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... 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 10781.38 -14.88 Nasdaq 2218.86 -10.08 S&P 500 1254.22 -3.95 Rus 2000 679.09 -.99 10 Yr Bd 4.36 -.01 DJTA 4245.62 21.69 Wil 5000 12579.47 -31.37 S&P 400 743.13 -1.00 Nas 100 1655.04 -12.06 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. BusinessWeek Investor Education. Take control of your financial future. 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 .

Buy Property

Guide to Buying Property Abroad Featured Homeowner Loans at Loansite Get a loan fast - complete our easy form for low rates and a friendly service. Use Loansite to get low-APR deals on loans and mortgages in the UK. l www.loansite.co.uk Home Property and Bills Property Abroad Thu, 29 Dec, 2005 BUYING PROPERTY ABROAD Breaking News Mailing List Alert me to site updates Related Links Secured Loan Selector Unsecured Loan Selector Mortgages Loan FAQ's Unsecured Loans Loan Calculator Loan Best Buys Secured Loans Home Improvement Loans Loan Directory Loans Currency Exchange Currency Enquiry Secured Loans Buy Overseas Property Get the house you always dreamed of with Vilamoura sunset villas. Situated in the heart of the Algarve, our property is perfect for a holiday home in the sun. l clk.atdmt.com Property in Bulgaria Specialists in Bulgarian property. From city to mountain to the coast, we have a wide range of properties available exclusively for our clients. l www.bulgariandreams.com Buying Property Abroad If you are thinking about buying property abroad, start by applying the same principles as buying a property in the UK. Firstly do your research. This means taking a trip or holiday to the destination. Talk to locals, expats, those who have already bought in the area. Never underestimate the importance of doing thorough homework on the location. Find yourself a good local lawyer, preferably one who is fluent in English as well as the native tongue. If you can, talk to people who have used this lawyer before. The lawyer should be well versed in the local regulations, laws and procedures. In Spain you will have to make out a local will before buying. When transferring money abroad, be aware that most High Street banks in the UK charge a higher rate of commission than can be obtained from a foreign exchange specialist (for example ask for a quote from Excel Currencies and compare with the amount of destination currency quoted by your High Street bank). With properties costing from £20,000 upwards, a half-percentage point difference in rates can translate into hundreds of pounds saved. Understand that the costs of buying are usually higher than in the UK. Find out what the local taxes are for selling as well as buying. In some Eastern European countries, it may be cheaper in the long run to set up a company to own the property. Buy Overseas Property Get the house you always dreamed of with Vilamoura sunset villas. Situated in the heart of the Algarve, our property is perfect for a holiday home in the sun. l clk.atdmt.com Property in Bulgaria Specialists in Bulgarian property. From city to mountain to the coast, we have a wide range of properties available exclusively for our clients. l www.bulgariandreams.com Buy Bulgarian and Cyprus Property Online Bulgaria and Cyprus property sales. Click here to register your interest and receive your personalised property matches instantly. l www.investorsinthesun.com Discover Northern Cyprus Superior new homes in beautiful Northern Cyprus from only 49,950 - register now for your free information pack.... l firsthomesww.co.uk Investment Property in Turkey Mecitoglu Homes is one of Antalya's outstanding house builders, providing quality homes in attractive locations throughout the Mediterranean coast. l www.homeinturkey.com Bulgaria Property Sales and Investments Specialists in Bulgarian property - investment properties for sale on the Black Sea Coast and ski resorts in Bulgaria. l www.coralestates.com 2004-2005 QCK.com Financial News | Sitemap | Terms | About us | Contact

