha, Jamul, Jesmond Dene, Johnstown, Julian, Kearny Mesa, Kensington, Kentwood in the Pines, La Costa, La Jolla, La Jolla Amago, La Jolla Shores, Lake Henshaw, Lakeside, Lakeview, La Mesa, La Playa, La Presa, Lemon Grove, Leucadia, Lincoln Acres, Lincoln Park, Linda Vista, Live Oak Park, Live Oak Springs, Logan Heights, Loma Portal, Lomas Santa Fe, Lomita, Lynwood Hills, Manzanita, Memorial, Mesa Grande, Middletown, Midway, Miramar, Miramar Ranch, Mira Mesa, Mission Bay Park, Mission Beach, Mission Hills, Mission Valley, Mission Village, Morena Village, Moreno, Morettis, Mountain View, Mount Helix, Mount Hope, Mount Laguna, National City, Navajo, Naval Amp Base, Nestor, Normal Heights, North Bay Terraces, North Encanto, North Jamul, North Park, Oak Grove, Oak Park, Ocean Beach, Oceanside, Ocean Hills, Ocotillo Wells, Old Town, Olivenhain, Otay, Otay Mesa, Pacific Beach, Pala, Pala Mesa Village, Palm City, Palomar Mountain, Palo Verde, Paradise Hills, Paso Picacho, Pauma Valley, Peninsula, Pine Hills, Pine Valley, Point Loma, Potrero, Poway, Puerta La Cruz, Rainbow, Ramona, Ranchita, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Del Rey, Rancho Palo Verde, Rancho Penasquitos, Rancho San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, Rincon, Rock Haven, Rolando, Rosemont, Roseville, Sabre Springs, San Carlos, San Diego, San Diego Country Estates, San Felipe, San Ignacio, San Luis Rey, San Luis Rey Heights, San Marcos, San Onofre, San Pasqual, Santa Ysabel, Santee, San Ysidro, Scissors Crossing, Scripps Miramar Ranch, Serra Mesa, Shady Dell, Shelltown, Shelter Valley Ranchos, Sherman Heights, Skyline, Solana Beach, Sorrento Hills, Sorrento Mesa, Sorrento Valley, South Bay Terraces, Southcrest, South Encanto, South Oceanside, South Park, Spring Valley, Stockton, Sunnyside, Sunshine Summit, Talmadge, Tecate, The Narrows, The Willows, Tierra Del Sol, Tierrasanta, Tijuana River Valley, Torrey Pines, Twin Oaks, University City, University Heights, Uptown, Valencia Park, Vallecito, Valley Center, Via De La Valle, Victoria, Vista, Warner Springs, Whispering Pines, Winter Gardens, Winterwarm, Witch Creek, Wynola
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How Much Home Should You Buy?
You may have heard a real estate Agent or someone else say, "Always buy the biggest home you can afford. It is a good investment and the larger the investment the larger the return on investment will be".
But is that good advice for you? Maybe, maybe not.
When deciding to buy a home the first thing you need to do is get a loan. Yes, get the loan before you shop for homes. The lender will give you a letter stating how the maximum amount they will lend you given your income, debts, and the amount of cash available for down payment and closing costs.
Now that you know the maximum amount you can borrow and what the monthly payment will be on that amount, ask yourself some questions about your "comfort level". We all have a different comfort level when it comes to debt.
Some things that affect each individuals comfort level are:
Do I worry a little or a lot about money I owe?
Am I comfortable that my job is secure and my income will be stable for the next few years?
Do I reasonably expect to have a considerably larger income in the near future?
Am I willing to change my lifestyle (travel less, eat out less often, keep our car for a few more years) in order to make a house payment?
Think about all of that and then decide what payment you are comfortable with. If it is the maximum amount the lender has stated, fine. But if it is less than that amount, then buy less home.
The new home should be a place of comfort, not a place to sit in and worry about how you are going to pay for it!
Besides, you can always "move up" later if you situation or comfort level changes.