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home: Builders in the Chicago Area Offering Nice Price Off Discounts - 03/04/08 05:19 PM
It has been our experience in the Chicago area that builders are offering some very nice discounts off of "list price" as well as extra incentives.  Unfortunately for home buyers that"just happen to be driving by" one day - they go into a builder's development - non-the-wiser that they shouldn't be signing in without the agent along with them - that they want to represent them.Having an agent to protect you (negotiation, running comps, knowing what the past and recent deep-discounts were in a given development (so you can get the same thing or better), referring a good inspector for "pre-drywall … (1 comments)

home: Joint Venture Agreements Between Brokerages and Wells Fargo Allow Brokerages to Collect Funds For More Referrals to Wells Fargo Loans - 11/26/07 04:12 PM
Recently - the founder of Long & Foster, the Washington DC area's  largest residential real estate brokerage, urged his thousands of agents to recommend the company's in-house mortgage lender more often and stop working with outside lenders such as Bank of America. In an e-mail to all Long & Foster agents and managers, Wesley Foster Jr. chastised his workers for funding mortgages through other lenders - instead of using Long & Foster's affiliate, "Prosperity Mortgage." Naming the lenders - he said - "Neither of these companies do anything to support Long & Foster over its competitors, nor does SunTrust, Chevy Chase, or any … (3 comments)

home: Asking for Home Inspection Credits - 07/16/07 06:06 PM
When you are asking for home inspection credits - try to be as fair as possible regarding pricing for fixes.  You stand a better chance for getting the credits if you are fair - being in the ballpark of what something would cost.  
On some items - you may want to propose just fixes - and on others - just credits -- and on others - giving them the option of either a fix or a credit.  You may even want to lump sum everything into one big credit.
When you give people options - you stand a better chance of … (1 comments)

home: Good Home Buying Tips Article from CNN Money - 07/08/07 10:08 PM
Here is a good article detailing some home buying tips - from CNN Money. Part of the article states - "Even though the Internet gives buyers unprecedented access to home listings, most new buyers (and many more experienced ones) are better off using a professional agent. Look for an exclusive buyer agent, if possible, who will have your interests at heart and can help you with strategies during the bidding process." As our society becomes more and more "self service" for everything (it started with gas stations... & years later - self-service checkout with no discounts... etc.) - many people also … (3 comments)

home: CNN Money Article on Why Representation by an Exclusive Buyer Agent is Best for Consumers - 05/13/07 12:24 PM
A new article on CNN Money talks about how people should use an Exclusive Buyer Agent.... Unfortunately - the terminology they used was "buyer agent" in this article at CNN Money
But the point is clear... use an agent that is on your side - and the only type of agent that you can be assured of that does that - is an agent that doesn't list properties - so they can give you unbiased home showing, no conflicts of interest, and always be on your side 100% of the time.
I think most people get confused - as there are … (0 comments)

home: Kiplinger's Personal Finance - Recommends Using an Exclusive Buyer Agent - 04/17/07 11:54 AM
Kiplinger's Personal Finance - Recommends Using an Exclusive Buyer Agent in this March, 2007 article. (They have written many along the same lines in previous years..) Consumer Reports, Money Magazine, CNN Money, the Wall Street Journal, Medical Economics Magazine, the Consumer Federation of America, and many others have all done the same..
An Exclusive Buyer Agent is an agent that never lists company for sale - nor does their company.  They never represent sellers - ever.  On the other hand a "buyer's agent" works for a company that lists property for sale - and they themselves usually list property for sale.  Whether … (1 comments)

home: What is an "As Is" Sale? - 03/30/07 04:20 PM
With more foreclosure and as-is property coming on the market everyday - it is important for consumers / clients  to know what "as is" really means.  It means that the seller must disclose all known defects - but that they aren't expecting to pay for any repairs.  (However - never rule out that you can STILL negotiate to get credits from a home inspection -- it never hurts to ask.  And if there is "no reimbursement" and that would be a deal killer for the buyer - just have them walk away from the transaction.) 
 With "as is" - the seller … (0 comments)

 
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