florida real estate ,

Florida Homes for Sale, Florida Homes for Rent, Florida Waterfront Homes, Florida Homes -- All Florida Realty Services provides property management , listings for florida real estate , a real estate school , and realtor referrals . Other services include a full-service insurance agency. The many facets of our organization demonstrate our vision and desire to be a part of the solution to your real estate needs. We have offices located in Tampa Bay, Port St. Lucie, St. Petersburg, Ocala, Stuart, Vero Beach, Sebastian, Daytona Beach, Palm Bay, Port Charlotte, Hutchinson Island, and New Smyrna Beach. Find real estate listings in Florida, including Tampa Bay , Port St. Lucie , St. Petersburg , Ocala , Stuart , Vero Beach , Sebastian , Daytona Beach , Palm Bay , Port Charlotte , Hutchinson Island , New Smyrna Beach and throughout Florida . Search florida real estate listings , or check florida real estate for sale . realtor realtors real estate listings south florida homes rental homes for sale homes for rent commercial property listings active listings on the market real estate specialist florida waterfront homes beachfront homes waterfront water beach southern homes rental property Florida rental Florida homes Florida property Florida Realtor Florida Realtors Florida rentals Florida home Florida real estate homes mls property mls properties Florida mls idx Florida IDX investment property Florida investment gated community lakefront home lakefront property Florida lakefront Florida waterfront vacation home south florida real estate port st. lucie homes miami real estate homes miami real estate homes florida homes florida miami real estate homes miami real estate guide miami south florida real estate homes South Florida real estate commercial real estate -- Email Login Home Company Development Office Locations Our Agents Search Properties Search Rentals Sell Property Buy Property New Homes Division Commercial Property Mortgage Calculator Investment Property Manufactured Housing Property Management Assoc. Management Real Estate School Referral Network Career Opportunities Resources Contact Us Intranet Florida Homes for Sale, Florida Homes for Rent, Florida Waterfront Homes, Florida Homes (Florida real estate) Welcome to All Florida Realty Services. We appreciate you visiting our site and welcome you to our Company. The many facets of our organization demonstrate our vision and desire to be a part of the solution to your real estate needs. One of Florida’s most respected and trusted full service real estate firms makes your on-line experience fast and easy. Simply select the service you are interested in from the menu on the left to find valuable information. To search for properties or agents select one of the flashing bars to the right and you’re off. Port St. Lucie Jim Smolinsky Realtor Search for properties throughout Florida. Meet the agents from our 10 offices statewide. Florida Real Estate Agents | Florida Real Estate Listings | Rental Properties Florida Rental Property | Vero Beach | Vero Beach Real Estate All Florida Realty Contact Us | Home | Referral Network Terms and Conditions | Privacy Statement © 2003 All Florida Realty Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved. (772) 335-1995

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.

Land For Sale

Caribbean Real Estate Property For Sale Waterfront and Water View In Roatan And Belize Caribbean Real Estate For Sale Waterfront & Water View Belize: a tropical waterfront development on the Bay of Chetumal Beautiful ¼ acre lots start at $12,900 US$'s, as little as $130.17 per month with 20% down. 1300 feet of shoreline and three small Mayan ruins on property. English is the official language & law based on English law. Two miles across the bay from great shopping in Chetumal, Mexico. Pier with swimming platform, waterfront park and lagoon planned. Daily flights from the US to Belize (about 2 ½ hours to International Airport.) World class diving and deep sea fishing 30 miles across the bay. Electricity, water, and roads completed in Section - 1 & 2 (50 lots in these sections.) Property management company available to assist owners. Several Caribbean style bungalows/homes available for sale. Neither inheritance nor capital gains taxes in Belize. No snow or freezing weather in this tropical climate. Get in on the ground floor in this new Caribbean development. Roatan: 46.44 acres of rolling hills on Roatan (Bay Islands), Honduras with views of the Caribbean on both sides of the island. Hilltop parcels with outstanding views of the Caribbean Sea from three ridges. Several nice building sites on each ridge. Selling all 46.44 acres for $10,000 per acre, or $394,400 for the parcel. Roatan: 1.36 acres of commercial property on Roatan (Bay Islands), Honduras near Sandy Bay. SOLD - The parcel is between the Coxen Hole and the very popular West End. This property is across the highway from a diving resort. This nice commercial property is listed at $42,000. Roatan: Palmetto Ridge, a planned development 95.5 acre on a tropical mountain on the island of Roatan (Bay Islands), Honduras. Magnificent hill top and hillside views of the Caribbean with cool breezes. Some of the planned amenities include mountain top club with swimming pool, gardens and walking trails, and underground utilities. Project for sale at $14,000 per acre. For information on any of these properties contact Arthur Higgins 12107 Mazefield Houston, Texas 77070 Tel # 281-497-7797 E-mail: arhigs@attglobal.net