Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

• Internet Referral Agents

  Date: 2012.07.02 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

  What a lot of Internet sites do these days is lure you in, take down a lot of information about you, and then “sell” you as a lead to someone who has paid to be a part of their referral network. Let me explain that again: You are submitting your housing needs information to a middleman who in turn will sell it to a perfect stranger. Read the rest of this entry »

• Fee-for-Service Consultants

  Date: 2012.06.29 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

  This is a very new form of real estate professional that is probably more popular on the seller side than the buyer side, but they certainly are available to buyers. Read the rest of this entry »

• Your Mom’s Agent

  Date: 2012.06.25 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

  This is the agent your mom wants you to use. This is not on the list to be funny. In fact, this is probably the agent you’ll end up hiring. The reality is that just about everybody knows somebody who is in the real estate business and they are going to want you to use their friend or relative. Read the rest of this entry »

• Have Gun, Will Travel (2)

  Date: 2012.05.20 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

  We’ll get into that in depth in a just a second, but here’s the short version: If you walk into a house and immediately fall in love with how much light there is in the back room, a buyer’s agent will point out that it’s coming in through a three-inch crack in the wall; a listing agent will point out there is no extra charge for that crack; and a facilitator will speculate the light could be coming from the sun—but is, of course, really not sure and you should consult with your attorney. Read the rest of this entry »

• Closing Agent/Escrow Agent

  Date: 2012.05.08 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

  The names differ in different areas, but this is the person who actually sits down with everybody at the end of the transaction—the sellers, the buyers, the agents, and anyone else appropriate—to make sure all the paperwork is signed, all the documents are in place, and the money and commission checks get where they need to go. Read the rest of this entry »

• Mortgage Broker, Lender, and Appraiser

  Date: 2012.04.30 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

  MORTGAGE

  A mortgage broker is someone skilled at looking at your financial history and finding a loan that makes sense for you. Typically, a mortgage broker has a number of banks and other lenders he can compare. In total, he may be able to access hundreds of different types of loan styles with different interest rates, payment periods, discount points, and closing costs. Read the rest of this entry »

• Real Estate Salespeople (2)

  Date: 2012.04.22 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

  

   

  • Top producers. These are very busy real estate sales associates (but could hold the title of broker, as well) who are helping a lot of consumers and have gained a large clientele. They are the people who are doing the most deals and making the most money. You need to make sure your top producer is on your side.
  • Real estate assistants. These are a relatively new breed of real estate professional. They are helpers—staff people—who assist busy sales associates or brokers. Assistants may or may not have real estate licenses. Read the rest of this entry »

• What Is Bacteria

  Date: 2012.03.25 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

  There’s the dirt you can see—the grime, the grunge, the grease—and the dirt you can’t, those living organisms that set up house in your toxic zones, producing germs, smells, and even illnesses. I’m talking about bacteria. Bacteria, like its bathroom buddies mold and mildew (that’s M & M to those in the know), multiplies with reckless abandon if not defended against. Unlike M & M, which are generally visible to the naked eye, you can’t see bacteria, which makes it that much more dangerous (unless, of course, you have the resources of a CSI).

  Read the rest of this entry »