Everyone has heard the horror stories of transactions that failed for any one of many reasons. Financing did not get approved, inspections went bad, the buyers or sellers circumstances changed or an issue developed that could not be resolved. One of the most effective deterrents to avoiding these transaction difficulties is the development of a strong and efficient team.
I'm fortunate that my affiliation with Carlson GMAC provides me the foundation for forming such a team. We are able to provide our clients with many in-house services (if they choose to use them) that smooth the process. We can offer everything from financing to Home Warranty programs to Title Insurance. Real estate studies report that transactions where financing is done through an in-house source are more likely to close than transactions where the buyers use an outside lender. We are very fortunate to be able to offer the programs of GMAC, one of the country's largest lending institutions. Additionally, we are supported by highly skilled administrative assistants who are able to spot problems with paperwork and many times resolve them before they impact the transaction and/or closing.
However, the most important part of my team is my wife Linda, also a Carlson agent We are two very different individuals, who provide our clients with two very different skill sets. My strengths are technology, negotiation, numbers and process. Linda provides vision, communication and client development. It is wonderful to work with someone who is able to provide a perspective that you may not see. It is this simple fact that is the real strength of our team.
I would recommend prospective buyers and sellers seek out agents that can provide them with this type of two-for-one experience. I would also encourage other agents to form similar teams with their colleagues. They would quickly see the benefits for both their clients and business.
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