It’s no wonder you’ve started your real estate search in Charlottesville, VA—a town that frequently ranks on “best places to live” lists.
Charlottesville has it all—beautiful scenery, plenty of outdoor recreation, top schools and health care facilities, a bustling downtown, quiet neighborhoods, growing amenities, and ongoing entertainment.
If you’re ready to settle down and call Charlottesville home, we’re ready to help you find your next piece of Charlottesville, VA, real estate.
What Do I Need To Do?
Charlottesville is full of unique neighborhoods, each boasting its own amenities and features. The first thing to do is explore these neighborhoods, and find an area you like.
When searching for homes in Charlottesville, consider the following:
- How close is it to downtown?
- How close is it to grocery stores and other shopping areas?
- How close is it to trails, parks, or other outdoor recreation?
- Is public transportation available nearby?
- How old are the homes in the neighborhood?
- Does the neighborhood have an HOA?
Next, find a local real estate agent who can help you narrow down your search. A local real estate agent knows the area best, providing helpful information on home values, amenities, local trends, and connections to services you might need when buying or selling a home.
Work with your local real estate agent to ask about properties in which you are interested. They can answer your questions and work with your preferences.
Finally, with the help of your agent, negotiate a deal on the property you choose. They will be able to guide you on a competitive offer that’s not too low or too high.
Find A Real Estate Agent
Choosing a home is a big decision. You want to work through that process with someone you can trust.
Finding a real estate agent that you trust will be the key to your home buying success. The right agent brings their expertise, knowledge and time to the table. Working with a local agent also allows you to tap into exclusive information on the area and their vast local network.
A local agent knows the area’s homes inside and out, working quickly with you to find homes that meet your preferences or steer your search away from houses that might present a problem. They also can provide great tips about the neighborhoods that you might not find through a quick online search, such as neighborhood get togethers or where to find a local farmer’s market.
They’ve committed their career to connecting people to their dream homes, and they are ready to do it for you.
Find What You Like
You’d never purchase a home without seeing it! Even as online home sales rise, there are plenty of ways to work with an agent to tour a home virtually and take a closer look at the property.
Buying a property that you don’t like is an expensive and time consuming waste. Be sure to do research into Charlottesville neighborhoods to determine which areas suit you best. Each neighborhood has its own style, amenities, and price point.
When you begin looking at homes, think about what home style you prefer:
- Do you want a townhouse, ranch style, Victorian, or farm house?
- Do you prefer a large yard, or want less yard maintenance?
- Do you want an older home or something new?
- Do you want to live within walking distance of downtown or outdoor recreation?
- How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you prefer?
Do the research on homes in the area and come up with a list of preferences. This will help you narrow your property search, and it will help your real estate agent know what homes to suggest.
Make Inquiries About the Property
Once you’ve narrowed down your search to a few homes, take time to learn more about the properties you like.
Talk to your real estate agent. They will have a lot of valuable information for you about the home and area you are considering. You might discover the home needs more repairs than you expected or the layout is a little awkward. Maybe the area is noisy because the property is too close to a local airport, or traffic is a challenge because it’s near a popular event space.
By working with your real estate agent and learning more about a piece of property, you may fall further in love or out of love with it.
Negotiate A Deal
When you’ve fallen in love with the right property, it’s time to craft a deal with the owners. Your real estate agent can help walk you through the final steps of buying your home and negotiating the right price.
You’ll need to consider:
- Closing costs
- Contingencies
- Move in/move out date
- Conveyance (what items might be sold with the house)
- Inspections
Fortunately, real estate agents have been on this rodeo before. They know what to look for to ensure that the sale is fair and the process is thorough. The real estate agent will craft a purchase agreement that puts in writing what the buyer and seller agree on, and if those conditions aren’t met, the buyer can walk away from the deal.
They are looking out for you—their client—to make sure the terms favor you.
We Can Help With Your Next Home!
The home buying process is time consuming and can seem overwhelming. Work with a professional who understands the industry, area, and process. A local real estate agent will work with your preferences and help to keep things on schedule.
Let the Denise Ramey Team help you in your next search for Charlottesville, VA, real estate. Contact us today!
