Important Buyer/Seller Questions & Answers
What you’re about to read may surprise some of you. Not all Realtors are the same. With that being said, how can you find out who would do the best job helping YOU buy or sell your home? That’s a good question. I hope that the important questions and my answers help you figure that out.
You have probably read about or heard horror stories about real estate transactions that have eventually turned into financial, legal and emotional nightmares due to the fact that their real estate agent their transaction some way. It could be due to the agent being inexperienced, not paying attention to the important details and contract dates, only working for his own best interests, not communicating with anyone and everyone involved, providing less than professional inspectors, not honoring promised commitments, laziness, arrogance, making excuses, etc. The list goes on and on.
You may think that by selecting any agent who works at a big box real estate brokerage company will do a good job otherwise they wouldn’t be employed there, right? That’s not necessarily true. Real estate is a numbers game. The more sales an agent makes the more profitable is their bottom line. Just because an agent lists and sells real estate doesn't mean that they are good at keeping everyone out of trouble. These agents aren't reprimanded by their broker because they do bring in income. It's about the company bottom line too.
In the current economic crisis, many of these companies now double up or even triple the amount of agents assigned to a desk because they know that many of some of these agents are only working real estate part time and have to have another job to supplement their income. So those kinds of agents don’t need an exclusive desk of their own. If you end up choosing to work with Joe from the local big box company and come into his company’s office, you will most likely be escorted directly into a well appointed conference room when you come to visit. You won't know if he's an ethical, professional top producer or does this on the side because he has another full time job.
I know that no one wants to inadvertently hire an inexperienced, lazy, sloppy or greedy part time agent who works for a company that at the end of the day or when push comes to shove only cares about the company’s commission. The following questions and answers are important to know about an agent when you are considering working with them.
The questions below are followed my personal responses in caps:
Have you ever been involved in any legal problems during your real estate career? If so, what have they been, when and why?
i HAVE NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY MEDIATION, ARBITRATION OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF LITIGATION DURING MY ENTIRE REAL ESTATE CAREER. I DON'T KNOW MANY SEASONED FULL TIME AGENTS WHO CAN SAY THAT. I CAN.
Is your only job real estate listing and sales?
YES IT IS. IT'S NOT JUST MY JOB, IT'S MY CAREER THAT I DEDICATE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO. MY DAYS ARE FILLED WITH DOING PAPERWORK IN MY OFFICE, PREVIEWING OR SHOWING PROPERTY, HOLDING WEEKEND OPEN HOUSES OR NEW LISTING BROKER TOURS, MEETING WITH BUYERS OR SELLERS CLIENTS OR TAKING OR RETURNING CALLS AND SENDING OR RESPONDING EMAIL. WHEREVER I AM, I'M JUST A PHONE CALL OR E-MAIL AWAY.
How do you handle phone calls and emails?
I AM ABLE TO PICK UP AND ANSWER MY CELL PHONE THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME. MY MOBILE PHONE VOICE MAIL IS USED PRIMARILY WHEN I'M WITH OTHER CLIENTS TO GIVE THEM 100% ATTENTION JUST LIKE YOU WOULD EXPECT ME TO DO WHEN I'M WITH YOU. THE VOICEMAILS FROM THOSE CALLS ARE ANSWERED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. USUALLY WITHIN AN HOUR OR SO UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY.
I ANSWER EMAILS I RECEIVE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WHICH CAN BE WITHIN A FEW MINUTES IF I'M IN MY OFFICE OR WITHIN A FEW HOURS IF I'M OUT OF MY OFFICE OR IF IT'S SEND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
Do you advertise your listings?
YES I DO. I HAVE ALWAYS ADVERTISED ALL OF MY LISTING EQUALLY, WHETHER THEY ARE MANSIONS, CONDOMINIUMS OR RENTAL PROPERTIES. THEY ALL GET THE SAME SERVICE - MY PERSONAL BEST.
Do you have references and letters of recomendation?
