Helping Their Client? Or Hurting? For the benefit of every Buyer’s agent in multiple offers during the upcoming Spring market (start: early Feb.), who thinks they’re serving their client by hounding the listing agent . . . the following is for you: Dear fellow agent: As you know, the home your client is interested in buying is...Read More
First Come, First Served? Maybe “Owner-occupied offers only through 10/10/2013. Offers will be submitted upon receipt.” –Excerpt, “Agent Remarks” on MLS foreclosure listing Why is the listing agent reassuring Buyers’ agents (the only ones who can see “Agent Remarks” on MLS) that “offers will be submitted upon receipt?” And exactly what do they mean by...Read More
But, the Seller (Understandably) May Not Go For It Show me a listing agent (representing the Seller) who’s supremely confident that their client’s home will appraise . . . and I’ll show you a home that sold for too little. Huh?? I only know of two ways to absolutely, positively eliminate the risk of a...Read More
First Come, First Served Which of the following is a legitimate reason for a Seller to take longer than 48 hours to respond to a Buyer’s written offer? A. The Seller is out-of-town. B. The Seller’s agent is out-of-town. C. The Seller is sick. D. The Seller’s lawyer needs to review the offer. Answer: none...Read More
Overreaching Sellers (& Their Side Effects) The big story in the housing market so far this year has been (lack of) inventory. As previously discussed on this blog, that has resulted — at least in the lower price rungs dominated by first-time Buyers — in multiple offers, upward price pressure, and lots of frayed Buyers (and...Read More
Lower Rates, Yes, But Higher Prices (& Fewer Choices) First, a caveat: to home Sellers, higher home prices are an unalloyed plus. More money at closing is . . . more money (Realtors paid commissions like it, too). And lower interest rates are catnip to Buyers — at least ones financing their purchase. But at what...Read More
