Buying a home takes more than finding the right property. A buyer's agent can help you understand the local market, evaluate homes, prepare a strong offer, negotiate when issues arise, and protect your interests throughout the purchase.
BurkeLord Real Estate represents home buyers throughout Southern New Hampshire and Northern Massachusetts. We start by understanding what you're looking for, your priorities, and your timeline, then help you make informed decisions throughout your purchase.
Searching for properties is only one part of working with a buyer's agent. Some of the most important decisions come after you find a home you're seriously considering.
Your BurkeLord agent can help you evaluate the property, understand market conditions, research comparable homes, develop an offer strategy, navigate inspections and negotiations, and manage the details that need to come together before closing.
Our role is to provide the information, expertise, and representation you need to make your own decisions while having someone looking out for your interests throughout the purchase.
Before we start scheduling showings, we want to understand what you're actually looking for.
During your consultation, we'll talk about the towns and areas you're considering, property type, home size, bedrooms, yard, and other features that matter to you. We'll separate your needs from your wants, identify potential deal breakers, and discuss your timeline and priorities.
We'll also talk about financing and connect you with a local lender if you still need a preapproval. BurkeLord considers that an important first step before beginning a serious search.
We'll talk about:
Finding a home you like doesn't automatically tell you what you should offer or how the offer should be structured.
When you're ready to consider an offer, BurkeLord looks beyond the asking price. We review recently sold comparable properties and homes that have recently gone under contract. We consider how long the property has been on the market, previous price adjustments, available seller disclosures, current activity, and other information that may affect your position.
We also communicate with the listing agent to learn what we can about the seller's circumstances, timing, and activity on the property, including whether other offers are involved.
That research gives you and your agent a better foundation for discussing price and offer strategy.
Price matters, but it isn't the only part of an offer a seller considers.
Depending on the property and your situation, your buyer's agent can discuss different ways to structure an offer, including timing, contingencies, inspection terms, appraisal considerations, and other terms that may matter to the seller.
The goal isn't to remove protections simply to win a house. It's to understand which terms matter in that particular situation and help you decide where you are, and aren't, comfortable being flexible.
Buying a home involves more than one moment of negotiation. BurkeLord's team structure gives each buyer support during the home search, offer, inspection, transaction management and closing.
Maria works solely with buyers and handles new buyer leads generated through BurkeLord's website, along with buyers she meets through referrals, open houses, and her own network. She also assists Bill and Jen's buyer clients with showings when needed.
Bill continues to represent repeat and referral buyers, including clients who are selling their current home while purchasing another. He works closely with the team on buyer strategy and steps in when additional negotiation support is needed.
Jen manages the details after an offer is accepted, including important dates and communication with lenders, agents, closing professionals, and vendors. Her role helps keep the many moving parts of a purchase organized through closing.
Depending on how you come to BurkeLord and your situation, you may work primarily with Maria, Bill, or Jen, with support from the broader team when needed.
An accepted offer starts the next phase of your purchase.
A member of the BurkeLord team can attend the home inspection with you. Once the inspection report is available, we'll review the findings with you and help you determine how you want to respond.
From there, Jen manages the timeline and coordinates communication with the lender, other agent, closing professionals, and vendors. Bill remains involved and can step back into negotiations when needed.
The goal is to keep you informed while making sure important dates, decisions, and communications don't get lost between contract and closing.
In one transaction, BurkeLord recommended that a buyer have the line running from the home to the street scoped even though the property was connected to public sewer.
The scope uncovered a problem with the line, giving the buyer an opportunity to address it with the seller before closing.
It's one example of why having an experienced buyer's agent on your side involves more than opening doors and writing an offer.
One of the most common situations BurkeLord sees is a first-time buyer who finds a house they want to see before they've spoken with a lender.
Income alone doesn't determine what someone can qualify to borrow. If you need financing, getting preapproved helps you understand your purchasing position before you start making decisions about homes.
Your buyer's agent can explain the overall process during your consultation and help connect you with a local lender if needed.
Our Home Buying Process guide explains what to expect as you move from preparation and preapproval through your home search, offer, inspection, and closing.
BurkeLord represents home buyers on both sides of the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border, and the purchase process isn't exactly the same in each state.
In New Hampshire, state law requires sellers to provide buyers with certain property disclosures and notifications. New Hampshire law also establishes specific duties for buyer agents, including promoting their buyer client's interests and providing information concerning property-condition disclosure requirements.
In Massachusetts, real estate attorneys commonly play a role as the purchase moves from an accepted offer to the Purchase and Sale Agreement and ultimately closing. Massachusetts has also strengthened a buyer's rights concerning home inspections, generally preventing sellers from conditioning acceptance of an offer on the buyer giving up the right to an inspection.
Wherever you're buying, your real estate agent can help you understand what to expect, what documents you're being asked to sign, and which professionals will be involved as you move toward closing.
A buyer's agent represents you during the purchase and can help you evaluate properties, understand the local market, research an offer, negotiate with the seller, navigate inspections, and keep track of important details through closing. One of the benefits of having your own agent is having someone focused on your interests as the purchase moves forward.
Before touring homes with an agent, you may be asked to sign a written buyer agreement. Your agent should explain the services being provided, compensation, your rights and responsibilities, and the terms of the agreement before you sign.
Buyer-agent compensation is negotiable and can vary depending on the purchase. Compensation may come from the seller or listing broker, through a seller concession, from the buyer, or through another agreed arrangement. Your BurkeLord agent will explain the compensation terms that apply before you enter into an agreement.
If you're thinking about buying a home in Southern New Hampshire or Northern Massachusetts, we're here to help you understand your options and what comes next.
Tell us a little about what you're looking for, your timeline and where you are in the home buying process. We'll start with a conversation and help you determine the next steps.
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