Real Estate Information

Be Careful - A Real Estate Agent Could Lead You Astray


The real estate agent is a valuable source of potential deals for you as an investor. They have access to the multiple listing resources and of course, have a monopoly on this information so they have to be part of your game plan as an investor. Working with real estate agents can be difficult depending on the agent.

Some of the factors that you should take note of include the following:

  • When you want to purchase a property, offer them a short closing date.
    One way of getting an agent to take you seriously is to offer a fast closing date. There are a few things that make an agent more excited than the thought of getting their commission within the next 14 days. If the agent has another offer presented to him/her they will usually advise the client to take the offer and close than accept an offer that is higher in price. One of the reasons is because it is better to have "a bird in the hand, rather than two in the bush".
  • See if you can present a creative offer to the owner in person, rather than through the agent.
    If you have an offer that needs to be explained in a fashion to the owner which brings out all its great benefits, then you may have to assist on presenting the offer in person or with the agent. If you present that type of offer to an agent, it may not even reach the owner and certainly will be given less priority than other offers. Agents in general do not like creative offers because they are more interested in conventional offers from solid buyers.
  • Be suspicious of agents.
    Be suspicious of any agent who tells you what a great deal you are getting on a property. The fact is, if it is such a good deal, why he/she didn't buy it. Don't take their word as to value. Ask for a comparable sales printout to show what other properties in the area are selling for. If comparable sales information shows the same square meters as the house you are looking at, then take a drive by and see if it is correct. Don't leave the homework to your agent; make sure you do a little bit of your own assessment.
  • Don't be bullied by agents.
    Don't be afraid to speak openly with your agent if something is being done that is not to your advantage. Unfortunately there are some agents who are unethical, and work only to ensure that they get their commission. Sometimes they will refuse to present your offer to the owner when it is their obligation and duty to do so.

    Many times an agent will lie and tell you to your face that your offer has been rejected, when in fact, it was never presented. If you feel that this may be the case, don't be afraid to go over the agents head and see the owner of the agency. If you find a broker is uncooperative or not acting in your interests, then the best thing is to go to another agent. The new agent will approach the same owner on your behalf.

  • See some properties with the agent.
    Arrange to meet the agent and discuss fully what you are looking for. Do this before he/she takes you around to see some properties. Ask them to find a number of properties that will suit your requirements and make sure you are clear on exactly what you want so no time is wasted. The good agent will make an appointment for you to inspect properties very quickly so they can get a feel for what you are looking for.

    They will take you to all the properties and they will rearrange their times to suit your timetable. It is a good idea to take someone that you trust with you when you are looking at properties so you can get another opinion. Indicate to the agent that you are serious about your search and that if the right property is found, you would definitely be interested in proceeding. It is a good idea to take your check book with you so that the agent can see that you are serious about finding the right property.

    Sometimes buying a property from a typical agent can be difficult. Many of them will tell you not to call them by to check the properties from the advertisements that they place. These are the agents that would rather place an advertisement than call the right buyer so it might be wise to use other agents.

  • Note: The above points do not apply to all agents. We are talking about the disreputable minority out there. Most agents care about their work and they labor to represent their client efficiently and professionally. Those are the ones to look for.


    Copyright 2005 StartRunGrow
    http://www.startrungrow.com

    StartRunGrow (http://www.startrungrow.com) is a global online information organization that specializes in creating, developing and marketing business help information specifically with the aim of "making business easier" for entrepreneurs around the world. The StartRunGrow objective is to become a dominant player in the business help arena providing end to end solutions for the millions of small and medium businesses worldwide who continue to struggle daily with the difficulties of starting, running and growing a successful business.


