Anyone else see the MSN.COM headline today, 10 Things your real estate broker won't tell you ?

1. "Your open house is really just a networking party for me." 

My response: I tell sellers that most likely I will get more listings than buyers from an open house, that is how I feel and tell them up front   

2. "My fees are negotiable."

My response: It depends if you want to negotiate your fees, this could or could not be true, it depends on the agent and their brokers policy.  For me, I would not let a deal die if we are close over my fees

3. "Think you've had no offers? Actually, there have been several."

My response: I present any and all offers that I recieve, any agent not doing this is seriously taking a chance

4. "I'm not obligated to keep my mouth shut for you."

My response: This varies due to the state and the brokerage relationship.  In Florida it is presumed that I am a transaction broker and that I am bound to limited confidentiality and that I must disclose any known facts that negatively affect the value of the property and are not readilty observable to the buyer. I can not disclose the sellers motivation or what they will settle for unless the seller gives me written permission.

5. "Sometimes I forget whose side I'm on."

My response: BAD AGENT, I always know whose side I am on.

6. "I know zilch about zoning."

My response: TRUE, always seek the advice of the expert, the zoning department

7. "I won't let termites - or pesky inspectors - kill a deal."

My response: I will do my best to work out the termite or inspector issue to the best of my ability and within the contract

8. "I sometimes forget I'm not a lawyer."

My response: I never forget that I am NOT a lawyer

9. "My Web site is a dead end."

My response: My website is a spider web catching buyers and I have the statistics to back it up

10. "You can probably do this without me."

My response:  You probably can but I do this everyday and most buyers and sellers only do this a few times in their lives.  You know what they say about representing yourself and something about having a fool for  client.  Fact of the matter is that the avg FSBO does not have the knowledge to do it on their own in a buyers market and need the help of a realtor