May 23, 2006
- Buyer's Market - Is it Returning?
After five years of sizzling growth, U.S. home price appreciation is showing signs of cooling.
Pending home sales — a leading market indicator — are down from a year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors. In many of the nation's hottest markets, brokers also are reporting a growing gap between sellers' asking prices and [...]
May 19, 2006
- When is the Best Time to Buy Real Estate?
Buy when times are hard. Buy when blood is running in the streets. Buy after a flood, blizzard, riot. During such times, insurance firms and banks have properties they don't want. Owners are also desperate, as they suffer the anxieties of having to feed a white elephant.
Winter and summer are real estate's dead seasons. Check [...]
May 15, 2006
- Real Estate - Forced Savings
Some people are just plain lousy at saving money. A house is an automatic savings account. You accumulate savings in two ways.
First, every month, a portion of your payment goes toward the principal. Admittedly, in the early years of the mortgage, this is not much. Over time, however, it accelerates.
Second, your home appreciates. Average appreciation [...]
May 12, 2006
- Finding the Right Real Estate Agent
When someone decides it is time to sell their home, they interview several Realtors from different companies to determine which one is best for them. They want someone who will represent them and someone they feel will do an effective job at marketing their home.
However, when someone decides to buy a home, they usually end [...]
April 28, 2006
- How We Get Paid
Consumer advocates strongly recommend that buyers hire their own agents. They further argue that a coop-fee has already been built-in to the purchase price, and therefore, there is no need for the buyer or seller to incur additional fees when the cooperating agent represents the buyer.
Why would a Buyer Agent want to negotiate a lower [...]
April 16, 2006
- Exclusive Buyer Agency
An exclusive buyer agent, or buyer broker, represents the home buyer and negotiates with the seller and the seller's agent to obtain the best price and terms for the buyer.
An exclusive buyer agent is loyal only to the buyer.
An exclusive buyer's agent represents buyers only.
An exclusive buyer's agent never represents sellers.
Exclusive buyer's agents do not [...]
