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-   -   Has anyone had a Real Estate agent.... (https://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com/showthread.php?t=12306)

RandyWayne 02-08-2008 08:41 PM
Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
....actually help them find a house??

Since we're moving across the country, we didn't exactly have time to shop for a good agent and basically picked the first one that fell into our laps.

Pros: She (and any agent) have keys that can let you into any home at almost any time. If your home is listed, it is just about open to any other agent who wants to show it.

Cons: Other than THAT, just about everything. She is doing squat. Gone are the days when agents helped you FIND a home (we're doing that ALL on our home), so why are they going to get 20 grand?


So..... Has anyone bought a home recently where their agent actively helped, using their knowledge of the area, find a home?

Sweet Pea 02-08-2008 09:01 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 384089)
....actually help them find a house??

Since we're moving across the country, we didn't exactly have time to shop for a good agent and basically picked the first one that fell into our laps.

Pros: She (and any agent) have keys that can let you into any home at almost any time. If your home is listed, it is just about open to any other agent who wants to show it.

Cons: Other than THAT, just about everything. She is doing squat. Gone are the days when agents helped you FIND a home (we're doing that ALL on our home), so why are they going to get 20 grand?


So..... Has anyone bought a home recently where their agent actively helped, using their knowledge of the area, find a home?
Haven't used a real estate agent in a while. But I do know of one that found homes for two young couples within the past three years. She did ALL the work involved - even gave one of the couples a refrigerator when they moved in. Right now, she is actively helping one of the couples find a newer home in this "buyer's market." She is calling them with leads frequently. THEY are doing diddly squat except driving by (or looking online at pictures) and then telling her if they are interested in seeing the inside of it. Maybe you need to find a new agent. Must be really frustrating to feel as if you are doing their job....

RandyWayne 02-08-2008 09:09 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
Ok, so apparently some of them aren't worthless. lol

The problem of course is that we're tied into a contract with her that isn't up till July -at which point we will have been there for almost 4 months.
She hasn't even been responding to any emails the last couple of days..... AND when we were in the car with her, she did nothing but talk on the cell phone.

Kae 02-08-2008 09:31 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
We have had a few bad experiences. We had an agent sell us a house that we had to completely demolish within 3 years. We had the inspection done and he did a 4 hour inspection. He was recommended by her though.

Last year we listed our house for sale with an agent and she signed as a seller's agent. I have the paper work to prove it. Her broker insisted that they only do dual agents. This is the same broker that sold us the first home different agent. They did a few more illegal things and I could of went after them, but we got a really good agent who didn't feel it was in our best interests and he made things happen. They felt they could take advantage of us because we had moved 1500 miles away.

Right now I am looking and contacted an agent about a home. She set up a gateway for me to look at, but changed all the things that I told her I wanted because she felt she knew better. It is much easier for me to search online and to do my own looking.

If you find a good one don't let them go because they are few and far between.

Jack Shephard 02-08-2008 09:46 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 384121)
Ok, so apparently some of them aren't worthless. lol

The problem of course is that we're tied into a contract with her that isn't up till July -at which point we will have been there for almost 4 months.
She hasn't even been responding to any emails the last couple of days..... AND when we were in the car with her, she did nothing but talk on the cell phone.
That is what you get when you deal with a broker/agent in the Phoenix Metro area. LOL

You should have rented for a while until you found the right place right time type thing. Oh well....:TulsaNO:

pelathais 02-08-2008 09:50 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
I hardly need an "agent" to find a shopping cart and a large cardboard box. You've gone soft and all nancy boy on us, RandyWayne.

AmazingGrace 02-08-2008 09:55 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
We used a relocation agency thru my husbands job... it was much easier... there was no contracts with the agents... no agent fees and they did everything from hiring the mover co. to renting our temporary housing... to storing our furniture and separating what we needed for the short time in TL... They arranged the packers and unpackers... they arranged shopping support if we needed anyone on the other end to help locate new furniture for some of the things we left behind and they arranged the vehicle transportation and our pick up at the airport..

