Real Estate Agent

Smartmoney.com: Consumer Action: Ten Things Your Real Estate Broker Won't Tell You Thursday December 29, 2005 3:23 PM ET U.S. Markets close in: :37 Search (choose an option below) Quote Charting Earnings Ratings Competition Financials Profile Key Statistics Insiders Site Search News (Enter Symbol) advanced search SmartMoney Select My Portfolio Tools Maps Stocks Advanced Trading Funds ETFs Personal Finance Autos Career Journal College Planning Debt Management Health Care Insurance Life LTC Insurance Real Estate Retirement Tax Guide Economy & Bonds Small Business SmartMoney TV SmartMoney Magazine SmartMoney University Business Travel Technology SmartMoney Mobile Holiday Survival Guide Select Homepage Stock Screener Market Map 1000 Fund Screener Stock Compare Fund Map 1000 Fund Compare XStream Quotes More... 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Editor's Picks Features Ten Things Real-Life Index Advertisement 4.25% APY with hsbcdirect.com Online Savings. Earn 8X the national savings average and make money into big money. No minimums. No monthly fees. Member FDIC. Email This Story Print This Story Save This Story Send Us Your Comments Add this column to your News Alerts (New!) 1. "Your open house is really a party for me." Hire a real estate broker to sell your home and one of the first things he'll likely suggest is hosting an open house, so potential buyers can casually check out your property on a weekend afternoon. While open houses are promoted as a great way of finding a buyer, a National Association of Realtors study found that their success rate is a mere 2%. No matter. Having an open house serves another important purpose — for the broker. "It gives him a database of clients," says Sean McNeill, an independent real estate broker based in New York City who says that he doesn't like open houses, preferring to match clients with appropriate buyers. "At open houses, you get all kinds of people walking in. Some are [trying] to see how much they should sell their own places for; others just want to get a look at what's out there." All are perfect pickings for a broker looking to increase his roster of buyers and sellers. "Think about it," McNeill says. "The broker is devoting a couple hours of a weekend. He won't do that unless it helps him in a big way." 2. "My fees are negotiable." Brokers like to make it sound as if their fees are engraved in stone, but that's rarely the case — especially in a brisk market, when brokers fiercely compete for properties they can unload fast. This past summer one broker in the Midwest says he lowered his fee by a full percentage point because there was so much demand for good properties that he needed leverage. Indeed, says the broker, who asked not to be named, sellers should shop around for broker's fees. He suggests these negotiating tactics: "If somebody's willing to commit to me for selling one place and buying another, I give a discount. If you're in a particularly desirable neighborhood with a house that will bring a lot of traffic" — say, at an open house — "that can be used, because the broker will use the flow of people to get potential customers. And with some [smaller] brokers, all you need to do is ask and they'll lower the commission." 3. "Think you've had no offers? Actually, there've been several." Legally, the broker you hire to sell your home is obligated to tell you about all offers that come in. In reality, some don't. Perhaps he thinks the offer is insultingly low for you, but more likely, "the broker thinks it's too low for his own purposes. He wants to hold out for a bigger commission," says McNeill. Or else there's an outside broker (or "co-broker") circling your house, and the primary broker is waiting for one of his own clients to make an offer so he can keep the full 6% to himself. "You must be clear with your broker that you want to be informed of all offers," McNeill says. "Otherwise, you may be leaving him to make decisions that you should be making." Check the listing agreement drawn up when you hire the broker; if the promise to disclose all offers isn't listed explicitly, insist that it be added. 4. "I talk about you behind your back." You spot your dream house as you're driving through a neighborhood and call the broker listed on the For Sale sign. That's how a lot of buyers stumble on a broker — who, in turn, happily shows you other houses, asking about your needs, laughing at your jokes. It's easy to get loose-lipped and forget whom you're dealing with: someone else's agent. "Legally, brokers are obligated to provide their sellers with any information that can help them get the best prices for their homes," says Stephen Israel, president of Buyer's Edge, a Bethesda, Md.