Thursday, April 28, 2011

Rules of Engagement -- Customer

If you choose me to be your realtor it's kind of like going on a date.  We will have begun a relationship that may only last for as long as it takes to buy or sell your property. Or, it could last a lifetime.

In my last post I listed the 7 duties of a transaction broker in Florida. This time let's take a look at some things you, the customer, can do to make this process better should you select me as your realtor.

  1. Don't go looking at houses on your own. Consider this scenario. Let's say I have taken you to look at multiple properties on several different days. One day you're driving down a street, see a For Sale sign and call the agent listed on the sign. He/she meets you at the house and you end up buying that property. I don't get paid.


    Despite what you might think about saving yourself some money you haven't saved anything because the listing agent would then get a commission for both sides of the transaction. Please call me. I will gladly arrange to show you the property. I will work hard for you in order to earn my commission, let's make the other agent earn his/her commission too.
  2. Get your financing arranged before we look at any properties. I recommend you get your credit score, talk to several lenders (I can give you some names) and then choose the one that offers you the financing that best suits your needs. By knowing how much money you qualify for we can concentrate our efforts on homes within your price range.
  3. Be honest with me. If you're not serious about buying or selling right away please tell me. It's OK but it will help me to better budget my time for other customers whose needs are more pressing. I will stay in touch with you and when you're ready we'll start the process.
  4. If you're buying, make a wish list and prioritize it. What things are most important to you in a property? List 8-10 things and then be willing to give up some in case we can't find anything that includes all of them.
  5. Sometimes, home sellers have unrealistic expectations about what their home is worth or how quickly it will sell. I have listed homes at higher prices than I recommended because the owners would not accept my recommended list price. Later, when the listing expired they went with another realtor and listed the property at the price I had originally recommended.
  6. Don't make it too difficult for buyers to view your property.The absolute best case scenario is to put a lock box on your property and simply ask realtors to give me a courtesy call before they show the property. That way your home is always ready to be looked at unless you advise me otherwise.
  7. Don't make it personal. If you're selling don't automatically reject an offer because it's "insulting." An offer is the beginning of the negotiation process. It's much better to make a counter-offer to keep the lines of communication open and to allow for negotiation. I have had sellers reject offers I brought to them only to ultimately sell the property for thousands less after listing with another realtor.
If we work together buying or selling real estate can be a pleasurable experience. Please give me the chance to show you.

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