This was provided through the mil.. however we checked into the same thing when we moved without mil.. and it was not too pricey... they make the majority of their monies helping the bigger companies and military so they can charge a little less for one on one work... I would do it again in a heartbeat... they had our house sold here in 10 days and then had ours there for us in 21 days after we told them we were ready.. when we told them what we were looking for they sent us an email and I told them which of those 12 I wanted to see... they didnt even want to go with me... they told me this was a decision for us to make on our own. Gave us keybox codes and we went and then told them the one we wanted to contract on and it was done... we had to go into the office 1 time and that was to sign the deal on the house!

RandyWayne 02-08-2008 10:15 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JTULLOCK (Post 384154)
That is what you get when you deal with a broker/agent in the Phoenix Metro area. LOL

You should have rented for a while until you found the right place right time type thing. Oh well....:TulsaNO:
This is Curtis Johnson Realty. Ever hear of them? Their office is in Tempe just a few miles South/East of the Marriot "The Buttes" hotel South East of the airport.

While not exactly uneducated we ARE first time home buyers and the first and biggest mistake we made was telling her our top price. All she has shown us were homes that were at our top price even though there are plenty of homes which are just as good for a full 100 grand less. When we suggest an amount we would like to make an offer for, she is usually suggesting 20 grand less, that way they can "meet in the middle" and arrive at the "Curtis Johnson 10 grand off guarantee!". Then we come back with, "ok, we were thinking more in line with offering 60 grand off the asking price...." -after all it is the biggest buyers market in over a decade there!

Ron 02-08-2008 10:43 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
Do your due diligence.

Real Estate Agents can be like Politicians & Lawyers.
Trust then about as far as you can throw one.:hypercoffee

RandyWayne 02-08-2008 10:46 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
I have realize that in the whole process of buying and selling a home there are FOUR parties: The seller, the sellers agent, the buy and the buyers agent. Only ONE of these four is interested in getting the lowest possible price. Guess which one!

RandyWayne 02-09-2008 12:01 AM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by He's My Friend (Post 384315)
A good realtor is hard to find.

We've bought 13 houses, and we located everyone of them, then contacted the realtor for a showing.

What usually upsets us the most, is when you tell them exactly what you are looking for, and the price, and they still take you to see homes that do not meet your criteria.
And ours is taking us to homes that match what we want.... except we're finding ones that are much better, and for significantly less.
Really, all she is good for is being keeper of the magic Realtor key that lets us in to see the places.

Apocrypha 02-09-2008 12:25 AM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
as a realtor myself I can tell you what you want.

You want someone with their ABR Certification, Accredited Buyer Representative

http://www.rebac.net/Content.aspx?PageName=abr.htm

You can go to Realtor.com and look up agents by Certifications in your local market. Trust me, it makes all the difference in the world between getting a professional and a brand new licensee who got you while doing floor time waiting for a inbound call to the desk.

Michael Phelps 02-09-2008 07:41 AM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 384089)
....actually help them find a house??

Since we're moving across the country, we didn't exactly have time to shop for a good agent and basically picked the first one that fell into our laps.

Pros: She (and any agent) have keys that can let you into any home at almost any time. If your home is listed, it is just about open to any other agent who wants to show it.

Cons: Other than THAT, just about everything. She is doing squat. Gone are the days when agents helped you FIND a home (we're doing that ALL on our home), so why are they going to get 20 grand?


So..... Has anyone bought a home recently where their agent actively helped, using their knowledge of the area, find a home?

We have just had an EXCELLENT experience on both sides of the deal......our agent in Omaha was assigned to us by our relocation company, and has spent literally hours with us. We gave her our criteria, and she picked out the homes for us..........after we looked at about 6, she realized what we liked in a home and what we didn't, and she narrowed the list down based on that. It didn't take long for us to find the perfect house, and she's handled pretty much everything since then, such as the inspections, the walk thru with the builder, and much, much more.

Our agent here in Michigan has been extremely helpful as well..........

Digging4Truth 02-09-2008 07:45 AM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by pelathais (Post 384162)
I hardly need an "agent" to find a shopping cart and a large cardboard box. You've gone soft and all nancy boy on us, RandyWayne.
A shopping cart?

Well... aren't you fancy.

Do you think God is going to bless your cardboard box when you have a shopping cart that belongs to a store somewhere?

:)

Sweet Pea 02-09-2008 08:01 AM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 384121)
Ok, so apparently some of them aren't worthless. lol

The problem of course is that we're tied into a contract with her that isn't up till July -at which point we will have been there for almost 4 months.
She hasn't even been responding to any emails the last couple of days..... AND when we were in the car with her, she did nothing but talk on the cell phone.

