NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)– It’s already March and that means Spring will be here before you know it. It’s a popular time to buy or sell your home. We are helping you stretch your dollar with ways to save money. Whether you’re the home buyer or seller, the fees can add up but we talked to a real estate insider who says everything in real estate is negotiable.

Time to spruce up your home and get it Spring ready for when buyers come around. Buying and selling is always a costly process but real estate insider Gina Jacobs, owner of Gina Jacobs Real Estate & Property Management, says everything is negotiable. In fact she’s changed the way she charges clients to save them money.

“I’m charging hourly as opposed to sellers pay a commission to me at the closing,” Jacobs said. “People are saving a couple thousand dollars on up, to some of the higher end homes people are saving in excess of $20,000. That’s money in their pocket, it’s a direct savings.”

Closing attorneys and home inspectors come with a big price tag so you’d be smart to shop around before hiring or find out if your realtor with help cover those costs. She also suggests buyers consider going using a mortgage broker instead of a bank.

“A mortgage broker will offer them more options and have more available to them and fit the mortgage loan with the buyer. Whatever you have to put down, they’ll make it work. Better than your average bank that you’ll walk into,” said Jacobs.

Bottom line, just about anything is negotiable, so scrutinize those costs closely!

“They should question the commission they’re going to pay because that’s not set by law, that’s something that is negotiable between the seller and the broker,” said said Jacobs.

In an effort to keep you on track, now is the time to get your home in order if you’re looking to sell. Jacobs says families, especially with kids, like to be in and settled early in the summer so they can enjoy it before back to school time. You may miss the big buying rush if you wait until May to list your home.