Friday November 20, 2009
Some agents, whether novice or veteran, can find themselves inadvertently turning into white knight agents.
These types of agents are not out to save the world. They want to save home buyers and sellers from themselves. At least that's their intention. But most unlucky recipients, if they really stopped to think about the ramifications of their agent's white knight behavior, would want to run as far away as they can.
White knight agents often act on behalf of their clients without authority. They get in the way of successful closings and, instead of helping to guide, they become obstacles and roadblocks . . . read more about White Knight Agents.
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Wednesday November 18, 2009
It's sort of creepy to think about, but do you know if there has been a
death in the house you are buying?
It's not that uncommon to buy a home in which someone has died. Occurrences of death in a house are not limited to older homes or probate sales. People croak in new homes, too, because few of us really know the exact moment our time on earth will end. However, for some home buyers, a death inside the house is an absolute deal killer.
In general, Americans are not very comfortable with the idea of death. Few of us want to view our own mortality. We grieve for our departed loved ones in private, but I wish we were felt it was more acceptable to embrace the fact publicly.
My neighbor is a Sikh. When her husband died in a freak accident, hundreds of people from her temple came to her home to mourn with her, loudly and openly. Women dressed in white lined the walls of her living room and sobbed in unison. I joined them. It had a remarkable cleansing and healing effect.
But I do hope my neighbor doesn't decide to sell. Some home buyers are very squeamish . . . read more about Death In the House.
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Monday November 16, 2009
Anybody who tells you there is no such thing as home buying stress has never bought a home.
Home buyers stress out over the little details and often go berserk when larger problems appear. Part of the reason for stress is because it takes so long to buy a home. Although it's possible, nobody actually shows up on the seller's doorstep to hand the seller a big old bag of money and receives the keys to the home in return.
Nope, it's a long, drawn-out and sometimes extremely stressful process, during which facts are checked and double-checked, while lenders poke around in your lingerie drawer . . . read more about Home Buying Stress.
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Friday November 13, 2009
Although real estate agents often give their clients gifts at closing, it's also popular to give
REALTORSŪ closing gifts.
Many readers have written to me asking for gift suggestions. They don't want to come across as ungrateful, especially if their agents have worked their tails off or sprinted that extra yard. But clients also want to appear thoughtful and give a gift that will be appreciated. So, what do you do?
Because it's not as though the agent hasn't earned a tidy little sum known as a commission for bringing the transaction to a successful close, which means the agent can buy herself or himself almost anything he or she desires. Moreover, some buyers and sellers might wonder if the REALTORŪ even deserves a closing gift. Some don't. Realize that closing gifts from a client are never expected, and you're under no obligation to deliver a gift . . . read more about
REALTORŪ closing gifts.
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