-based company that represents homebuyers. "If you tell the broker that you're willing to pay $500,000 but want to offer $450,000, they'll pass that on to the seller. They have to." Also, some brokerage companies encourage prospective buyers to get preapproved for loans. While that can make a buyer more attractive to a lender, it also tells a broker whether a buyer can afford a $600,000 house when he's trying to haggle on a $400,000 property. "When somebody asks for [a preapproval], find out who they're representing," says Israel, acknowledging that such details can short-circuit your negotiating leverage. "If they represent a seller — or someone in their office does — they shouldn't have it. The broker may tell you she will be impartial, but how can she be?" 5. "Sometimes I forget whose side I'm on." The past 10 years have seen the proliferation of the buyer broker, agents who are supposed to work strictly in the buyer's interest, helping him get a fair price on a home as well as avoid pitfalls along the way. Unfortunately, things don't always unfold so nicely. While buyers may think they're getting a broker who isn't commission-hungry, many buyer agents are just that: They usually get about 3%, the same amount any broker typically earns when he gets involved with another agent's listing. "Buyer brokers are sometimes too focused on closing the sale and getting that commission," says Max Gordon, an Overland Park, Kan.-based real estate broker and attorney, so it's often in their best interest to see you pay as high a price as possible. Even worse, some brokers who call themselves buyer advocates are actually working for companies that also represent sellers. "Brokerages offer bonuses to buyer agents if they sell an in-house listing," says Israel. A good way to get a broker who has no such conflicts of interest: The National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents, whose Web site (www.naeba.com) can help you find a buyer agent near you who pledges to help you get the best deal possible and has no ties to sellers' agents; many even work on a fee structure rather than on commission. Page 1 | 2 Consumer Action Archive To license this content, click here ADVERTISEMENTS Click here to get your FREE report -- The Motley Fools´ 2 Top Picks. 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Florida Real Estate Agents

Palm Harbor Real Estate - Palm Harbor Homes for Sale - Clearwater Real Estate - Clearwater Relocation Palm Harbor Real Estate - Clearwater Real Estate Providing a superior level of informed , professional real estate services to buyers and sellers in Palm Harbor, Clearwater, Oldsmar, Safety Harbor, Dunedin, Tarpon Springs, New Port Richey, and surrounding Pinellas and Pasco County communities. Beth Frederick's genuine, caring attitude has helped families just like yours make an exciting and smooth transition when buying or selling their homes. Her proven approach and family values have earned her the respect of clients and colleagues alike. A Senior Real Estate Specialist, she is especially adept at meeting the special needs and concerns of maturing Americans who are buying or selling residential or investment properties. If you would like to know what your property is worth , or if you just have questions about buying or selling, call or e-mail Beth Frederick today. To have FREE REAL ESTATE REPORTS sent to you immediately such as: -5 Powerful Buying Strategies, -7 Selling Mistakes You Don't Want to Make, -Moving Tips Click Here! Meet Piper Wight, Beth's buyers' agent: Click here! Take a tour of Dunedin with Beth's granddaughter, Emily: Click here! SeekOn/Real Estate More About Beth Meet Beth - one of the top real estate professionals in the Pinellas County area. Featured Homes Showcasing some of the finest properties on the market today - updated often! Multiple Listing Service (MLS) Home Search Search all Tampa Bay Listings! Please request information on any home you find. Dream Home Finder Use this form to request a free up-to-the-minute list of homes for sale that suit your specific needs. Your Home's Value? Use this form to request a free comprehensive market evaluation detailing what your home may sell for in today's market. HOME & COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER CLICK ANY LINK BELOW... Community Information , Area Attractions , Local Restaurants , Movies , Weather , More... Loan Programs , Down Payment Assistance , ABCs of Mortgage Credit , More... Change of Address Form , 10 Most Forgotten Items , Moving Checklist , More... Top 10 Scams , Avoiding Telemarketers , Recycling Guide , Kelly Blue Book , More... What You Can and Cannot Deduct , Rental & Vacation Homes , Tax Planning , More... Keeping Your Home Safe , Disaster Supply Kit , Poisoning & Prevention , More... Buying Foreclosures , Avoiding the Pitfalls , Ready to Buy? , Home Inspections , More... Setting Your List Price , Preparing Your Home For Sale , Improve Selling Time , More... Expert Advice , Tips On Saving Energy , Hiring a Contractor , Cost vs. Value , More... Gardening Basics , Plant Encyclopedia , Gardening Q & A , Regional Guides , More... Star Chefs Secrets , Recipes & Cooking Tips , Cooks Thesaurus , More... Your Elected Officials , ATM Locator , Reminder Service , Driving Directions , More... read our disclaimer and our privacy statement. Please visit my National Real Estate Agent Directory for you relocation needs. Relocation Network & Partners Click here to link with this site! Real Estate Associates Relocation Connection REALTOR® Partners National Realtor Directory Apartments for Rent Florida Realtor Real Estate Agents & Realtors Florida Real Estate Agents Web Site Design and Hosting Provided By: Advanced Access © 1998-2005

