orange county buyers agent: The Impasse Is Only An Opportunity
- 09/26/14 08:11 AM
The Impasse Is Only An Opportunity
I've been working most of this week on a closing for next week. I'm happy to say that all will be right on schedule and Wednesday, my buyer will have a new home. The issue this week was new to me. The buyers did not want to sign disclosures.
Yes, my buyers!
Tried as I might, I could not seem to explain to them that they were not obligating themselves, but just acknowledging receipt. These buyers are older and there is a culture difference.
Challenging week!
All parties did want to close the transaction, but … (7 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: Consumers! How To Research A Real Estate Agent
- 08/06/14 05:57 AM
Consumers! How To Research A Real Estate Agent
Buying or selling a home or investment property is a very big transaction. Often the largest financial move in person's life. It's something to be taken seriously. I usually find when I start talking with a new client that they picked me out of the phone book.
Ok....not the phone book exactly, but you get the drift.The Internet is the phone book of today and Google presence has taken the place of the large ad we used to see. Since my face is not plastered on shopping carts, you are most likely … (13 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: Working For Money Or The Client?
- 04/28/13 08:45 AM
There has been some discussion on Active Rain this week about being "too good" for business. I wonder if this attitude stems from a misdirected focus in what constitutes our business?
Real estate is a people business! We all say this but do we really understand what that means? For me it means that our goal is to get the best possible outcome for our clients. When that is our goal, the money/income follows.
When we focus on making our clients happy, they come back to us in the future.
When we focus on making our clients happy, they … (59 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: Buyer-Broker Agreements.....Why They Are Not Good For Agents
- 03/15/12 07:08 AM
There is always a lot of talk about Buyer-Broker Agreements. I have used them on very rare occasions and for very specific reasons...but in general I do not. In fact, I think they are detrimental to agents (this is me bracing myself for the response:)).
Hear me out!
I believe they deter potential clients. Have you seen the ads which offer a 30 day free trial? or 60 day? or 90 day? Sure you have! Have you even taken advantage of it? I bet you have....do you know why? Because people have a desire to know what they … (102 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: "I'm A Cash Buyer.....Let's Write An Offer"
- 02/24/12 04:21 AM
The phone call we all want to get:
"Hi, I'm a cash buyer. I know you don't know me, but I found you on Active Rain. I wandered into an open house today and have to have this home. I talked to the listing agent, there are no other offers and I'd like to write an offer over asking price....just to make sure.
Can you help me?"
WAKE UP!!!!!
Sure the above might sound like the perfect Mission Viejo Buyer. Alright, that is a perfect buyer....but there are many other perfect buyers also. They just might take some … (6 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: He Saw, She Saw......Showing Homes To Couples
- 11/16/11 02:44 AM
Have you ever noticed that men and women see things differently? I know....you are thinking "Karen, whatever do you mean"....but it's true. And I find that when couples are searching for a new home, the differences are even more stunning.
She sees: Huge backyard He sees: Too much grass to mow
She sees: Plenty of storage in garageHe sees: Man Cave
He sees: New roofShe sees: Green roof
He sees: In-ground pool with spaShe sees: Death trap for the kids
She sees: Beautiful tall windows He sees: Window washing
He sees: Built-in BBQShe sees: Kitchen with white tile
He … (74 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: Why We Should See 20 Houses In One Day
- 07/21/11 06:30 AM
I read a post today by one of my favorite bloggers, Jared Christiansen, about why someone should not try to schedule showings for 20 homes in one day.
He expressed concern that 20 houses in one day was too many for anyone to remember and that it could be counter-productive. I have to disagree!
When an Mission Viejo Buyer sends me a long list of homes to see, I understand two things:
1) These buyers are focused2) These buyers are ready to buy
Seeing 20 houses in Mission Viejo is a big time commitment for a buyer. It's an all-day adventure. I … (90 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: It's Not A Lowball Offer....It's A "Real Value" Offer
- 07/10/11 05:14 AM
The conversation about lowball offers has gone on since the real estate downturn began....maybe even before then. The desire of buyers to get a good deal is not new, however, it's always been there.
When financing was easy and cheap and available we did sometimes hear buyers brag about how they over-bid someone and got the home, but this is not a normal state of affairs....and we all saw the damage it has done.
So now that we've gained some perspective and equilibrium in our thought processes.....the lowballs are back. But often they are simply misnamed as lowball and … (84 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: "But You Realtors® Are So Scary To Talk To"
- 07/09/11 06:51 AM
Oh my goodness! I actually heard this yesterday.
"Realtors® are scary"
I had recieved an email from someone who had found me online. They had asked some questions in a public forum and their questions had really gotten pretty detailed. I offered that they could contact me and we could chat more specifically.
I did get an email.....but not a phone number. So we did some back and forth by email, which is fine...I like email. It allows me to clearly write what I want to convey and hopefully understand the questions as well. But at some point, we … (21 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: Buying Your Mission Viejo Home Is A Series Of "Yeses" Not One Big Decision
- 05/27/11 04:54 AM
Buying Your Mission Viejo Home Is A Series Of "Yeses" Not One Big Decision
This is one of the first things I tell Mission Viejo Home Buyers when we meet. Finding a home to write an offer on is the very first step in this process....not the last step.
Understanding the entire process of Home Buying can really demystify and provide comfort that there are many opportunities to change their minds. As long as the answer to the questions are "Yes" we keep moving toward the close...and the first "No" we move on.
