Marine Janikyan

You have several options for seeing a home you're interested in. If the property has a scheduled open house, you can simply attend during the posted timeaEUR"no appointment or realtor is required. You can also contact the listing agent directly to schedule a private showing; they will meet you at the home and walk you through it. Another option is to work with your own realtor, who can schedule showings for this home and others you may want to see while also representing your best interests throughout the process, especially during negotiations. There is typically no upfront cost to work with a buyer's agent. In many cases, the commission is negotiated with the seller and paid from the proceeds of the sale. Before touring homes, you will usually sign a buyer representation agreement outlining how the buyer's agent is compensated, though many agents are still ultimately paid through the seller. I'd be happy to schedule a free buyer consultation to go over the details and answer any additional questions you may have. dY~S

No, you do not have to pay more if the home appraises for more than your offer. When you get a mortgage, your lender orders an appraisal to confirm the property is worth at least what they're lending you. If the appraisal is more than your purchase price, the lender is happy. If the appraisal is lower than your purchase price, that's when problems can happen. When the appraisal is higher than your offer, this is good news for you. If your contract price is $500,000 and the property appraises $530,000, it means you have instant equity and you still pay $500,000. The seller cannot raise the price after accepting your offer. If your contract price is $500,000 and the property appraises at $470,000, due to the discrepancy in the appraised value being lower than the contract price, the $30,000 needs to be addressed. Either by renegotiating the contract price with the seller, bringing in extra cash, or walking away from the property (depending on your appraisal contingency). All in all, if the seller already accepted your offer and the home appraises higher, you simply proceed at the agreed price. No extra payment required. It's the best-case scenario for a buyer.