Buy Home

Business for sale | Businesses For Sale | Buy a business or sell a business on BizBuySell for brokers listings by email find a buyer advertise about us site map With over 35,000 active businesses for sale, BizBuySell is the Internet's largest and most heavily trafficked business for sale exchange. Start here to buy an established business for sale. Business Category Select a Business Category Search ALL Business Categories RETAILING BUSINESSES - Blding Mat., Hardware, Garden - General Merchandise Stores - Supermarkets - Convenience Stores - Liquor Stores - Other Food Stores - Automotive Dealers - Marine Dealers & Equipment - Gasoline Service Stations - Apparel and Accessory Stores - Home Furniture & Furnishings - Restaurants - Bars/Taverns - Other Eating & Drinking Places - Vending Machines - Florists - Pet Shops & Supplies - Miscellaneous Retail SERVICE BUSINESSES - Hotels & Other Lodging Places - Drycleaning/Laundry Services - Beauty Salons, Barber Shops - Other Personal Services - Computer & Software Services - Other Business Services - Marine Repair, Parts & Services - Auto Repair, Parts & Services - Miscellaneous Repair Services - Passenger Transportation - Freight, Moving/Delivery - Motion Pictures - Amusement & Recreation - Health, Medical & Dental - Legal Services - Educational Services - Social Services - Museums, Art Galleries, Zoos - Landscaping & Yard Services - Pet Care & Grooming - Storage & Warehousing - Membership Organizations - Engineering & Accounting Svcs - Finance, Banking, Loans, etc. - Agents & Brokers - Travel Agencies - Other Travel & Transportation - Miscellaneous services INTERNET BUSINESSES - Business Services (B2B) - Consumer Services (B2C) - Domain Name/Basic Site - ISP/ASP Services - Web Design/Tech Services - Software - General Internet MANUFACTURING BUSINESSES - Food and Kindred Products - Tobacco Products - Textile Mill Products - Apparel & finished fabrics - Lumber and Wood Products - Furniture and Fixtures - Paper & Allied Products - Printing, Publishing - Chemicals & Allied Products - Petroleum Refining - Rubber and Plastic Products - Leather and Leather Products - Stone, Clay, Glass, Concrete - Primary Metal Industries - Fabricated Metal Products - Industrial & Comm. Machinery - Electronic & Electrical Equip. - Transportation Equipment - Measuring & Analyzing Instr. - Miscellaneous WHOLSALE/DIST. BUSINESSES - Durable Goods - Nondurable Goods CONSTRUCTION BUSINESSES - Building - Heavy - Special Trades BUSINESS REAL ESTATE - For Sale - For Lease Agriculture Mining Communications Electric, Gas, Water, Sanitary Svcs Non-classifiable Establishments Business Location Select a Location Search ENTIRE U.S. Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming U.S. Territories Africa Asia/Pacific Australia/N.Z. Canada Caribbean Mexico/C. America Europe South America For more options, use Advanced Search Other business types to search... Asset Sales Franchises Start Ups Real Estate Search All Business Categories Search by Ad No. Sell Your Business Post an Ad Reach the largest pool of buyers anywhere. List your business for sale with a confidential ad. Start Here Find a Buyer Search the 'business wanted' ads for potential buyers looking for your type of business. Search Now -- Manage Your Ad . Email Address Password forgot password? Buyer Tools Price a Business Analyze comps before you buy or sell. Set up an Email Alert Get notified of new business listings automatically. Buyer's Bulletin Board Post a 'business wanted' message to reach sellers. BrokerPages Directory Find a local broker to help you buy. Established Business Real nice motel Vermont Motel in excellent condition Search Franchises Automotive Business Opportunities Business Services Child Related Cleaning and Maintenance Computer and Internet Food and Restaurant Health, Beauty and Fitness High Capital Franchises Home Based Businesses Home Services Low Cost Franchises Retail Franchises Sports and Recreation Travel and Lodging Franchise Home Page Site Map Spotlight Franchise The business brokerage industry is an innovative field experiencing phenomenal growth worldwide. As an industry leader, the expertise we offer our franchise owners is of tremendous value. Join in our success, and go into the business of buying and selling businesses. See Details LoopNet Acquires BizBuySell . BizBuySell has been acquired by LoopNet, the operator of the largest online exchange for commercial real estate. LoopNet has over 315,000 commercial real estate listings that are searched by more than 1,000,000 registered members. Visit LoopNet to search its commercial real estate listings. -- terms & conditions privacy policy about us contact us © 2005 BizBuySell.com® All rights reserved.

