Real Estate Broker Won't
Smartmoney.com: Consumer Action: Ten Things Your Real Estate Broker Won't Tell You Thursday December 29, 2005 3:28 PM ET U.S. Markets close in: :32 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... Portfolio Tracker Watchlist Calendar Intraday Alerts News Alerts Sector Tracker ETF Center Map of the Market XStream Quotes Stock Screener Stock Compare Price Check Calculator More... Map of the Market Map Your Portfolio Market Map 1000 ETF Map Mutual Fund Map Sector Maps Fund Map 1000 More... Daily Briefing Common Sense Tradecraft Ahead of the Curve Trendspotting One-Day Wonder Sector Patrol Stock Screen Financial Planners 2005 Broker Survey Intraday Alerts News Alerts SmartMoney TV More... Options Options Education Foreign Exchange Futures Bonds Fund Map 1000 Fund Screener Fund Compare Fund Screen Fund Finder Fund Map Fund Snapshots Fund FAQs Top 25 Funds The Pro Shop More... ETF Tracker ETF Screener ETF Compare ETF Map Tradecraft Ahead of the Curve Sector Patrol Common Sense More... Autos Career Journal College Planning Debt Management Health Care Insurance Life LTC Insurance Real Estate Retirement Tax Guide More... Key Indicators Bond Market Update Short Term Investing Bond Investing Living Yield Curve More... Intro Interactive Center Franchise 500 Startup Journal Incorporation More... The Market Now ForexTV Futures Life Stages CEO Interview Sturm Screen Mossberg Report Subscribe Give a gift Customer Service Media Kit Editorial Calendar Custom Publishing Investing 101 Taking Action Strategic Investing Quizzes More... Please enable javascript to properly view the menu. Site Map DJIA 10785.86 -10.40 Nasdaq 2219.24 -9.70 S&P 500 1254.77 -3.40 Rus 2000 679.18 -.90 10 Yr Bd 4.36 -.01 DJTA 4245.06 21.13 Wil 5000 12582.78 -28.06 S&P 400 743.01 -1.12 Nas 100 1655.56 -11.54 Sign up now for FREE SmartMoney.com Newsletters Enter your email address below Personal Finance : Consumer Action : Ten Things Your Real Estate Broker Won't Tell You Consumer Action Ten Things Your Real Estate Broker Won't Tell You By Michael Kaplan Click here for more stories by Michael Kaplan . 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. Receive a $50 Hyatt Gift Card.Book online using your American Express Card Get 4.25% APY at hsbcdirect.com. Earn 8X the national savings average. Learn about every move Jim Cramer makes before he acts. Learn options trading at a free workshop in your area! Top 10 Breakthrough Stocks for 2006 Yours Free!. $7 stock trades. Open a Scottrade account with just $500. Apply online FREE Options Tip 1: AVOID an option´s last month.Get 4 more here-free! Learn how to stay connected to your customers. Free guide at: See how Sprint Business has helped the PGA move forward. Capital One High Yield Savings - 4.00% APY. Earn More Now! New! SmartMoney Mobile. Stock quotes, market news and more on your mobile phone. Click here and find out all about The Trump Way to Wealth. Customer Service | Magazine Customer Service | Subscribe to SmartMoney Magazine | Your Profile | Contact Us Corrections | Custom Publishing | License Our Content | Media Kit | Press Room | SmartMoney.com © 2005 SmartMoney. SmartMoney is a joint publishing venture of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. and Hearst SM Partnership. SmartMoney is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. By accessing and using this page, you agree to our terms and conditions and our PRIVACY STATEMENT . All quotes delayed by 20 minutes. Delayed quotes provided by ComStock . Historical prices and fundamental data provided by Hemscott, Inc. Mutual fund data provided by Lipper . Mutual Fund NAVs are as of previous day's close. Earnings estimates provided by Zacks Investment Research . Insider trading data provided by Thomson Financial . Upgrades and downgrades provided by Briefing.com .
