Buying a Luxury Home: Purchase Ability

Be prepared to demonstrate your ability to purchase through your resources and assets. Chase International [as quoted in Unique Homes.com] says that this is usually done "banker to banker to verify that buyers have funds available to close and to also source the origination of those funds."

Buying a Luxury Home: Chemistry

Trust that your agent understands what you want and will steer you to properties that are a good match. If every home is a mismatch or the chemistry isn't there, jettison that agent.

Top producing VA Realtors and real estate agents will be able to assist you in the search for homes for sale that match your specific criteria.

Once you find that perfect property, your qualified Realtor will assist you in the very involved process of purchasing a home. The agent will prepare necessary papers for the legal transfer of property.

Should any question or tax issue arise during the sales process, your Realtor should be prepared to refer you to qualified professionals, including experienced lawyers or tax advisors.

Also, your agent will work with you and with any titling or escrow firms, mortgage lenders, and home inspectors until the transaction is done. The best agents will continue to assist you even after you have signed on the dotted line(s).

Buying a Luxury Home: Wants/Needs

Clarify your wants versus your needs. Some agents have buyers make lists of "must haves" versus "optional" and "would be nice" preferences. With a good measure of self knowledge you'll have your very own compass to help guide you with your buying decision.

Buying a stately property in central VA or a home in the Virginia Beach area presents a plethora of options, be sure you have a good grasp of what matters most on your VA real estate preference list.

Buying a Luxury Home: Resale

Don't forget resale. While it might not be on the top of your list at the moment, but one day you might very well be selling this property.

While it may be perfect for you, and that's your foremost concern, still consider what might have to be done in order to make it just as attractive to someone else.

Are there any local ordinance or zoning changes forthcoming that you don't mind, but might impact a future buyer?

Is the area itself a good location for younger couples or great for children, even if you don't have any?

Think outside the box and you might find out more about yourself and the property that you hadn't thought about upfront.

With your VA real estate professionals in Charlottesville, Richmond and Northern Virginia, our Realtors have the expertise with this very consideration.

Buying a Luxury Home: Communication

Despite our best efforts, real estate agents are not good mind readers. Even though our top agents are professionals at matching buyers and homes, Realtors still rely on a good foundation of communication with sellers in order to improve the process.

Talk to your agent about everything that is important to you and even those things that you don't think our important. Encourage your agent to explore various items with the seller that you might assume to be automatic.

Working with one of our qualified Virginia real estate agents will aid your home buying process, but in many ways we still depend on you to foster a solid relationship.

Buying a Luxury Home: Location

Location still determines value with waterfront areas, views and prestigious areas close to city centers topping the charts. Ask about future hot locations and be prepared to pay a premium for a platinum address.

Virginia Beach real estate continues to present some of the best homes for sale in the state, ask one of our VA Realtors to assist you with one of the the hottest property locations on the East Coast.

Buying a Luxury Home: Target Price

You know your budget, price range and all the features that go into your ideal home, but do you know whether you are really getting a good deal for the money you're willing to spend?

Look beyond your target price to find out what property values and included acreage, amenities and upgrades exist in the area your target spending.

You might be looking in the $5 million bracket but to understand value and be confident with your offer you have to know what $3 million, $7 million or even $10 million buys.

View various luxury and upscale Virginia real estate price ranges at VA-Estates.com.

Buying a Luxury Home: Beyond the Basics

Prices and comparisons don't tell the whole story. Catch the flavor of different areas by spending time with your agent just driving around and learning about the neighborhoods and properties.

Go back on your own as as well at different times of the day, particularly if you have children.

See what you might not have uncovered, for better or worse, the first time around. Talk to people that know the area. Stop by the local government offices or even the sheriff's office and find out first-hand what those that live in the area have to say about your desired location.

For neighborhood information and community links about various localities in the Commonwealth, see the area resources section for Charlottesville, Richmond and Northern VA at Virginia Estates.com.

Buying a Luxury Home: Know the Market

A good agent will educate you about the market early in the process. How can you expect to make a smart decision about the market unless you understand the market, the neighborhood, prior sales and recent trends. Know what's been going on by doing the research and having your agent do his/her share. Find out about houses next door to the home you want to buy as well as current development. What type of economic indicators will have an impact on the market in the future.

Be sure to talk to your Virginia real estate agent about the local Charlottesville, Richmond, VA Beach or Northern VA market.

Buying a Luxury Home: Documents

Review the purchase and sale documents before you hit the road. Familiarizing yourself early on puts you in the driver's seat when it comes time to write an offer.

Going downtown to the local courthouse and looking up the relevant documentation for the property you are interested as well as other neighborhood properties can squarely place you in the driver's seat, especially in a soft market.

Talk to one of our qualified luxury property and estate agents to assist you in this matter.

Buying a Luxury Home: Taxes

Ask about transfer taxes, how much and who pays?

Buying a Luxury Home: Legal Matters

How homes are bought or sold varies by state, county and region. Attorneys might handle the sale in some states and not at all in others. Sellers must vacate before closing in some, and a day or two after in others. [Courtesy of Unique Homes]

Take into consideraton the potential legal issues that might affect your purchase or sale and discuss them thoroughly with your Virginia real estate agent.

Buying a Luxury Home - Special Properties

Special properties necessitate specific expertise. Ranches, waterfront, equestrian estates, all require specialized knowledge. You, and an agent who doesn't normally work in this arena, might not be aware of what such a property entails, including legal requirements and potential liabilities, but agents who specialize make that their business.

Find the VA Realtor that specializes in the type of luxury property that suits your particular fancy at Virginia Estates. Whether it is equestrian farm land, waterfront, golf or historic homes, Virginia Estates the expertise that works for you. Your future is our business.

Buying a Luxury Home - Agent Niche

An expert in one market might not be an expert in another. Great agents are great agents, but if they don't work specifically in your target price range in your target location they will not be as valuable a resource as someone who does.

See Virginia Estates for your VA Real Estate Professionals.

Buying a Luxury Home - Calling on a Listing

When you call about a listing, ask for the listing agent. Often buyers who call about a home wind up working with whomever answers the phone. Frequently this is a new agent.

By working with the agent, you are able to draw upon first-hand knowledge of the property and get direct answers to your questions.