buyers agent: Is your agent 'on call' -call me and you will reach me. - 08/16/15 09:23 PM
I have the time - and can save yours
just by being on call when you have questions.
… (5 comments)

buyers agent: Puffery or Deception - 01/25/15 11:44 PM
When does advertising cross the line from 'puffery' to deception---

… (6 comments)

buyers agent: Real Estate: Exclusive Buyers Office (EBO) - 01/03/15 03:28 AM
#buyersagent #EBO #realestate New potential home buyers are often hesitant to contact an agent. If they haven't done much research some just jump in and default to contacting the agent that listed a house they may be interested in. Others research but find it difficult to compare agents online - expecially with so many agents that list homes offering buyer agent services - without disclosing in the advertising that they many not be able to offer such a service to the buyer of a particular house. Many agents engage in such deceptive advertising. Some potential buyers read agents online blog posts … (0 comments)

buyers agent: Agents can avoid dual agency by joining NAEBA - if they qualify. - 05/13/12 06:18 AM
There is a lot written about the pitfalls of dual agency and there is a lot of good advice to buyers that they should avoid it.
There is not so much written about how either buyers OR agents CAN avoid it - or how they can be sure they will avoid it.
The choice has not been made clear. 
Part of the problem is the deceptive way in which many agents advertise. Much advertising violates both the NAR code of ethics (lets face it most real estate agents are members of NAR and are subject to NAR's COE.) and federal and … (0 comments)

buyers agent: How not to find an agent if you are a buyer! - 10/09/11 02:42 AM
I got the following from a big real estate franchise company website - it suggests that you should find an agent by looking for someone with a lot of signs in the area in which you want to buy: 
                                                           DO NOT DO THAT
"3. If you've already determined where you'd like to live, drive through neighborhoods in the area and survey them for REALTOR® yard signs. Seeing the same name pop up on signs time after time … (2 comments)

buyers agent: Buyers: Does an agent you don't even know own the right to represent you. - 05/31/11 12:09 AM
 
"Open House Weekend", be it national, state, local or otherwise is an opportunity for home buyers to get out and see some homes they might not otherwise look at.  It is also an opportunity for some less than ethical agents to trap buyers'.
Lets face it, it is rare that an open house results in the sale of the house that is open.  But it can happen.  If that buyer came to the house unrepresented the seller's agent is likely to end up  effectively owning the right to represent then - as a dual agent.
Even though it is true … (2 comments)

buyers agent: Timing is everything. - 05/14/11 01:27 AM
Timing really is everything. It may not be possible to determine the absolute optimum time to buy a home or the optimum home to buy but you can rely on an exclusive buyers agent (an EBA -if you can find one) to help you obtain the information you need to make the best decisions possible. Insist that 'your' agent sign a contract specifying what they will do and who they will represent. Read it carefully. MANY agents try to include a provision that allows them to switch from representing you to representing both you and the seller. That sounds like a … (2 comments)

buyers agent: Couples: Buying a Home - 05/11/11 10:53 AM
 Buying a home is a team effort for a couple.Communicate preferences with each other. Make sure you each REALLY understand.You may both say you want a yard but how big - and for what?  Who will maintain it? Will the need change over time? What if you add kids - or a pet?You may want to be near work.  But whose work? Does near to one mean far from the other?  Do you want to be near (or far) from relatives?   Do you and your partner mean the same thing by ‘near’?Where does the increasing price of gas fit into your … (0 comments)

buyers agent: Looking at homes without an agent often means you get no representation. - 05/08/11 02:14 AM
Once a month or so I get a call from someone that saw a house with an agent from the company that listed it.  They are not 'comfortable' working with an agent that is also representing the seller (nor should they be).  There is always surprise when I tell them they may be stuck with that agent if they want to pursue that house. Procuring cause (http://www.procuringcause.com)  is the hidden landmine for home buyers. The problem persists for 2 reasons. 1. MANY listing agent advertise as buyer's agents without sufficiently disclosing that they may be forced into dual agency representation or … (0 comments)

buyers agent: NATIONWIDE OPEN HOUSE June 4-5 2011 survival guide - 05/03/11 05:05 AM
Wow. It sounds like expectations are high that buyers will be out looking at homes in June.This really falls under the category of home buying for beginners but experienced buyers are at risk too.Some buyers are just starting their search and don't have an agent yet.  Thyy are at risk of getting trapped with an agent working for the seller.  (Read up on 'Procuring Cause' at http://www.procuringcause.com )If you don't already have an agent (and let the seller's agent holding the open house know that fact) you could be trapped into using the seller's agent.  Forewarned is forearmed.What to do:  The … (1 comments)

buyers agent: Buying a home takes research - make sure your agent is up to it. - 03/16/11 06:09 AM
I often hear agents marketing as neighborhood 'experts'.  Some even say they live in the neighborhood.  My views of my town are biased by my views of my neighbors among other things. The more friends in the neighborhood I have the more I want to help them.  That would include hoping they do well when selling their home.  So, even if I were to concede that I am a neighborhood expert - is that a benefit to a buyer I may have as a client that is interested in moving there. Unless I can really put my friendships aside (and my … (0 comments)