Home Equity Options About
Union Bank of California's home equity options help you to consolidate debt and fund many of your life's goals. " Union Bank of California - Home Equity Options About Union Bank | Contact Us | Locate Us | Privacy & Security | Accessibility | Sitemap Entire Site Personal Wealth Management Small Business Commercial About Union Bank Home Equity Options Products and Services Info Bank/Pay Bills & Invest Online Checking Accounts IRAs & Retirement Savings Insurance Investments & Brokerage Loans & Credit Cards Auto & Other Loans Credit Cards Home Loans Home Equity Options Apply Online FAQ - Home Equity Options Home Equity Line of Credit Home Equity Loans Second Property Loans & Lines of Credit Personal Loans Online Finance Applications Savings Accounts Trust & Investment Management How Do I...? Borrow Money Choose a Checking Account Choose Insurance Manage Wealth Plan for Retirement Save & Invest View & Print Forms Send Money Fast Worldwide Fund your life's ambitions with Union Bank of California's home equity account. Whether you plan to consolidate high interest rate debt, finance your child's education, or start a remodeling project, Union Bank provides you with the right resources to realize your dreams and goals. Choose a Home Equity Option Home Equity Line of Credit -- Our flagship FlexEquity(SM) account blends the best features of an equity line and a loan. Apply now for a home equity line of credit. Basic Home Equity Loan -- A traditional loan offering affordable rates and dependable payments. Second property loans and lines of credit -- Products to help you tap into the equity in the other properties you own. Apply now for a loan or line on your second property. Return to your saved application. Finish Applying This is not a commitment to lend. Loans subject to credit and property approval. Financing available for properties located in California, Oregon, or Washington. Terms and conditions subject to change. © 2005 Union Bank of California, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender Apply online or call 1-866-UB-LOANS Looking for financing tailored to your needs? You'll find it in our three exceptional relationship banking programs Read About the Differences Read more about the differences between our home equity choices in the FAQ Home Equity Options Related Information - Home Loans - Auto & Other Loans - Personal Loans
selling home game console
Xbox 360 is the U.K.'s Fastest-Selling Home Console News for Xbox 360 on GamePro.com Microsoft's Xbox 360 is one step closer to world domination. UK data firm Chart-Track has announced that the Xbox 360 is the fastest-selling home game console released in the United Kingdom, beating out Nintendo's GameCube system. Actual figures aren't yet available. But it's likely that the overall shortage of Xbox 360 units in retail stores actually cramped this figure; had Microsoft been able to meet demand, who knows what the final U.K. launch figures might have been? Overall, though, this is a telling sign that Microsoft's global launch strategy is paying off. Now, all eyes are turning to the Japanese sales figures. Can Microsoft break into the notoriously insular Japanese gaming market? " PS2 / Xbox / GameCube / PC / Handheld / Wireless / Entertainment / -- Newsletters / Holiday Gift Guide PSP Guide -- News / Screenshots / Downloads / Cheats / User Reviews / Forums / Free Stuff / Shop Title Keyword Advanced Search --- Xbox 360 Game Finder Reviews Previews Cheats Strategies Features News RPG Sports Action Adventure Direct Feed Win a FREE iPod 2GB Nano! Be a part of the GamePro Team for a day Lucas Arts SWG New Player Experience 2K Sports Xbox 360 Sweepstakes Download and Play Peter Jackson's King Kong! Games.net Presents the 2005 Holiday Gift Guide Win A FREE Xbox 360! Free Newsletters! GamePro Weekly ProNews (daily) Cheats (weekly) Xbox 360 (weekly) PS3 (weekly) GameCube (weekly) Handheld (weekly) PC/Online (weekly) Xbox (weekly) PS2 (weekly) Sports Entertainment Hot Links Newsletters Action Replay Shop 5.0 list Release Calendar Retro PlaySmart The Hub Forums User Reviews Contests Letters Inside GP GP FAQ Register Update Info Magazine Subscribe and Save Subscribe to GamePro EX Inside Current Issue Gift Subscriptions Subscriber Services Past Issue Archive Latest Code Vault Xbox 360 / News / Xbox 360 is the U.K.'s Fastest-Selling Home Console Xbox 360 is the U.K.'s Fastest-Selling Home Console Info News Previews Review Cheats Strategies Features Downloads Prices Publisher : Micrososft Developer : Microsoft Release Date : Available Now ESRB Rating : Everyone 1 of 9 screens Advertisement Recent