Boy - I guess I am behind times - I've NEVER heard of being tied to a realtor by a contract if you are BUYING a home - only if selling. That's like being tied by a contract to only one car dealership when buying a new vehicle. I could understand the moral and ethical obligation, IF you decided to buy a home that the first realtor had already shown you - but.... something smells fishy to me. If the realtor I was working with wasn't working in my best interest and I didn't feel he/she was actively looking for what I wanted ..... I'd fire them! - and if there was a contract, I'd be reading the fine print - surely you have an out.

Pressing-On 02-09-2008 08:28 AM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 384089)
....actually help them find a house??

Since we're moving across the country, we didn't exactly have time to shop for a good agent and basically picked the first one that fell into our laps.

Pros: She (and any agent) have keys that can let you into any home at almost any time. If your home is listed, it is just about open to any other agent who wants to show it.

Cons: Other than THAT, just about everything. She is doing squat. Gone are the days when agents helped you FIND a home (we're doing that ALL on our home), so why are they going to get 20 grand?


So..... Has anyone bought a home recently where their agent actively helped, using their knowledge of the area, find a home?
We bought ours 8 years ago and our agent was very helpful - every step of the way. Told me which bank would be best to finance through, put me in touch with the best surveyors, etc. I was on the phone all day for a week, but we got it done! I would use this particular guy again, if we needed to.

Mrs. LPW 02-09-2008 09:50 AM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 384089)
....actually help them find a house??

Since we're moving across the country, we didn't exactly have time to shop for a good agent and basically picked the first one that fell into our laps.

Pros: She (and any agent) have keys that can let you into any home at almost any time. If your home is listed, it is just about open to any other agent who wants to show it.

Cons: Other than THAT, just about everything. She is doing squat. Gone are the days when agents helped you FIND a home (we're doing that ALL on our home), so why are they going to get 20 grand?


So..... Has anyone bought a home recently where their agent actively helped, using their knowledge of the area, find a home?
Too bad you aren't moving to my area... my husbands an agent and he bends over backwards for his clients. Both selling and buying.

And I might add, he's been shafted by clients more times than I can count. So there are dishonest folks on both sides of the coin.

Pragmatist 02-09-2008 10:27 AM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 384324)
And ours is taking us to homes that match what we want.... except we're finding ones that are much better, and for significantly less.
Really, all she is good for is being keeper of the magic Realtor key that lets us in to see the places.
When we bought our house, I searched on the internet for the houses that I wanted to see and yes, the realtor set up the appointments and provided the magic Realtor key.

Remember that you are the consumer and if you find a house that you want to look at, you can demand that your desires are met. And if she doesn't want to show them, then I would think you would have grounds for breaking the contract.

Just a personal vent- we used people that were in "church", thinking that they would be ethical and were proven wrong. We won't make that mistake again.

LaVonne 02-09-2008 10:31 AM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 384089)
....actually help them find a house??

Since we're moving across the country, we didn't exactly have time to shop for a good agent and basically picked the first one that fell into our laps.

Pros: She (and any agent) have keys that can let you into any home at almost any time. If your home is listed, it is just about open to any other agent who wants to show it.

Cons: Other than THAT, just about everything. She is doing squat. Gone are the days when agents helped you FIND a home (we're doing that ALL on our home), so why are they going to get 20 grand?


So..... Has anyone bought a home recently where their agent actively helped, using their knowledge of the area, find a home?
Yes, we have. When we were getting ready to move across the country, I was able to find a realtor who has been great! They are hard to find...I ended up using the one who would keep in touch with me and return my numerous phone calls.

LaVonne 02-09-2008 10:32 AM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 384324)
And ours is taking us to homes that match what we want.... except we're finding ones that are much better, and for significantly less.
Really, all she is good for is being keeper of the magic Realtor key that lets us in to see the places.
I think this is basically true of most realtors. In all our homes except the one we are living in now, I found them myslef. This one we currently live in our realtor found for us...thankfully!

