There
are two important reasons to access the homes market early:
Understanding the local O'Fallon, Illinois market indispensable
to becoming a wise buyer when the time actually comes.
And
if you're getting close to actually entering the market, many
of the actual options available are going
to be right here. Many clients are coming to town with a very
well qualified list of actual "homes to view". Searching
and evaluating becomes a partnership between us, as we'll show.
The
majority of homes available to buyers in SW Illinois are offered through
the realty community ....through the Multiple Listing Service, (87%
in our communities.) For decades, the MLS has been benefiting consumers
by offering seller listings to the entire O'Fallon Illinois and surrounding realty community... it has been
an extremely successful consumer-oriented tool.
But the real
estate profession held the keys. In recent years, national Web sites have
begun aggregating listings for consumer use, and Home Buyers Relo has
been assisting its clients in using these sites, long before buyers came
to town or entered the market....a step in the right direction but often
lacking timeliness, detail and simplicity.
But
now, this ultimate tool! Here we have access to the entire homes-for-sale database...in real
time in one easy-to-use location. You'll be viewing exactly the same
data base that we use. The data is now an open commodity.
It's a
whole new way to buy a home! It's a new kind of partnership between
you and the realty agent. You contribute enormously to the locate function,
viewing actual candidates for your power search, and gaining an understanding
of the market! Besides being important, we're told it's fun.
The
agent plays an active, indispensable role in the process however in
helping to evaluate candidates found. In a process started weeks or more
before the visit, the location and setting, the community context and
much more can best be evaluated through local, experienced eyes.
Also, in
a so-called "tight market" situation, buyers sometimes must
wait on inventory to be listed, we call it the "lurk and pounce" system! So monitoring new listings frequently
becomes a necessity. Phone lines and email lines are hot during this period
as buyers and agents connect in a new partnership. And our "tracker" can automate it!
Remember
these basic points:
Of all
of the listings you'll view, NONE will be Home Relo's listings;
because the company policy is to serve only buyers, never sellers. Consider
those enormous advantages, recited here and elsewhere. It just makes sense!
Every
single available home will be here. You won't need to jump from
company to company to find them all.
And
none will be "preferred", implying it's the company's own
listings. Every listing will be evaluated in absolute objectivity.
When
you want additional information on ANY of these listings, or want to
see them, regardless of the listing company, please give us a call.
Remember, calling the listing agent or agency connects you with an agent
and an agent promising to support the seller's interests, not yours.
We'll give you absolutely impartial advice about the neighborhoods,
resaleability and other important information.
While
the information here is "real time".. .the same as that we
use... remember that the market is constantly in flux. . . and that
some of these homes will be under contract, with records not yet updated
by the listing agency. Only "active and available" homes will
be shown here. (We have ways for mining MLS data for expired, off the
markets, canceled, etc., too.)
We,
(and you), may also need to adjust your criteria from time to time.
Minor tweaks could help us zero in on the one "perfect" home.
See "HOMEWORK" to learn of our "targeting"
method for providing "best chance" matches of your needs.)
When
you get to town, non listed sources of property will be searched to add to the options you can consider. . . .new builds and non-listed
pre owned homes. (See the "New Home Construction" button above and on the main menu.)
The
detail that you'll access is exactly the detail that we get from the
MLS, too, so it's complete ... and if you're local and want to do
drive-bys, you'll have the addresses.
But
this warning ... just ahead of the "Ready To Search" link
taking you to the search engine, there's a link titled "Tips For
Using". Please review that too, just once, or some of the quirks
of the search program could frustrate you badly!
To
get us involved with the evaluation process, simply call, or email,
and we'll assign a person to serve as your "partner", before
and after you get to town.
The
services offered here are free, and you're absolutely under no obligation.
Our service is designed first to serve you, but secondly, it's intended
to ultimately help us earn the opportunity to assist you with your real
estate needs when the time is right.
But
that's still not all... You can do these self-searches at your convenience,
but by simply registering with us (first name and email address), you
can receive a notice of new listings matching your criteria, whenever
they come onto the market. That's the "Tracker" we speak of. And it's done automatically! (No registration of any kind
is required for the basic MLS "Search the Market".)
Subscribe
to our Daily E-mail Updates:
Make your Home Search easy, simply tell us what kind of property your
looking for and we'll E-mail you up dates of new listings that match your requirements. It's an automated
process; we'll set it up on our own computers. We have no form for this
... but in your email, give us the basics ... communities, price window,
# of bedrooms, bathrooms and garages, maximum age ... pretty much what
you used as criteria on the "Self Search" above. All we need
is your email address, (which we can capture), and maybe at least a first
name would be nice ... at least to start with.)
Privacy Policy: The information you provide to us will be held in the strictest of
confidence. We do NOT sell our lists or share your confidential information
with other vendors.
Thank you
for your trust.
Rental
Information:
About
Rentals In The O'Fallon Area
When
you're searching for rental property in the O'Fallon area, we have this
good news/bad news scenario:
The
good news is that the area has more rentals than most, (especially rental
homes), because of the military presence here. The bad news, is that it's
a very active rental market, and on many occasions, still "tight",
and expensive.
We
need to explain that our office does not manage rentals directly. As you'll
see, there are many others that do, so you'll have adequate access. The
major reason we don't manage relates to the "buyers only" nature
of our company policy. If we worked in the rental business at all, the
parallel would have us represent the tenant, not the landlord. But we
do also specialize in relocations and have many resources in support of
that specialty.
Whether relocating families are buyers or renters, the resources are the
same. But as we always view transactions from the buyer's side, our attitude
is also the same.... we're anxious to serve transferees to the max...renters
as well as buyers.
The
rental management companies are a prime resource. Some are pure management
companies. Others are realty companies with rental divisions. They manage
single family homes, apartments , townhouses and duplexes. They will usually
physically tour and show the properties or direct you to on-site managers.
If you do
find rental rates and availabilities competitive with ownership and want
to consider purchasing as an option, we'd be pleased to help with that
evaluation, without obligation. We have materials describing the benefits
of each mode, and a simple worksheet (printed and on a disc), to help
define the differences. In this event, we would try hard to maximize the
benefits and minimize the risks, supporting the wisest possible decisions
with the tool of exclusive representation.
Consider
this offer: Realizing that finding an appropriate home is often daunting, and that
organized rental resources are scarce, we have this additional suggestion:
our office is always available, free of charge, to use as a base in your
search. We'll provide a desk, a phone, maps and whatever advice we can,
all free. And....we would add cokes and coffee to that, too, and the use
of our fax, copier and even a computer if you want to check your email
before you get permanently settled. You can also pet our dog, Velcro,
if you get homesick, and he's available to go out and play for an hour
or two, but no sleepovers, please.
Need more Information?
See the
rental resource section in our "Library" (coming soon)