News Similar Games Final Fantasy Creator Goe... Xbox 360 May Not Be Avail... EA Casts Doubt on Xbox 36... LA Xbox Modders Charged f... Hackers: Xbox 360 Mod-Chi... Xbox 360 Games Already Be... Metal Gear Acid 2 Darwinia Lost In Blue Xbox 360 1503 A.D. Left Behind: Eternal Forc... Community Average 3.9 User Review • Go to User Reviews • Write your own User Review • Go to GamePro Forums • Go to the Official Forum Topic --- News by: Vicious Sid Posted: 12/06/05 [ view screens ] Microsoft's Xbox 360 is one step closer to world domination. UK data firm Chart-Track has announced that the Xbox 360 is the fastest-selling home game console released in the United Kingdom, beating out Nintendo's GameCube system. Actual figures aren't yet available. But it's likely that the overall shortage of Xbox 360 units in retail stores actually cramped this figure; had Microsoft been able to meet demand, who knows what the final U.K. launch figures might have been? Overall, though, this is a telling sign that Microsoft's global launch strategy is paying off. Now, all eyes are turning to the Japanese sales figures. Can Microsoft break into the notoriously insular Japanese gaming market? track this game / --- email this article / print this article / view screens Name Address City State ZIP Email Sponsored Links ©2005 IDG Entertainment. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement Terms Of Service Agreement Advertising Information IDG Entertainment Online Network: GamePro.com Games.net GamerHelp.com GameStar.com BlogFaction.com IDG.net: PCWorld Macworld Playlist CIO Computerworld CSO Infoworld JavaWorld Network World Networking for Small Business PC Advisor PC World Latin America Techworld ITWorld Canada PC World Canada IDG International GamePro.com Customer Service Subscribe Submit a Code Site Comments Contact Print Advertising Online Advertising Staff Jobs About Us Media Kit The 2005 Industry White Paper RSS Feeds Site Map
sell house Categories Back
sell house — Homes On Sale Contact us | Cheap mortgage | Cheap credit cards | Used cars | Uk loan Sell Your Home > Services > sell house Categories Back to home page Sell House house sell fast house sell house privately sell house quickly sell house online sell house internet sell house quick sell house sell uk house link list sell add house sell site house own sell add house sell url did house much sell add house link sell house link sell submit house list sell site house list sell url house link list new sell did house much sell that house sell submit url Estate Agents Conveyancing Solicitors Survey Valuations Removals Self Storage Environmental Search Land Registry Relocation Agent Mortgage Remortgage Home Loan Life Assurance Home Security Buy House Rent House New Home For Sale By Owner Letting Agent Home Buying & Selling Homes On Sale brings you these results for sell house : You can buy & sell property on this site! Be sure to click here 1. Find a house to Buy, Sell or Rent at Loot.com Need accommodation? Wish to invest in property? Want a flatmate or lodger? Selling up? Whether youre a landlord or a tenant you can buy, sell, rent or let property online at loot.com. http://www.loot.com/ 2. Sell Your Home Online from 35.00 A professional service to sell your home online. Save thousands in commission. Huge exposure on multiple web sites. http://www.homesgofast.com 3. House Share in the UK Thousands of postings with pictures, comments and flatmates' references. Join our quality and secure network now. Free flat share search by postcode. http://www.flatmateclick.co.uk 4. Sell your House - Houseladder Click here to find out how to sell or let your property faster and save 1000s in agents fees, even if you are with a sole agent. http://www.houseladder.co.uk 5. Which? Online - the Latest House Selling Reports Up-to-date house selling guide. Expert assessment, test results, tips & best buy advice to help you choose the best products and services. The premium internet-only consumer research and advice site. http://trial.which.co.uk 6. Wide Selection of New Properties at SmartNewHomes Search for new homes and properties across the UK at SmartNewHomes, the independent property website. http://www.smartnewhomes.com 7. House Value Reports from Hometrack Get a detailed property report on prices, trends, land registry & much more from just 4.95. at Hometrack. http://www.hometrack.co.uk 8. Buy This Is My House on eBay.co.uk Great range of CDs by NRG Ensemble including This Is My House at fantastic prices. Buy it. Sell it. Love it. eBay.co.uk. http://www.ebay.co.uk 9. New Houses for Sale New Homes is a not-for-profit site providing purchasers with the opportunity to search for new homes by location, number of bedrooms, price or developer. http://www.new-homes.co.uk More pages: Search mortgage | loan | home insurance | credit card Sponsored Links Home | Place Ad | Browse Properties | Terms | Privacy | Top Sites | Sitemap | Links | Contact us © 2004 Homes On Sale
