Did I REALLY need to read this wonderful post this a.m.?? If there's NOT enough tripe floating around, now I had to read this:
Buying a Home? Time for Negotiation Boot Camp
On MSN Real Estate, no less.
Read the article . . . I'll wait.
And with the graphic used in the article, as IF . . . real estate agents are now Boot Camp Sergeants, wielding their barking orders on Buyers?!?
Do YOU practice your BUYER REPRESENTATION in this manner?!?
The author, Christoper Solomon, probably hasn't obtained his real estate license, at least that's not disclosed. Matter of fact: "Christopher Solomon is a freelance writer in Seattle. A former reporter for The Seattle Times, he writes regularly for The New York Times and has written for Outside magazine, Ski and Skiing magazines, and Men's Journal." Cited
ALL HAIL to CHRIS . . . he sure knows real estate.
I doubt, when he creatively writes using military metaphors, that he -- himself -- is NOT OUT IN THE TRENCHES, as my Realtor® colleagues are.
Is it me, but do you recent being painted with this creative brush of: BOGEYMAN?!?
What does the wise Solomon state:
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"1. The negotiation misconception: Let's just jump right in and start looking at homes"
--CARLA SAYS: Buyers should start looking at houses if their are ever going to be able to discern the market! There is nothing that the general public can ascertain without going out and kicking tires! GET OUT AND LOOK! And stop pretending you're an "expert" just because you can call up listings on Zillow, Realtor.com, or other IDX website. Your local Realtor® actually DOES have market evaluations, and studies, and CAN comp the market. Buyers are buying REAL ESATE not a one-dimensional blurb on a website.
Other PEARLS are found in the article:
- "2. The negotiation misconception: Your real-estate agent is your buddy, so tell her what you can spend.
Drill sergeant says: Never forget that your agent is ultimately there to sell homes, Cummins says. When you finally do meet with one, don't tip your hand: "Never divulge your upper spending limit. My advice is that you should not reveal your true comfortable spending limit, either," he writes. 'You'll have to give some indication of the price range that interests you. My recommendation is that that figure should be 5% to 10% below your comfortable spending limit, adding that you might be able to increase the figure slightly for an [exceptional] home.' "
-- CARLA SAYS: DUDE what do they have in Seattle that I'm not SMOKING here in Porltand!?!? NEVER DIVULGE YOUR UPPER SPENDING LIMIT!?!? OMIGOSH!! I NEED TO SEE THE BUYERS' PRE-APPROVAL!! And if buyers think I'm in their POCKET-BOOK wanting to show properties at their high-end, with the EXCLUSION of homes that might be LESS than buyers' price point . . . they should find someone else to represent them. WHY? Because, the buyer, obviously is not trusting of my skills and abilities, and wants to PLAY ME! After I'm DONE exhausting the lower-end market, taking buyers out on tour of 30 homes that they don't WANT TO BUY, and then have me show homes around the higher price point . . . THAT'S ANNOYING!
I could go on and on . . . but wanted to end with this little ditty from the WISE SOLOMON (and apparently some dude named "Eldred":
- 4. The negotiation misconception: A home is a home; it doesn't matter who's selling.
"Drill sergeant says: Who's selling a home, and their situation, can matter enormously in a negotiation. Are the owners getting divorced and do they need money fast? Has the owner just died and do her children want to dispose of the family home quickly? Once you've identified a home you like, try to learn as much as possible about the owner: Talk to neighborsand ask politely about the owner. Eldred, a runner, says he likes to jog around the neighborhood and talk with people who live nearby to pick up info.
Another negotiating tip: If you're somewhat confident of your abilities, deal directly with the seller's agent, instead of going through a buyer's agent, Eldred says. 'One of the advantages of dealing with a seller's agent is that a seller's agent often discloses more" than maybe he or she should, he says. That additional information can help you negotiate a lower price.' " (emphasis added)
CARLA SAYS -- Eldred, the runner, has obviously got RUNNER'S HIGH, perhaps hitting the wall.
Yeah, pretend your Sherlock Holmes . . . or maybe you actually do get a thrill from pretending you work undercover for the CIA and 'investigate the owners' in a clandestine undercover STING. "Learn as much as possible about the owner . . " from their NEIGHBORS!! OMIGOSH. My neighbors HATE me, I can only imagine what they'd say to KILL my deal just for spite! Or, screw something up for me. What part of slander doen't Eldred understand? What if I found out about about YOUR PERSONAL / PRIVATE . .. . hmmm . . . "situation" from your neighbors!?! 'Cause we ALL know neighbors are gossips, and love to kick a person when their down. Find out about that NASTY DIVORCE . . . bankruptcy . . . loss of job. Yeah, good advice SOLOMON. Play the neighbors against each other on the house a buyer wants. Find out the dirt, and then sling it over the fence, trying to get a better deal. Hey, that's just how licensed Realtors do it . . . NOT!! I'm being facetious!
Oh, and don't you just LOVE the sentence above about the listing agent who BLABS and breaches his/her Fiduciary Duty to the Sellers . . . and with that slip of the tongue, a buyer can negotiate a lower price! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA.
There is a second page . . . AND COMMENTS!! Yup . . . everyone wants to think real estate agents are the Bogeyman . . . HA HA HA . . . take ALL of Solomon's wisdom literally, cause he knows all about what it's like. Hey, how many deals have you closed Sol baby?!?
CARLA SAYS -- IF YOU PLAN TO BUY OR SELL IN THE SEATTLE AREA -- CALL CHRISTOPHER SOLOMON and ask HIM TO REPRESENT YOU. He's knows all about real estate. And I'm sure with his DRILL SERGEANT mentality he'll be happy to bark out a fine property just for you! (I'm being facetious!)
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