RandyWayne 02-09-2008 10:57 AM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sweet Pea (Post 384391)
Boy - I guess I am behind times - I've NEVER heard of being tied to a realtor by a contract if you are BUYING a home - only if selling. That's like being tied by a contract to only one car dealership when buying a new vehicle. I could understand the moral and ethical obligation, IF you decided to buy a home that the first realtor had already shown you - but.... something smells fishy to me. If the realtor I was working with wasn't working in my best interest and I didn't feel he/she was actively looking for what I wanted ..... I'd fire them! - and if there was a contract, I'd be reading the fine print - surely you have an out.

We were looking in this area (Portage Wisconsin) a few years ago and the realtor's operated the same way, which is that they required a "contract" so there is nothing unusual about it.

LaVonne 02-09-2008 01:57 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Realestate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 384492)
We were looking in this area (Portage Wisconsin) a few years ago and the realtor's operated the same way, which is that they required a "contract" so there is nothing unusual about it.
I'm with Sweet Pea...I've NEVER heard of signing a contract with a realtor to buy.

RandyWayne 02-09-2008 03:28 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
And we've talked to quite a few over the past two years and never met one who didn't require one. LOL

The job of the Realtor needs to change. Just as encyclopedia salesmen are far less relevant today than they were 15 years ago, realtor's really don't provide any more of a service then being holder of the mystical key needed to get into homes and look at them. The internet provides the exact same information to us as it does to them -and for free!

The difference between the two, is customers are allowed to simply stop buying encyclopedia's but realtor's, in order to use that magic key, are still charging the same ungodly commission rates! We figure in the end, she'll be getting between 3 and 5 hundred dollars per house that she opens for us.

Mrs. LPW 02-09-2008 03:42 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Up here.. you don't sign any contract until you go to place an offer on a home. (when buying) Selling, of course there is a contract.

My husband has gone hither and yon showing houses for people... bent over backwards and then had them buy through a completely different agent. It can be very discouraging... and he's an honest agent.. and it's his honest income for our family.
He's also listed homes for people, spent money advertising it, only to have them remove it from the market and sell it privately.

I understand there are crooks in Real Estate.. there are crooks in most businesses... but if you ever use a good agent.. don't stab them in the back please.. most likely it's their only income.

(that's a general statement.. not aimed at anyone in particular!) :)

Michael Phelps 02-09-2008 03:45 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. LPW (Post 384927)
Up here.. you don't sign any contract until you go to place an offer on a home. (when buying) Selling, of course there is a contract.

My husband has gone hither and yon showing houses for people... bent over backwards and then had them buy through a completely different agent. It can be very discouraging... and he's an honest agent.. and it's his honest income for our family.
He's also listed homes for people, spent money advertising it, only to have them remove it from the market and sell it privately.

I understand there are crooks in Real Estate.. there are crooks in most businesses... but if you ever use a good agent.. don't stab them in the back please.. most likely it's their only income.

(that's a general statement.. not aimed at anyone in particular!) :)
I would agree with this. There is nothing wrong with signing a contract when selling a home, and it's just good ethics to purchase thru the agent that spends the most time with you.

NOw, if you get a loser who does nothing, in my opinion, there is no obligation.

RandyWayne 02-09-2008 03:48 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
We have a current "top home" that we may very well make an offer on in the next few weeks.

The front
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w..._0440Small.jpg

The stairs that greet when you when you walk in
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w..._0442Small.jpg

The kitchen
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w..._0458Small.jpg

Inside the master bedroom upstairs looking at the balcony door
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w..._0448Small.jpg

Taken FROM the balcony
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w..._0445Small.jpg

Taken from the far corner of the lot looking at the back of the house, and the balcony that the last picture was taken from
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w..._0452Small.jpg

Mrs. LPW 02-09-2008 03:48 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Phelps (Post 384931)
I would agree with this. There is nothing wrong with signing a contract when selling a home, and it's just good ethics to purchase thru the agent that spends the most time with you.

NOw, if you get a loser who does nothing, in my opinion, there is no obligation.
Right... a good agent deserves loyalty.. a bad one doesn't!

Mrs. LPW 02-09-2008 03:49 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
That home is beautiful Randy... what part of the country is that?

RandyWayne 02-09-2008 03:51 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
It is in Chandler, AZ, just a few miles South of the 202.
And the pictures really do not do it justice. It is much bigger and "expansive" in person. The lot is also 18 thousand square feet which is pretty huge for the Phoenix valley.
But this house is a perfect example of what is so annoying with our realtor. She KNOWS this is our top choice and when the price recently dropped 35 grand, she never told us.... we found out ourselves but our constant searching. It's just not close enough to our 'top price' we initially gave her.

