Short Sales

Are you considering hiring a real estate agent for you buying or selling needs? If you are going to be buying or selling a short sale home then you absolutely will want a real estate agent to help you along the way. Short sale real estate transactions are very complex, and having an experienced short sale agent is essential.

You wouldn’t just hire an employee without interviewing them, would you?   Well the same strategy should be applied before hiring a real estate agent , that will represent your property.  And don’t be surprised during the interview process that a savvy Agent will be probing and asking to find out your intentions as well.

It’s good to know how long they have been in the business and their degree of experience. Fairly new agents might have more time to be attentive to your needs & newly graduated Agents may be beneficial, depending upon what level of training they have acquired and if they have easy access to good mentors. Some agents with 15 years of experience have not grown farther than their first year while others are progressive and strive to keep current and updated.

Request references and permission to make contact with them if you have more questions.  Also ask them if they are related to any of the references they have supplied you with.

Ask if they can provide you with the documents to review that you will be required for signature & request a copy of them upfront.   Note – a great real estate agent will make these documents accessible for you to preview before signing.  From your Agent (as a buyer) request – the buyers disclosure document, the purchase agreement, the agencies disclosures and a copy of the buyers Brokerage Agreement. As a seller request from your Real Estate Agent the Listing agreement, the agencies disclosure and the sellers disclosure documents.

Keep in mind that all real estate fees are negotiable and ask how much all of the charges will be.

How do they plan to market your property?  Request to see examples.

Do they offer any type of guarantee and what exactly does it entail?  Will the Agent allow you to cancel the listing or buying agreements if you are unhappy with arrangements?

And always remember to ask -what else do or will I need to know, that I haven’t already asked you. In real estate there is always something that you will need to know.  A good Real Estate Agent will address and answer all of your questions and take time to insure you are comfortable with their experience and knowledge.

This article was provided by:

Hamilton Real Estate Agent in Ontario, at HamiltonRealEstateAgent.ca

At the time a real estate agent goes to work for a homeowner and lists a property for sale, he/she is officially representing the seller.  When a Realtor represents a buyer for the same home, he becomes a dual agent. Dual agency is lawful in just about every state, provided the real estate agent discloses his dual agency . The big question is, “Do you really want a Realtor who represents you and the party you are seeking to negotiate against? ” Is Dual Agency a conflict of interest for you?

Of course it’s a conflict . Consider this . When you retain an agent to find your home, and that very same agent represents the homeowner , your agent owes both you and the seller a legal fiduciary duty to get each of you the best price and the best terms . Because your agent is a dual agent, he or she is saying to you, ” I hereby swear to get you the lowest price on this house and beat the seller up .”

And this agent has been telling his selling client, “I promise to get you the highest price and to gouge the buyer.”

Do you see a conflict here? This may cause you to ask yourself, “Do I want a dual agent or a buyer’s agent?”

Most buyers don’t think about this blatant conflict, but they are willing to spend a small fortune with an agent who is a dual agent.

If you are buying a home, don’t you want to be confident that your Realtor is going to fight for you and not against you? And if you are selling a home , don’t you want to know that the advice you are getting is in your very best interests and not hindered with a conflict of interest in favor of the buyer?