Yes....I want to write an offer on … (5 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: Are References Really Worth The Trouble? Not Unless You Know What To Ask
- 05/15/11 08:56 AM
Are References Really Worth The Trouble? Not Unless You Know What To Ask
I admit that I always cringe a bit when I'm asked for references. Not because I can't give them...but because I wonder about the point. I suppose it's a reassurance, but for me calling people who have been chosen by the person you are researching are obviously going to say good things.
Who gives out the number of anyone unless you know in advance that they like you?
I considered making this a list of questions that should be asked of any reference....but boring, … (12 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: What Is An Orange County Buyer's Agent? FAQs About Buyer Representation
- 05/08/11 04:08 AM
Buyer's Agents are commonly misunderstood. When we represent a buyer, we are working for THEM. We are there to make sure they get the best terms they can and to help them along the way to the close. This is a simple and yet complete presentation of that duty.
When I am speaking for the first time with potential buyers, one of the most misunderstood aspects of buying a home concerns buyer representation. Although we have had buyer representation in Connecticut since 1996, many people still do not understand that, as buyers, they have the right to have an agent who … (1 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: "My Agent Isn't Helping Me....And I'm In Escrow"
- 05/07/11 07:31 AM
"My Agent Isn't Helping Me....And I'm In Escrow"
I spend quite a bit of time on public forums about real estate...and this is a common theme. Buyers and sellers who are in active escrows or negotiations and their agent isn't responding to them.
This can take the form of non-communication or just an attitude that makes them uncomfortable with the representation they are getting.
Agents.....when your client has questions, ANSWER them and spend the time doing it until they understand.
Most of the time, these consumers are proceeding in a normal manner. The situations they describe are relatively normal … (48 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: This Mission Viejo Listing Was Unusual....
- 05/03/11 03:50 AM
I understand what a "Net Listing" is. This is where the seller agrees to sell only if they get a specific dollar amount and anything the agent sells above that price is the agent's commission. We rarely see these in our area...but this week I read a very strange listing which caused the buyers to flip!
I'll start by saying that normally by the time we even realize the listing is a Net Listing, we are well into escrow. The listing agent takes this into account when they create the price and commission.
In this case....the home … (21 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: "We Both Know The Buyer Isn't Going To Cancel Over This".....Oh, Do We?
- 04/06/11 01:31 PM
That's what I heard from the listing agent at after a home inspection last week. It was an older home and had older home problems...but some we found were beyond that scope.
The home was in a severe state of deferred maintenance. Lots and lots of minor and medium issues. This was also an equity seller with plenty of equity in the home. They had advertised the home "as-is" because they felt that the quick closing (30 days) was incentive enough and they didn't need to make any repairs.
Ok...but we also don't need to buy it!
In my … (95 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: "What do you mean I'm approved but the condo isn't?"
- 01/16/11 02:34 AM
Lenders care about many things when they lend. One of which is the "health" of the Home Owner's Association. Why? Because the HOA is responsible for many aspect of the maintenance which contribute to the property's value. They maintain roofs and amenities, do termite repairs and landscaping....just as an example. If they are low on funds, they can't do this and the lender might be lending on a property which is going to plummet in value.
Ahhh, the joys of condo financing today. Now ideally, the situation would never get to the point where the client is asking this question. Because … (3 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: Why Can't We Make Repairs Prior To The Close? So We Can Use FHA Financing?
- 01/03/11 06:11 AM
Over the past few days, I've been working with a buyer who would like to use FHA financing. Problem is that the home is not going to qualify for traditional FHA due to repairs which need to be made.
To the consumer, the needed repairs seem like very minor things, and could easily be handled by a handiman which the buyer is willing to hire, prior to the close. So the question from my buyer was:
"Why can't we just go in and fix the problems? It's been on the market for so long, they should want to sell the … (6 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: Do You Remember When Realtors And Lenders Liked Each Other?
- 01/01/11 04:24 AM
Post after post, rant after rant, it seems the real estate industry has a hobby....criticizing the lending industry. I remember the old days when we worked together.
We complain about the long time frames needed to close loans, the tough approval criteria and low appraisals...of course we'd always would have complained about that. We put pressure on the mortgage loan officers to move an elephant across the room. But these are not the lenders I'm talking about....I'm talking about short sale lenders and their representatives.
It seems we've forgotten that mortgage and real estate are just different … (21 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: A Funny Christmas Present......An Accepted Offer! Seriously
- 12/26/10 05:40 AM
All true real estate junkies will understand this....but after the presents, and cookies and prime rib, I sneaked away from the party to check my email.....in the laundry room. Completely obsessive of me.
I would like to say there was a reason beyond real estate....but there really wasn't. I had been cooking all day and I had not checked email since noon....it was 7pm. So, you understand?
To my surprise, in my inbox was an executed copy of an offer we had written earlier that week. I was annoyed about this situation any way. The agent had not returned … (31 comments)
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orange county buyers agent: The Internet-Savvy Buyer.....Picking And Choosing The Information They Want To Believe
- 12/02/10 04:54 AM
We all know that buyers are spending more and more time on the Internet getting their information prior to calling a Realtor®.
*They know interest rates*They know price reductions*They've checked comps*They see the "days on the market"
Yet, they never seem to understand short sale pricing. They don't understand that the list price is normally seriously under value.
They don't seem to understand bank-owned homes. That banks are NOT desparate and taking offers 15-25% under asking price to "clear their books."
They don't seem to understand the equity seller. They are not going to fire-sale their home out … (9 comments)
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The Impasse Is Only An Opportunity
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