    MORE RESOURCES:

    WA today

    Real-Estate Executive Found Dead in Apparent Suicide
    Wall Street Journal - 11 hours ago
    By TIMOTHY MARTIN and KEVIN HELLIKER CHICAGO -- Real-estate executive Steven L. Good was found dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound Monday in ...
    Chicago real estate executive kills himself, police say Chicago Tribune
    Real estate tycoon found dead Straits Times
    Real estate mogul found fatally shot in suburban wildlife preserve Chicago Sun-Times
    WBBM780 - The Courier News
    all 34 news articles


    New York Times

    Tough '09 Is Seen for Commercial Real Estate
    Washington Post, United States - Jan 5, 2009
    By Dana Hedgpeth This year will be among the worst for the US commercial real estate industry, as unemployment leads to a drop of as much as 30 percent in ...
    Commercial Real Estate Miami Daily Business Review
    Commercial real-estate market faces worsening slump San Bernardino Sun
    Debate over a commercial real estate bailout Journal Record (subscription)
    NASDAQ - New York Times
    all 55 news articles


    Boston-area commercial real estate sales plunge
    Boston Globe, United States - 11 hours ago
    Now, real estate investors don't have data to guide them in pricing properties in the soft economy, making it less likely that buyers will come forward out ...
    Office vacancies rise south of Boston The Patriot Ledger
    all 4 news articles


    The Associated Press

    Bailing out the real estate market
    Boston Globe, United States - 2 hours ago
    But in a switch, the powerful real estate trade group is not downplaying the bad news this time. "A real estate-focused stimulus plan is urgently needed," ...
    Pending home sales plunge to record low in Nov. BusinessWeek
    Pending Home Sales Drop to Seven Year Low Dividend.com
    Pending Home Sales Hit Seven Year Low, Factory Orders Drop More ... istockAnalyst.com (press release)
    New York Times - Washington Post
    all 645 news articles


    Daily Mail

    Tom & Katie Are Not NYC's Next Real Estate Moguls
    E! Online - 17 hours ago
    Are Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes trying to give Donald Trump a run for his New York City real estate money? If a new report is to be believed, ...
    Katie Holmes spends $14m in six months in New York Telegraph.co.uk
    Katie Holmes: Final Week On Broadway! The Gossip Girls
    TomKat: Nobu Dinner Date Night The Gossip Girls
    all 114 news articles


    New York Daily News

    New York City neighborhoods with the best real estate bargains
    New York Daily News, NY - 7 hours ago
    Now the tides may be turning, according to a new real estate study by Streeteasy, a website that tracks real estate trends. The good news: there are a lot ...
    Manhattan housing up in 4Q, but luxury market down BusinessWeek
    Streeteasy study finds home sales in Manhattan drop 34% New York Daily News
    all 40 news articles


    Overseas Property and Investment News

    Striking Declines Seen in Manhattan Real Estate Market
    New York Times, United States - Jan 5, 2009
    By JOSH BARBANEL For those New Yorkers who wondered what the Manhattan real estate market might be like without the ever-rising bonuses of Wall Street’s ...
    Manhattan's Sterling Real-Estate Market Begins to Tarnish Wall Street Journal
    NYC real estate defies gravity - so far CNNMoney.com
    More Confirmation Real Estate Market is Tanking Gothamist
    AHN - Sun-Sentinel.com
    all 102 news articles


    PerezHilton.com

    Shaquille O'Neal boxed in by drop in real estate values
    Los Angeles Times, CA - 21 hours ago
    As everybody knows, the real estate market has tanked since then and Shaq just relisted his Miami home with a dramatically reduced price of $25 million. ...
    Shaq' home back on market Bizjournals.com
    all 13 news articles


    Real estate power broker dead of apparent suicide
    CNN - 3 minutes ago
    Steven L. Good was found dead of an apparent gunshot wound in his car Monday CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- One of Chicago's most well-known real estate moguls ...


    New York Times

    International Real Estate For Sale in Mexico
    New York Times, United States - 16 hours ago
    Oceanfront homes on Cozumel start at about $1 million, said Nancy Edwards, a broker with Cozumel Living Real Estate; condominiums sell for around $500000. ...

    Real-Estate - Google News

    home | site map | Contact Us | Privacy policy | Disclaimer
    Copyright © 2006 realestategainer.com - contact us:- info@realestategainer.com