Real Estate Prices

Find Your Home Value, House Values and Prices on Yahoo! Real Estate Find Your Home Value, House Values and Prices Choose Location Home Homes for Sale Apartments for Rent Home Loans Moving & Insurance Tools My Real Estate Real Estate > Resources & Tools > Home Values and Prices Features Classifieds • Sell Your Home • Rent Your Apartment Home Search • Find Homes for Sale • Find Properties for Rent REALTORS • Find & Compare REALTORS Mortgages & Financing • Find a Lender • Today's Mortgage Rates • Loan Calculators • Credit Reports • Refinance Loans Resources • Moving Services • Foreclosure Center Neighborhood Research • What's My Home Worth? • School Profiles • Neighborhood Profiles Specialty Property • Foreclosures • New Homes • Commercial Real Estate • List Commercial Real Estate Home Improvement & Services • Home Services • Home Improvement Library • House Facts Get Home Values and Prices Sponsored by Get Home Values and Prices Access millions of public real estate records instantly! This comparable sales data helps you analyze the value of your home or other homes in seconds. Results include price, square footage, bedrooms, and year built (where available). You can also get a custom home valuation from a top-performing local REALTOR! Street Address: City & State or Zip: Sponsored Links Homeowners Only-Easy Refi, Equity, 2nd's Bad credit? Bankruptcy? Consolidate debt fast by refinancing your mortgage or obtaining an equity loan. Get the cash you need while lowering your bills. Apply in minutes, absolutely free. e-lends.com Mortgage Loan Rates Lock in today's rate on a mortgage loan at Home Finance of America - your source for great rates, with quality customer support. See what you qualify for and what your payments will be. www.homefinanceofamerica.com Mortgage Loans Find everything you need for your refinancing mortgage needs. We provide comprehensive information and quality service. Apply online or by mail, or we can contact you. www.nodownpaymentmortgage101.com Refinance Now with Oak Street Mortgage Do you have less than perfect credit? Let Oak Street Mortgage help you find a loan that meets your needs  apply today  its quick and easy. www.oakstreetmortgage.com (Become a Sponsor) Homes For Sale - Apartments For Rent - Current Mortgage Rates - Real Estate Agents - Local - Yellow Pages

Purchase Property

Foreign currency for buying property abroad | Currency for Property purchase overseas | Cheap currency rates Forex Brokers Treasury Services Foreign exchange Bureau de change Currency Exchange for purchasing proerty overseas, buying currency at the correct exchange rate can save you lots of money when exchanging money for buying a property abroad. Real time exchange rates convert Sterling to Euro for buying a house in Spain or purchasing property in Ireland. Purchase Foreign Currency for buying Property abroad. Foreign currency exchange rate to convert UK pounds Sterling to US Dollars for buying property in American. Exchange currency for any country that you wish to buy a house abroad in, check out our no commission cheap exchange rates. Sterling - Euro exchange rate for property in Europe and Sterling to US Dollar exchange for property in America. No commission exchange rate and cheap currency rate for buying property abroad. Foreign currrency for purchasing Overseas Property Get a currency quote for a foreign property and see how much you can save! Freephone 0800 953 1384 or Click here to request a currency quote An increasing number of UK residents buy properties abroad , either as a holiday home or as a retirement home. All sorts of houses are purchased abroad from Villa's in Spain - for the sun, Chalet's in the Alps, Gite's in France , Italian farmhouses, second homes in Cyprus to West Indian beach houses. Buying property overseas has become easier and the proposition of cheaper airline flights has made accessing an overseas property more affordable. As well as purchasing properties in France, buying properties in Spain and buying properties in Italy, people are now widening the net buying properties all over the World. People fund the purchase of a foreign property in many different ways. People retiring abroad usually sell their home in the UK to fund their dream retirement home in the sun. Some people have funds available to make an outright purchase of a property abroad. Others use a mortgage to buy an overseas property. However more and more people are finding that their UK home has lots of equity in it. It is straightforward to remortgage in the UK and so many people are buying a property overseas by releasing cash from the equity of their home. When buying a property abroad the period of completion may be over a period of months and a Fixed Term Forward Contract or