Here is an interesting article about saving money on big ticket items. Interesting advise from the author about "asking for a discount" on real estate commission.
Buy a house, but pay fewer fees. Leamy points out that generally speaking, buying a home allows people to save a lot of money, because it forces them to save by investing in their home each time they write a mortgage check. Plus, homeowners receive tax benefits unavailable to renters. To keep as much money as possible in your bank account, she recommends negotiating discounts with your Realtor, lender, and settlement company.
Real estate agents, for example, are often willing to accept a 2 percent fee instead of the traditional 3 percent, especially if house hunters do much of the work themselves. As for lenders and settlement companies, they will often cut buyers a break on various fees, such as application fees or document preparation fees, if asked.
"Negotiating in our culture is always a little awkward, but some of these dollar amounts are too big to let embarrassment get in the way," says Leamy. Plus, she says, mortgage professionals are increasingly getting used to it these days.
Comments