The 6 Professionals you need when you move

Buying or selling a home is usually the single largest financial transaction of a person's lifetime. Working with qualified professionals protects your investment and gives you the peace of mind that the process is being handled correctly. Do yourself a favor and start looking for these professionals early in the process to save some headaches.

1. Realtor

Okay, we're completely biased on this one. With that said, the facts are in and they make it plain that working with a Realtor is a smart move. On average, homes sold by owner sell for about 80% of the price of those sold by a Realtor. Not to mention, your Realtor has the training and experience to make sense of the complex legal transaction and do the legwork for you. Working with a qualified realtor means not only an easier sale process but also, in most cases, more money in your pocket.

2. Mortgage Broker

Most of us already have a relationship with a financial advisor at our bank and it might seem like a forgone conclusion that they'd be the ones to help with our mortgage. In some cases, your financial advisor might be the best person to help. In our experience, however, a good Mortgage Broker will be immensely more helpful. This is because they have access to not just one institutions mortgage products, but to all of them. That means they can shop around to find home buyers the best rate with the best terms whereas your financial advisor can only offer you what is available at your bank.

3. Lawyer

Working with a good lawyer is crucial to any Real Estate transaction. Your lawyer will finalize the deal, transfer the funds from buyer to seller, and transfer the title when all is said and done. This means that when your deal is coming to a close, you will be working very closely with your lawyer. You'll want someone who has a focus on timely replies to inquiries and keen attention to detail

4. Home Inspector

As we mentioned, buying a home is one of the largest financial transactions of your lifetime. A good home inspector will examine your home to ensure all of the utilities, appliances, structure, and finishings are in good working order. This acts as an assurance that the home you're buying is not going to end up being a money pit that you're constantly trying to fix.

5. Movers

We've all done the self move and regretted it. Let's face it: we're not in college anymore and we've probably collected more than a couch and some milk crates full of records at this point. 5 friends, a large pizza and a case of beer isn't going to cut it.  Professional movers are shockingly good at what they do which helps to prevent the stresses of moving from diminishing what should be a very exciting day.

6. Appraisers

While not every buyer will need an appraiser, they can be instrumental in determining the value of unique properties for which there are no good comparables. If you're spending more than most on your new home and want to be sure that it's worth the money, an appraiser can give you the peace of mind that you're making a sound investment.