Tips For Buying A Home In A Small Town
Every real estate transaction is different. There are a lot of variations depending on whether you're looking for a home in a rural area, the big city, or the suburbs. And buying a home in a small town is a different experience, too. Here are some tips that will come in handy when buying a home in a small town.
Stop by local real estate offices in person
In small towns, news travels quickly from person to person, which means real estate offices may not spend as much time or money marketing homes online. They don't have to. If you want to know what is on the market and what will soon be entering the market, then stop by a local real estate office and talk to someone in person. If you let the real estate agents know what you're looking for, they will usually be happy to keep their eyes open and let you know the moment they come across a home you may be interested in.
Talk to the neighbors before buying
It's never a bad idea to talk to neighbors, but doing so is even more important in a small town. As mentioned above, news travels fast in small towns, and as the newcomer, you do not want to be painted in a negative light by the locals. Talk to the neighbors and make sure they seem like nice, friendly people you can get along with before you make an offer on a home.
Don't hesitate to make a low offer
It's hard for real estate agents and homeowners to price homes in small towns. There are not as many comparable homes that agents can compare the home to in order to set a fair price, so it is common for homeowners to price houses high and hope for the best. As such, you are well within your right to make a low offer on a home if you think it's not worth what the buyer is asking. And in a small town, you can often afford to do this without much risk of losing the home, since there probably aren't 5 other interested buyers out there making a competing offer. It's not rude or unusual to offer $120,000 for a home listed at $150,000 in a small town.
If you follow the tips above, you should have better luck buying a home in a small town. You'll be all moved in before you know it.
For more help finding real estate in a small town, reach out to a local Realtor.