Ron 02-09-2008 03:57 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 384935)
We have a current "top home" that we may very well make an offer on in the next few weeks.

The front
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w..._0440Small.jpg

The stairs that greet when you when you walk in
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w..._0442Small.jpg

The kitchen
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w..._0458Small.jpg

Inside the master bedroom upstairs looking at the balcony door
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w..._0448Small.jpg

Taken FROM the balcony
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w..._0445Small.jpg

Taken from the far corner of the lot looking at the back of the house, and the balcony that the last picture was taken from
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w..._0452Small.jpg
That is a beautiful home!!

Mrs. LPW 02-09-2008 04:01 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 384939)
It is in Chandler, AZ, just a few miles South of the 202.
And the pictures really do not do it justice. It is much bigger and "expansive" in person. The lot is also 18 thousand square feet which is pretty huge for the Phoenix valley.
But this house is a perfect example of what is so annoying with our realtor. She KNOWS this is our top choice and when the price recently dropped 35 grand, she never told us.... we found out ourselves but our constant searching. It's just not close enough to our 'top price' we initially gave her.
Some agents will only show the highest prices they know you can afford... more commission in their pockets.

Mrs. LPW 02-09-2008 04:03 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 384939)
It is in Chandler, AZ, just a few miles South of the 202.
And the pictures really do not do it justice. It is much bigger and "expansive" in person. The lot is also 18 thousand square feet which is pretty huge for the Phoenix valley.
But this house is a perfect example of what is so annoying with our realtor. She KNOWS this is our top choice and when the price recently dropped 35 grand, she never told us.... we found out ourselves but our constant searching. It's just not close enough to our 'top price' we initially gave her.

The pictures do it justice for me... it's beautiful. I don't want a two story because I'm lazy :P ... but someday I'd love to have an executive bungalow.

LaVonne 02-09-2008 04:09 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 384939)
It is in Chandler, AZ, just a few miles South of the 202.
And the pictures really do not do it justice. It is much bigger and "expansive" in person. The lot is also 18 thousand square feet which is pretty huge for the Phoenix valley.
But this house is a perfect example of what is so annoying with our realtor. She KNOWS this is our top choice and when the price recently dropped 35 grand, she never told us.... we found out ourselves but our constant searching. It's just not close enough to our 'top price' we initially gave her.
I'd be looking for a different realtor...real fast...that's just not right.

RandyWayne 02-09-2008 04:23 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by CareyM (Post 384951)
I'd be looking for a different realtor...real fast...that's just not right.
It's not an option, unless we waited to late July for our contract to run out. Even if we bought it ourselves without her knowledge she would get the commission.

RandyWayne 02-09-2008 04:27 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. LPW (Post 384945)
The pictures do it justice for me... it's beautiful. I don't want a two story because I'm lazy :P ... but someday I'd love to have an executive bungalow.
It really is gorgeous inside, and out. The home is also 3087 square feet, but you also need to remember that VERY few homes have basements out there so no special underground storage area. Thats what the three car garage is for. :)

LaVonne 02-09-2008 04:29 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 384960)
It's not an option, unless we waited to late July for our contract to run out. Even if we bought it ourselves without her knowledge she would get the commission.
I'm sorry to hear that! BTW...nice house!

RandyWayne 02-09-2008 04:33 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Thanks. We like it. :)
....and many others!

And guess what? Right now this house is a full 50 thousand less than our max price. Probably why she is not doing anything to keep us up to date.

LaVonne 02-09-2008 04:36 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne (Post 384976)
Thanks. We like it. :)
....and many others!

And guess what? Right now this house is a full 50 thousand less than our max price. Probably why she is not doing anything to keep us up to date.
That's great...the price, I mean.

Personally, I don't think I could live in such a dry place where there's no grass.

Ron 02-09-2008 04:37 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by CareyM (Post 384980)
That's great...the price, I mean.

Personally, I don't think I could live in such a dry place where there's no grass.
...or where there is Scorpions.

LaVonne 02-09-2008 04:39 PM
Re: Has anyone had a Real Estate agent....
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron (Post 384981)
...or where there is Scorpions.
Yeah, really!


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