House Hunting

The most exciting part of buying a new home is house hunting. One usually starts by clicking on an app or visiting a website to look at houses. It’s like a 24 hour car lot, but you do not have a salesman approaching you asking you all sorts of questions. Instead, you browse and take your time, entering your criteria that would make it possible for you to buy a home. You do need some help though.

Choosing a REALTOR®

Whether or not you have started looking for a home online, your choice of a real estate agent is a very important step. Everyone knows a real estate agent or has a friend or family member that knows one. We are all over the place. The difference in most agents is the experience factor. I have 20 years of experience in selling residential real estate. Experience is one thing, but personality and market knowledge are huge factors as well. You want to choose an agent that knows the area. You would not want a real estate agent from Wilmington to represent you in a transaction in Raleigh or vice versa. A good tip for a buyer is to ask family, friends or coworkers if they know of a well established agent. If they do recommend someone, read that agent’s Google Reviews and browse their website to see if they are established.

A huge component of the real estate transaction is your relationship with your agent. There will be a lot of communication and there should be a lot of listening on the agent’s part. You do not want an agent that will just pass you along to their buyer specialist and then pass you along to other team members such as a closing coordinator and so on and so on. Real estate is about Relationships and Representation and I will stay with you through the whole process.

Choosing a Lender

Most buyers will need to get a loan in order to buy a new home. There are buyers that are fortunate to pay cash, but those buyers may benefit by getting a loan versus paying cash in certain situations. There are almost as many lenders out there as there are real estate agents, so I will give you the same advice as searching for a real estate agent. Ask around, check your bank’s rates, but even better, ask your agent. Real estate agents have relationships with several lenders in the area. They have worked together in the past and are familiar with one another. This is by far not a requirement to use a lender recommended by your agent, but if you do not have a lender already, it may benefit you to ask your agent for a recommendation.

Typically, there are three main types of loans. Conventional, FHA, and VA. Without getting into a territory I am not licensed, it is best to speak with a lender to see what you qualify for and which type of loan will work best with your income, credit report, and financial status. Once you are pre-approved for a loan and have found the house that works for you; it’s time to make an OFFER.

Contact Stu Barnes

Alexander Manning

19:03 22 May 23

Stu is very knowledgeable about the area and the local market. He was great to work with every step of the way. He was quick to respond to any requests I had and made the process of buying a home from out of state all the easier. Thanks Stu!

Robert Howard

14:34 20 Nov 22

Great experience with Stu. We moved to North Carolina from out of state, so we were not completely familiar with the area. Stu listened to our interests and what we were looking for. We asked for a lot including a large property, public utilities including water and sewage.The things we were looking for turned out to be few and far between however Stu was able to locate a new build in the area we wanted that offered exactly what we were looking for.After letting us know about the property, Stu dropped what he was doing and went to the location of the build where we met with a builder representative who walked us through the house. The property and house were great and no HOA which we were happy about.We were able to quickly make an offer which worked out great because the builder later informed us after our offer there were multiple families attempting to obtain the property.Stu was very professional and friendly throughout everything. He was able to build a positive rapport with the builder that made things incredibly smooth. After moving in, we found a couple minor issues with the house. One phone call to Stu and he was able to contact the builder and quickly resolve the issue.We had a good time finding a home with Stu, it was a totally pleasant experience.

Chris Harper

13:48 16 Nov 22

For the second time, Stu has handled the sell of a home for me and ensured that I received the maximum value out of the home. First time, the house sold the same day as the listing. Second time, we were under contract in days and held out in a rough economy for a few months until all was finally able to close. Stu was very responsive to any question that I sent and he did a fantastic job with the listing of the house.

Lisa Davidson

23:38 07 Oct 21

I had a great experience working with Stu to purchase my first home. He was extremely knowledgable and realistic about the current market. Stu was also very responsive to all my calls, texts and emails, and he was more than willing to see houses with me on less than a 24 hour notice. Thanks for all your help, Stu!

Audrey Suehs

19:22 29 Jul 21

We just purchased a home with Stu's help (despite this extremely competitive market!). He was very upfront and realistic with us, while still being encouraging and helpful. I highly recommend his services.

Nate Newbury

14:40 02 Dec 18

Stu knows the Raleigh area very well. In South Raleigh he knew each neighborhood and even predicted where we were going to buy! He is not pushy and listens to you.If you're reading reviews to make a decision about a realtor, just call Stu and talk with him. After talking with him, you'll know he's genuine and a good realtor.