Do I need a real estate agent?

[Spinner]

Yes, this is a topic for this board...read on.

I am looking at building a new house with a three stall garage. One being used for my "BOAT"!

My question: Do I need an agent when I am building a house?

Thanks for your help!

[Big D]

No, I think you'll need a few carpenters, plumbers, and electricians though. (ha!ha!)

You don't need an agent, however you should consult an attorney.

[sib]

no, pay close attention to your local zoning laws though. consult a contractor or builder when in doubt.

"go outside and play"
sib

[Chad]

An attorney will do a title opinion which is a search on the property you are building on to see if there are any lines on the property or other clouds on the title.

the building contractor should be knowledgable enough to know the building codes in your area.

you may want to ask your attorney to see if there are any restrictive covenants for the area which would limit the type of building you are able to build.

[Fin Addict]

My wife is a realtor and I would still say you do not need one if you already have the lot and builder selected. Be absolutely certain you get a good real estate attorney though! They can save you a fortune in the end. They make sure such details as mechanics lien wavers, title searches etc are done properly. This will save you a load of potential grief down the road.

[hammer&nails]

No, you certainly don't need a real eastate agent. But whoever you get to build your house, get some references. Go for a ride with him and have him show you some of the houses he has built. Then on your own, without his knowledge, stop and see the home owners and get some input from them. I am a sub-contractor for approximately 20 home builders. Even though I didn't build their house, I sure do hear it from unhappy homeowners who feel a bit taken. Just thought that I would add my thought. I see it every day!!!

[Chad]

I would like to amend my last comments.

If you are shopping for a lot a realtor is helpfull, not required but helpfull. In some areas builders own most of the lots and a realtor can hook you up with a builder who is good at uildiong the type of home you are looking for.

[Frank from TBay]

If you have no experience in house building get an architect or an experienced engineer to look after your interests. It will cost you a little bit but you will have a lot fewer headaches. A good general contractor who will organize the whole affair is also a good suggestion. Get references from some of his satisfied customers. It also depends on how complicated your house is. For someone who has not built before get a turnkey price and then hire an inspector from an architectual firm to make sure your needs are met.
Good luck: Frank

[BD]

No, but you do need a good title company to do some work for you. You can use a lawyer instead but you will still need title insurance on the property you buy, be it a lot or a house built to your specs. Most title companies I deal with have a lawyer in house or work with certain lawyers (my lawyer charges $150 to do a certain task to people off of the street and $60 for the same task through the title company). When you buy your lot or contract with a builder you can specify which title company you want to use in the contract. If you do not know a builder you can trust you have a lot of work to do in finding one. Even after you find a builder and your home is started, you can't relax. Many builders rely on subcontractors to do most if not all of the work. Stop in every day after the crew is done working and do your own inspections. Is all the sheeting nailed into place or did someone miss a stud etc? I know of only two builders in my area that I would trust to build new for me. There may be others that are good but I am not familiar with them. My wife and I are landlords. We have inspected, bought and sold a lot of houses. We still miss things. If you decice to go a different route and buy an already existing house get an inspection done by a certified inspector. Good luck and don't forget to tell us about the house warming!

[dlhomes]

What's with all the Realtor bashing?? We do a little footwork and paper work for that 6%!!! Seriously I am Builder/ Realtor and it sounds like there are a bunch of lawyers on this board. If your working with a bank they will take care of lien waivers/ title ins. ect. A Realtor may be helpful if you need to find a lot- but watch out most of the greedy *** will point you to a builder and then make the builder add in a 2-4% finders fee! Find your own builder- look around talk to regular folks who have built. Talking to lumber yards, Builders Assoc. etc. will only get you the MOST expensive builders. Good luck, don't be a pain for your builder- but be honest with him. Be sure to get my new book "Building your own Home- Affordably" DLHomes.

[Bob]

A question for you. Why do you think you need a realtor? Is there more to the story? I built my own house 2 1/2 yrs ago. I bought a lot that had been sitting for 3 years. It turned out it was sitting about 1/2 mile from the local zoning officers house, and he would have rather seen the lot grow corn and weeds forever. Mysteriously it never passed a perc test, or pit test for that matter.........

Anyway, long story. I ended building by own house (acted as general contractor). Extremely time consuming (my wifes perspective, not mine I enjoyed it!). A realtor WILL stick their nose anyplace they smell money. A builder that entertains or suggests including a realtor, has issuses a reputable (read quality) builder doesn't have. How long do you plan on being in the house? How hard do you work for YOUR money? Nope, no NEED for a realtor. However, if you're building in a subdivision, there may be some contractual obligation between the marketing firm, (realty) and specific builders that have rights to build in the subdivision. But thats between THEM!

[BD]

I wasn't bashing realtors, my wife is a licensed broker. It's just that realtors are not always needed even though they preform a valuable service.

[Spinner]

Thanks for the feedback.

Now onto my second question: Do you have a builder you would recommend in Savage, Shakopee, Chaska, etc.?