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Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Choosing RE/MAX helps when Selling or Buying a New Home

All those who have had the experience of buying a new home or selling a home know it is not an easy task in our current market conditions. RE/MAX and it’s RE/MAX balloon logo has assisted in creating a world famous real estate company. RE/MAX associates help people sell a home or buy a new home. It has been in business for over three decades and caters to clients from different parts of the world and has offices and associates that serve the smallest cities or towns.

RE/MAX has offices worldwide where real estate agents work tirelessly to help clients buy or sell properties and homes. RE/MAX Realtors have dominated the ranks in all the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), the Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), the Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) and the Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) designations and continuing education. This means their agents have some of the best expert knowledge related to the real estate industry and are able to serve buyers and sellers in a professional and highly skilled manner.

Whether you want to buy a new home or sell a home your task will become very easy and less stressful if you hire a RE/MAX Realtor because they:

  • Keep themselves up to date with the latest trends in the industry.
  • Use a comparative market analysis to determine the best price of a home or property.
  • Use the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) listings to list their client’s homes and properties for sale with pictures and demographics on the Internet.
  • Their knowledge of the local area and the market conditions help the process to be as smooth and easy as possible.
  • Assist you from the beginning to the end of the process and work to earn your trust in hopes of repeat and referral business.

RE/MAX understands it’s responsibilities to society and has taken initiatives to give back to the community. Whenever you hire a RE/MAX Realtor for either buying a home or selling a home, they may donate a part of their earnings by participating in the Miracle Home Program or the Home for the Cure Program. Under the Miracle Home Program, real estate agents make a contribution to a local hospital affiliated with the Children's Miracle Network. The donation remains in the area and benefits the local residents. Under the Home for the Cure Program, a donation is made to Susan G. Komen for the Cure which uses the funds to help fight breast cancer.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Why Do Buyers Insist on Putting the Cart Before the Horse?

Sitting in my office the other day I received an inbound inquiry from the switchboard. It was a prospective purchaser that was relocating from one of the 'family islands' and wanted to see a home listing we had. As usual, I asked some qualifying questions to get a feel for the prospect's needs. After getting satisfactory answers to my battery of questions I asked the most important question of all, "Will you be financing your purchase? and Have you been pre-qualified at the bank for a loan?"

You would have thought I asked the lady how much she weighed (which is a question that should never part your lips unless you are a physician)! Immediately following the uncomfortable silence on the other end of the phone, she proceeded to tell me that she owned other property and that qualifying for a loan shouldn't be a problem. That may be so, but I for one don't even put the key in the ignition, nor will I inconvenience my seller or another listing agent unless I know for sure that the prospect can qualify for the purchase price of the listing, or at least get real close!

After diplomatically explaining my position and offering to recommend a couple of lenders that could likely do an over the phone pre-qualification, she abruptly said, "I don't want to go through all of that, I just want to see the home!" Well I'll be a monkey's uncle! Let me just stop what I am doing, call the owner and ask them to stop what they are doing and make arrangements to show you a home that neither you nor I know you can afford, and all because you want to circumnavigate the natural order of things?!!

I was absolutely amazed, but regrettably not terribly surprised. In this case, the interested buyer didn't want to bother herself getting pre-qualified. In many other cases, it seems that banks would rather not go through the rigorous process of qualifying buyers before they begin shopping. All too often, the prospective purchasers tell us that the bank said, "Go find a property you like, get an offer letter and/or contract and we'll see if you qualify." In either case, the buyer is clearly putting the cart before the horse!