Real Estate Listing
REALTOR.com: Real estate listings & homes for sale Welcome, Visitor! Sign Up to: Save Searches Save Listings Sign Up Now! Already a member? Sign In Homebuying Tools Find a Lender Find a Mover Market Conditions Neighborhood Tour Real Estate 101 Buyers Sellers For REALTORS® Resource Center News REALTOR.org Search the Web Select a Top Search: Bad Credit Contractors Homeowner's Insurance Debt Consolidation Interior Design Mortgage Rates Loan Types Rates Points 30-yr fixed 5.74% 0.37 15-yr fixed 5.38% 0.28 ARM 3/1, 30Yrs 4.87% 0.26 Updated: 12/29/2005 11:52:25 AM Check Local Rates Search our national directory of mortgage brokers and lenders. Find a Home Over 2.5 million listings for sale! State/Province AB AK AL AR AZ BC CA CO CT DC DE FL GA GU HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MB MD ME MI MO MN MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK ON OR PA PR RI SC SD TN TX UT VI VT VA WA WI WV WY - OR - Minimum Price $0 $500 $1,000 $1,400 $2,000 $5,000 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $45,000 $50,000 $55,000 $60,000 $70,000 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $325,000 $350,000 $400,000 $450,000 $500,000 $550,000 $600,000 $650,000 $700,000 $750,000 $800,000 $850,000 $900,000 $1,000,000 $1,250,000 $1,500,000 $1,750,000 $2,000,000 $2,250,000 $2,500,000 $2,750,000 $3,000,000 $3,500,000 $4,000,000 $4,500,000 $5,000,000 $6,000,000 $8,000,000 $10,000,000 to Maximum Price $1,000 $1,400 $2,000 $5,000 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $45,000 $50,000 $55,000 $60,000 $70,000 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $325,000 $350,000 $400,000 $450,000 $500,000 $550,000 $600,000 $650,000 $700,000 $750,000 $800,000 $850,000 $900,000 $1,000,000 $1,250,000 $1,500,000 $1,750,000 $2,000,000 $2,250,000 $2,500,000 $2,750,000 $3,000,000 $3,500,000 $4,000,000 $4,500,000 $5,000,000 $6,000,000 $8,000,000 $10,000,000 no maximum Beds 1+ Beds 2+ Beds 3+ Beds 4+ Beds 5+ Beds Baths 1+ Baths 1.5+ Baths 2+ Baths 2.5+ Baths 3+ Baths 3.5+ Baths 4+ Baths More Search Options Map Search Hurricane Relief Find or offer immediately available temporary housing to assist Hurricane victims: HurricaneHousing.net Relief.WelcomeWagon.com -- Find a REALTOR State/Province Alabama Alaska Alberta Arizona Arkansas British Columbia California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District Of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Manitoba Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Ontario Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming From the National Association of REALTORS ® Join REALTORS® in supporting hurricane victims Why Use a REALTOR® With a GRI? Make the most of every moment with FamilyTime, an interactive DVD celebrating the family. Visit REALTOR® Magazine Online Read current NAR Press Releases For REALTORS ® REALTORS Relief Effort exceeds $5.2 million for Hurricane victims, donate now... Enter the Business Success Zone at REALTOR.org! Find out how REALTOR.com can help you secure more listings, sell homes for more and promote yourself and your brand NEW name for NAR member benefits offeringsthe REALTOR Benefits(sm) Program. Learn about the practical, everyday solutions for your professional and personal life! Reach new levels of success with NAR partner, The Pacific Institute! About the National Association of REALTORS ® Representing Home Owners State & Local Associations Real Estate Specialty Organizations Find an Appraiser Find a Commercial Property International Real Estate Search in popular metros: Atlanta | Austin | Boston | Chicago | Dallas | Denver | Houston | Las Vegas | Long Island | Los Angeles | Memphis | Miami | New York City | Orange County | Palm Beach | Phoenix | Sacramento | San Diego | Seattle Site Map | Corporate News & Info | Contact Us | Advertise With Us | Join our staff Terms of Use and PrivacyPolicy . 1995- NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS and Homestore, Inc. All rights reserved. Equal Housing Opportunity REALTOR.com is the official site of the National Association of REALTORS and is operated by Homestore, Inc. REALTOR -- A Registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Inquiries regarding the Code of Ethics should be directed to the board in which a REALTOR holds membership.