buyers agent: Advertising services as a buyer's agent can be deceptive. - 02/22/10 04:04 AM
I just ran across this statement: "Work with The Best.. Sorensen-Haley Group The #1 Team For The Number RE/MAX in Chicago 60 Homes SOLD or Pending Contract in 2009! Chicago Illinois Top Best Selling Short Sale Realtors"
Under this subject heading: "Chicago Home Buyers Agent, Chicago Buyers Realtor"
Most home buyers contacting this agent would expect that the agent would work with them as a buyer's agent. That would only be the case if the buyer never became interested in homes listed by the agent's office.
Home buyer's looking for a buyer's agent should start by looking for an agent member … (3 comments)

buyers agent: Cherry Hill New Jersey Real Estate Stats for today - 02/08/10 02:10 AM
A search of TREND MLS at 11am on 2/8/2010 shows 317 homes listed for sale in the 200,000 to 400,000 price range. Of these, 250 are single family detached homes. Of those 250, 159 have 3 or 4 bedrooms and at least 2 full baths. Of those, 102 have both a basement and a garage. A buyer looking for a home today in South Jersey has a lot to choose from and this month should bring even more. By the end of March those buyers will have a lot of competition from other buyers trying to get into contract before the … (0 comments)

buyers agent: Market State July 14, 2009 (Mercer County NJ) - 07/14/09 12:20 AM
Trend MLS shows the following ( on July 14,2009) for Mercer County, New Jersey.
Homes for sale: 2447
Single detached homes for sale: 1486
Homes under contract: 588
Homes for sale categorized as needing "TLC": 120 (You can bet there are another hundred needing TLC and you won't know till you get there)
Homes sold (settled) in June 2009: 320, June 2008: 349
Homes for sale with at least 3BR, 2 full baths, garage, basement: 764, with price under $500,000 - 392, under $300,000 - 109
That still leaves a lot to choose from for the average first time buyer and … (0 comments)

buyers agent: Today's market stats - Cherry Hill NJ - 07/02/09 12:19 AM
TrendMLS shows the following ( on July 2,2009) for Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
Homes for sale: 667
Single detached homes for sale: 499
Homes under contract:  98
Homes for sale categorized as needing "TLC": 25 (You can bet there are another hundred needing TLC and you won't know till you get there)
Homes sold (settled) in June 2009: 61
Homes for sale with at least 3BR, 2full baths, garage, basement: 275,  price under $300,000 - 90
That leaves a lot to choose from for the average first time buyer and a lot of competition for the average seller.  
When the … (0 comments)

buyers agent: Deceptive Advertising in Real Estate - Avoid the BS (Bait and Switch) with NAEBA - 06/30/09 04:02 AM
Deceptive Advertising in Real Estate - Avoid the BS - Bait and Switch I have no problem with agents saying they are a buyer's agent - if they are and will be. When it comes to advertising ones self as a buyer's agent, though, it is unethical to do it without disclosing in the same advertising any potential that they might not be able to deliver on that. The ONLY agents that can advertise unconditionally as a buyer's agent are those that work for companies that do not list homes - Exclusive Buyer Agents. The only way I know to be … (0 comments)

buyers agent: New Jersey Home Buyers: When Asked to "Consent to Dual Agency" - Just say no. - 05/31/09 03:39 PM
Given the number of Realtors misleading the public with websites proclaiming that they are "Buyer's Agents" or will represent buyers as a "Buyer's Agent" I've decided to dwell on this subject a bit more.
5 Questions a home buyer should ask when interviewing to find an agent to represent them:
How long have you been in the business? What makes you stand out in your ability to represent me? Does your company also list homes? Can you fully represent me (as a fiduciary) if your company listed the home I want to buy? If I hire you and I want to … (4 comments)

buyers agent: Real "Buyer's Agents" NEVER ask buyers to sign a "Consent to Dual Agency" agreement. - 05/25/09 01:02 AM
I got a referral the other day from NAEBA. The potential buyer, I found out later, had signed an "Exclusive Buyer Agent" agreement with an agent of one of the large franchise companies. She actually KNEW that the agent was not an Exclusive Buyer Agent and that all the contract meant was that she had to work with this agent (exclusively) for the term of the agreement (though it did have a cancellation provision).
The use of the term "Exclusive Buyer Agent" in this context is at best misleading. There is an organization of EXCLUSIVE BUYER AGENTS called the National … (8 comments)

buyers agent: What should you tell your agent? - 02/13/09 01:12 AM
Unless you have something in writing from 'your' agent promising that their company will not engage in dual agency you would do well to keep looking for an agent.
Even  if they say they will work with you as a buyer's agent, DO NOT TELL THE AGENT ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD NOT TELL THE SELLER unless the company has no potential to end up as a dual agent. They may be required to be neutral but often agents list homes for friends or relatives. Do you really believe they could be neutral even if they did try?  You don't need neutrality … (0 comments)

buyers agent: Rebates: Why I think they are anti-consumer - in spite of the DOJ and FTC - 02/08/09 05:39 AM
Everyone wants a deal and a rebate seems a good way to get one, but is it?  I don't think so though my state, New Jersey, very well may join the rebate band wagon.  
I believe rebates distort the market and allow producers (of products, services, etc) to charge different prices to different consumers. In a nutshell - price discrimination. In the end this results in higher average prices.
As a provider of real estate services for home buyers I decide what I will charge my clients. If rebates are permitted, some consumers will select a real estate broker or … (0 comments)