YES I DO. YOU CAN READ ONE OF MY MOST RECENT LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION ON THIS WEBSITE. OTHER REFERENCES ARE AVAILABLE BY REQUEST. JUST ASK.
You have probably read about or heard horror stories about real estate transactions that have eventually turned into financial, legal and emotional nightmares due to the fact that their real estate agent their transaction some way. It could be due to the agent being inexperienced, not paying attention to the important details and contract dates, only working for his own best interests, not communicating with anyone and everyone involved, providing less than professional inspectors, not honoring promised commitments, laziness, arrogance, making excuses, etc. The list goes on and on.
You may think that by selecting any agent who works at a big box real estate brokerage company will do a good job otherwise they wouldn’t be employed there, right? That’s not necessarily true. Real estate is a numbers game. The more sales an agent makes the more profitable is their bottom line. Just because an agent lists and sells real estate doesn't mean that they are good at keeping everyone out of trouble. These agents aren't reprimanded by their broker because they do bring in income. It's about the company bottom line too.
In the current economic crisis, many of these companies now double up or even triple the amount of agents assigned to a desk because they know that many of some of these agents are only working real estate part time and have to have another job to supplement their income. So those kinds of agents don’t need an exclusive desk of their own. If you end up choosing to work with Joe from the local big box company and come into his company’s office, you will most likely be escorted directly into a well appointed conference room when you come to visit. You won't know if he's an ethical, professional top producer or does this on the side because he has another full time job.
I know that no one wants to inadvertently hire an inexperienced, lazy, sloppy or greedy part time agent who works for a company that at the end of the day or when push comes to shove only cares about the company’s commission. The following questions and answers are important to know about an agent when you are considering working with them.
The questions below are followed my personal responses in caps:
Have you ever been involved in any legal problems during your real estate career? If so, what have they been, when and why?
i HAVE NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY MEDIATION, ARBITRATION OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF LITIGATION DURING MY ENTIRE REAL ESTATE CAREER. I DON'T KNOW MANY SEASONED FULL TIME AGENTS WHO CAN SAY THAT. I CAN.
Is your only job real estate listing and sales?
YES IT IS. IT'S NOT JUST MY JOB, IT'S MY CAREER THAT I DEDICATE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO. MY DAYS ARE FILLED WITH DOING PAPERWORK IN MY OFFICE, PREVIEWING OR SHOWING PROPERTY, HOLDING WEEKEND OPEN HOUSES OR NEW LISTING BROKER TOURS, MEETING WITH BUYERS OR SELLERS CLIENTS OR TAKING OR RETURNING CALLS AND SENDING OR RESPONDING EMAIL. WHEREVER I AM, I'M JUST A PHONE CALL OR E-MAIL AWAY.
How do you handle phone calls and emails?
I AM ABLE TO PICK UP AND ANSWER MY CELL PHONE THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME. MY MOBILE PHONE VOICE MAIL IS USED PRIMARILY WHEN I'M WITH OTHER CLIENTS TO GIVE THEM 100% ATTENTION JUST LIKE YOU WOULD EXPECT ME TO DO WHEN I'M WITH YOU. THE VOICEMAILS FROM THOSE CALLS ARE ANSWERED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. USUALLY WITHIN AN HOUR OR SO UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY.
I ANSWER EMAILS I RECEIVE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WHICH CAN BE WITHIN A FEW MINUTES IF I'M IN MY OFFICE OR WITHIN A FEW HOURS IF I'M OUT OF MY OFFICE OR IF IT'S SEND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
Do you advertise your listings?
YES I DO. I HAVE ALWAYS ADVERTISED ALL OF MY LISTING EQUALLY, WHETHER THEY ARE MANSIONS, CONDOMINIUMS OR RENTAL PROPERTIES. THEY ALL GET THE SAME SERVICE - MY PERSONAL BEST.
Do you have references and letters of recomendation?
YES I DO. YOU CAN READ ONE OF MY MOST RECENT LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION ON THIS WEBSITE. OTHER REFERENCES ARE AVAILABLE BY REQUEST. JUST ASK.