Step-by-step plan to buy a house without a broker
Buying a house without an agent is doable if you know what you're doing. With this step-by-step plan, you maintain full control, prevent expensive mistakes and save considerably on costs.
Below you can see at a glance what steps you'll take if you're serious about buying a home without an agent:
- Determine your budget and wishes
- Search for suitable homes
- Plan and prepare for every viewing properly
- Examine the home thoroughly
- Do you decide bid strategy
- Make a strong offer
- Check the purchase contract
- Arrange your mortgage and financing
- Complete everything with the notary
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1. Determine your budget and wishes
Buying a home starts with knowing your financial options. Have an independent mortgage advisor calculate how much mortgage you can get and what monthly payments are associated with it.
Also identify your housing needs. This includes location, type of home, number of rooms and whether the home meets your needs. This good preparation prevents you from losing time later on a house you don't really want to buy.
2. Search for suitable homes
Once your budget is clear, the real house hunt starts. Get active search for houses via Funda, social media and your own network. Look not only at existing homes, but also at new homes that will be available soon.
Take into account a tight housing market. Many potential buyers are preying on the same home. Therefore, be realistic about the asking price and keep a close eye on what a home is really worth. This way you avoid paying too much for your first home.
3. Plan and prepare every viewing properly
A viewing is more than just taking a look around. Plan each viewing consciously and never go to the first viewing unprepared. Check out the brochure beforehand, ask critical questions and bring someone with structural knowledge.
When viewing, you pay attention to the condition of the house, the technical condition and possible defects. This way, you know exactly what to do about the house after purchase.
4. Examine the property thoroughly
Before making an offer, examine the property in detail. Check the final energy label, review the legal documents and, in case of doubt, have an architectural inspection carried out.
This step is crucial if you're serious about buying without a broker. This prevents discussions with the selling party and is stronger in negotiations.
5. Define your bid strategy
Strategic bidding starts with knowing what the home is worth. Compare recent sales prices and determine your maximum purchase price in advance. Take into account the costs of the buyer, additional costs and any movable property.
Always include resolutive conditions, such as financing or architectural inspection. This way, you stay flexible even when your dream home has been found.
6. Make a strong offer
When you make an offer, you do so in writing and in full. State the purchase price, resolutive conditions and desired delivery date. Don't be rushed by other buyers or a selling agent who puts pressure on you.
Even if your dream home seems to have been found, stay wise. A winning bid is not just about the highest purchase price, but about smart terms.
7. Check the purchase contract
The purchase contract is legally binding. Therefore, check every detail carefully. Please note agreements about movable property, deadlines and the legal cooling-off period.
Do you have doubts? Then a notary or real estate lawyer can give you good advice without immediately hiring a broker for the entire process.
8. Arrange your mortgage and financing
After accepting your offer, you will take out your mortgage. Deliver all documents on time and take into account the agreed deadlines. Your mortgage advisor will help you with this, so that you are not faced with any surprises.
Make sure you know exactly how much you borrow and what costs are involved. This way, you can keep a grip on the process.
9. To the notary
At the notary you sign the deed of delivery and pay the purchase price. From this moment on, the house is officially yours. The key is waiting for you and the wait is over.
You have now successfully purchased a house without an agent.
Do these steps seem like too much to you or do you notice that the overview is missing? That is quite normal. Bidding, negotiating and checking contracts require more knowledge and time than many buyers expect in advance. By homeup to be engaged as a buying agent you don't have to figure it all out for yourself. You stay in control, we take the difficult steps for you and make sure you don't make mistakes at crucial moments.
Buying a house without an agent checklist
Buying a house without an agent is only possible if you are well prepared. With this checklist, you know exactly what to arrange before, during and after you find a home. This way, you can keep your cool, prevent half the work and increase the chance that your first offer will be taken seriously.
Key points on your checklist include:
Checklist: you can arrange this step by step without a broker
- You know your maximum budget and what your monthly expenses will be.
- You have a clear idea of what kind of home you want to buy and which location suits you.
- You take into account accessibility and public transport.
- You follow the market and know what a house is worth.
- You check homes for visible and hidden defects.
- You prepares every viewing properly.
- You determine your negotiation strategy in advance.
- You know what your first bid will be and when you make it.
- You check the purchase contract before signing.
- You arrange financing as soon as your bid has been accepted.
Do you want the complete checklist with additional instructions for each step? Then also read the comprehensive checklist for buying your first home. This way, you can be sure that you don't forget anything when you want to buy a house without a broker.
The checklist above gives you peace of mind, but it remains your responsibility to do every step properly. Do you doubt whether you are assessing everything correctly, or do you notice that it is more work than expected? Then enable homepage as buying agent. This way, you prevent small errors from having major consequences and you make the process a lot clearer.
What are the pros and cons of buying a house without an agent?
Buying a home without an agent can be a smart choice, but it also requires more of yourself. The table below shows you at a glance what the benefits are and what you need to take into account.
Do you want more floor by point? Then read our detailed article about buying a house without a broker where we explain all the advantages and disadvantages.
Whether or not to hire a buying agent?
Yes, in many cases it is wise to call in a buying agent, but not always. A buying agent is especially useful if you are unsure about negotiating, the value of a home or the content of the purchase contract. If you already have that knowledge or if you are only calling in loose help, you can easily buy a house without a broker.
The table below shows when a buying agent makes or does not make sense. If you want to delve deeper into this, read our article about whether or not to hire a buying agent.
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