Home sales hit a 15-year high of 6.12 million in 2021, according to the Wall Street Journal. Since then, prices have been climbing, but Forbes notes that the rate of increase slowed down in 2025, compared to the previous year. This might be the time you’ve been waiting for if you’re looking for a new home, and if so, you’ll be interested in the real estate advice we offer here.

We asked pros who worked with both buyers and sellers for their key takeaways to save future clients money and make the homebuying process as stress-free as possible.

Shop for a Lender

Realtor and accountant Katie Wethman says there’s more to buying a house than securing a favorable mortgage rate. Her first real estate advice for home buyers is to shop for a lender.

A seller’s agent often calls the buyer’s lender to ensure they’ve been well-vetted before advising the seller. An offer submitted with an automated pre-approval form spit out by an online lender, relying on the borrower’s word and not a thorough review of their financial documents, is a red flag. It may result in the seller going with another offer.

What’s more, a super-low rate is useless if the lender can’t close on time. That would put you in default on your purchase agreement and may lead to cancellation. It could even leave you between homes, waiting for financing to come through. Financing issues are a common reason for delayed closings, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Prevent this by evaluating several potential lenders. Consider your agent’s recommendations for reputable local lenders, and ask friends and family which lenders they’ve had good or bad experiences with.

Look into working with an experienced mortgage broker. You won’t pay anything for their services, but they may guide you to a lender who can meet your closing timeline while offering competitive pricing.

Working with an online lender can be fine as long as their customer service is responsive and they can pre-underwrite your loan. That involves an analysis of your credit history, income and debts, resulting in a firm commitment to lend, contingent on the property you choose.

Staging Pays

Staging your home in a way that lets buyers picture themselves living there can help it sell faster and for more money. It could be more affordable than you think.

“You can pay someone a few hundred dollars to move a few things, put some items in storage, clean and hang fresh towels,” says Maryland Realtor Trina Larson. “Or, you can pay a few thousand to have them clear out everything, clean and stage two or three rooms.”

Her agency offers the RealVitalize program, which provides cash up front for improvements, then recoups that money from the proceeds of the home after closing. Curbio and Compass Concierge offer similar services.

Staging the living room, master bedroom and kitchen have the biggest impact, according to a survey of buyers agents by the NAR, possibly increasing the sale price one to five percent. On a $400,000 home, that could mean an additional $4,000 to $20,000.

Put Price Jumps in Perspective

A few thousand dollars doesn’t make that much difference in the long run, Larson says.

Let’s say you’re deciding between two homes, both within your budget. One costs $300,000 with a home office where you can shut the door. The other costs $10,000 less but would require you to work at the kitchen table. Yes, $10,000 sounds like a lot of money just for some extra privacy and quiet. But on a 30-year mortgage at five percent interest, it’s only $53 more per month.

Larson’s real estate advice is this: “Buy it because you’re going to live in it, not to get a deal. You want to be happy where you live.”

Additional Costs Add Up

Sellers often know they’ll pay their agent a commission when their home sells. But they may be unprepared for other expenses, says broker Beatrice De Jong. These include a professional deep clean, home staging and marketing, professional gardening or landscaping services, paint touch-ups and minor repairs.

And buyers, especially first-timers, may not realize closing costs can total two percent to five percent of the loan amount, adding thousands of dollars to the purchase price. Moving costs add up, too — $1,250 on average for a local move, and nearly $5,000 for long distance (1,000 miles or more), according to Moving.com.

Heed this real estate advice: Do thorough research to calculate the true cost of buying or selling before you dive in. Don’t forget to estimate how much you plan to spend on improvements and furnishings for your new place, and which of those costs you’re comfortable spreading out over time.

Also, consider working with a financially savvy agent who can help you plan for these costs and stick to your budget. Both Wethman and Larson are also CPAs.

There’s Always Another One

You might think you’ve found your ideal home. Then the seller rejects your offer, or the home inspection reveals major problems. Don’t despair. It happens all the time.

“I wish buyers knew that there’s always another house,” says Wethman. “It doesn’t feel like it because every house is one of a kind. Even if it’s a condo in the same building, it’s still going to be a little different — different view, different layout.”

Believe it or not, you will find another that meets 90 percent of what you’re looking for, even if it’s a different 90 percent, Wethman says. Like plenty of homebuyers before you, keep at it until you get that feeling again, that you’ve found The One.

FAQs

How do real estate agents get paid?

In a real estate transaction, the agents for both the buyer and the seller have formerly been paid by commission, which is typically a percentage of the selling price (usually around five or six percent). The commission would be paid to the seller’s agent, who would then share it with the buyer’s agent.

According to Investopedia, this practice has changed following a 2024 settlement between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the NAR. Now, the buyer’s agent must negotiate fees directly with the buyer. The buying agent can work for a flat fee or an hourly rate or can charge a referral fee. It’s still possible for the buyer to negotiate a commission payment from the seller to pay the buying agent, but this agreement must be stipulated in writing.

Do I really need a real estate agent?

No, you can buy a house without an agent and save the fees, but you’ll be missing out on all the perks that come with having an agent, including:

  • Access to information about homes for sale in the area;
  • Connections to home inspectors and other professionals needed during the homebuying process;
  • Professional help on filling out the required paperwork, securing all the necessary disclosures and negotiating credits for needed repairs.

About the Experts

Sources

Author
Amy Fontinelle
Amy Fontinelle has been an online content creator since 2006. Her work has been published by Forbes Advisor, The Motley Fool, Business Insider, Investopedia, International Business Times, MassMutual, Credible, and more. Amy cares about making challenging personal finance topics easy to understand so people feel empowered to manage their finances an...
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Amy Fontinelle