a Forward Time Option Contract may be helpful to protect against the vagaries of the foreign currency markets. A small deposit will secure a fixed rate for a period of time and hedge against any changes in the currency exchange rate. A small change in the foreign currency rate could have a dramatic effect on the cost of the purchase of a property abroad. The Xchange Business can help you buy your property overseas by offering competitive cheap exchange rates. The Vendor will have to be paid in local currency and the Xchange Business will be happy to provide a quotation for your foreign currency needs. We can help private individuals purchasing their overseas property and we can help agencies by providing their clients an excellent service and competitive Foreign Exchange rates. FREEPHONE 0800 95301384 or email: Foreign currency for property purchase and we will send you a quote. Remember: We don't charge fees for transactions over 5000. Our rates for currency exchange are cheap - they compare favourably against high street banks and other sources. We offer you total security for all receipts and payments of currency. Foreign Currency for buying Property abroad. Buy property in Spain and change Sterling - Euros. Purchasing property in Florida or throughout America, exchange Sterling to Dollars. Funding property in France may require a Euro transfer form Sterling to Euro for French currency. The A-Z of buying a property Abroad There are many things to be considered and planned for before you can buy your dream home abroad. Whether you are buying a retirement home an investment property or a much deserved holiday home in the sun. Many people are lucky enough to have capital to release for buying a property abroad, others finance the project with some form of loan or mortgage. Now is a good time to buy property in Spain as European interest rates are low and there is a wide selection of property options available, from developed plots, farmhouses and village locations, through to villas, townhouses and new apartment developments. However and wherever you purchase your property there are some underlying principles to help you make the right decision. We have outlined some of them below and we have also listed some country specific advice for buying a property in Spain, buying property in Florida and buying property in France. Many other countries are becoming more popular and we see people buying properties in Estonia, purchasing properties in Bulgaria and buying properties in Italy. Location, location, location. This well worn maxim is as important when buying a property abroad as it is when buying at home. Research, research, research should also be a watchword. It is easy to get carried away with yourselves on your annual holiday. You're enjoying the resort so much you want to buy into it. Before making a life changing decision consider all your options and make a plan of action. Take a Holiday A holiday in the area under consideration will tell you a lot about the area where you want to buy a property. Be careful not to view it all with rose tinted glasses and try and picture the area on a quiet day off season. Are the facilities that you require on hand ? Do the shops suit your needs? These and many other questions will be answered later. A good way of getting an inside line is to ask those that have done it before. Many popular areas have a large ex-pat community to ask about the area. Estate Agents When buying a property abroad the advice of an estate agent may prove to be invaluable. Find an established company that will offer advice and not a hard sell. The whole process of buying a property abroad can be burdened with rules and regulations Make sure you have a good lawyer with an excellent command of English . For instance did you know that if you're buying in Spain you'll need to make out a will in Spanish before buying, or that you can inherit debts from a previous vendor? If you are buying a property in USA take a look at our guide to exchange Sterling to Dollars for property purchase in America.If you are purchasing a property in Australia, it will be our Australian Dollar exchange and transfer service that you will require.For property purchase in Canada, the Sterling to Canandian dollar transfer rate is crutial, and our currency brokers are on hand to over their expertise and advise.Remaining in Europe and buying a house? Spain is particularily popular at the moment and Sterling to Euro exchange rate applies to transfers to Spain. Get a quote and see how much you can save! Contact Email: Xchange Business Contact Telephone: FREEPHONE 0800 953 1384 Contact us | Why us? | FAQ? | Testimonials Currency for buying a property abroad at www.exchange-currency.co.uk Disclaimer Exchange Currency © 2005