home buying advice: How To Be A Champion For Your Client - 03/24/11 08:36 AM

Early this week I had the pleasure of meeting a great couple who were looking for a new buyer's agent in my area. They had been working with a different Realtor for almost a year and had not had any success in purchasing a vacation home in Big Bear. As I listened to their story, it became more and more evident that they had been using somebody who was not versed in the art of being a superior agent for their client's. Many realtors seem to think that all there is to representing a buyer is getting them in the … (3 comments)

home buying advice: First Offer, Best Offer - 11/16/10 05:25 AM

When it comes time to negotiate, most folks are conditioned to believe that there are immutable rules that must be followed. What immediately comes to mind is a merchant's stall in Morocco where the buyer and seller smoke a hookah together and banter back and forth until an agreement is made.  The seller always starts high and the buyer always counters low. Then the seller comes down a little and the buyer comes up a little until they reach an amiable agreement that benefits both sides. The buyer leaves with his new rug feeling like he got the deal of … (5 comments)