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 loanmay be
Home Equity Loans Home Equity Loans:When Banks Compete, You Win Home Equity Loans Ifyou need to remodel or repair your home, for debt consolidation or for educational expenses a home equity loanmay be the best option available to you. Not only are you able to "tap" the equity in your home, theinterest charges are, in most cases, tax deductable (there are limits to your deductability if the total amountof loans is in excess of 100% of its value). There are a couple of options available to you. You can choose either a HomeEquity Loan , which is a fixed amount of money that is repaidover a fixed number of years, or a Home Equity Line of Credit , where you will be approved for a set amount of money which you will access asyou need it--whether for home improvements or some other use. Accessing your line of credit is as easy as writinga check. Likeall other loans, there are variances in terms, interest rates and the like. A good of comparison for home equityloans is LendingTree , where you submit an easy application and get offers from lenders competing foryour business--all within a few days (a process that used to take weeks!) Here is where you can take advantageof the ability of the Internet to make quick comparisons, saving both time and money. You can find both home equityloans and home equity lines of credit. More information . With interest rates falling considerably this year, this can be an excellent opportunity to restructure your payments,get a better rate than most credit cards and personal loans and work on the process of eliminating your debt load. Home | Your Checklist | Remodel | Refinance | Repair | Maintain Safe & Secure | Organize | Resources | More Links
Florida Real Estate ,
Naples Real Estate, Naples Florida Real Estate, Naples FL Real Estate - Berry Realty Group Site Map Naples Real Estate , Naples Florida Real Estate , Marco Island real estate , and homes for sale in Collier County , Bonita Springs , and Estero . See Naples Florida Real Estate We're #1 For A Reason! Home | Neighborhood Tours | Buying | Selling | Featured Homes | Search For A Home | Life in SWF Your Guide To Naples and Southwest Florida Real Estate Home Online Relocation Guide Neighborhood Tours Free Market Analysis Map of Naples Rentals and Leases Real Estate Blog What Is Your Home Worth? Meet Our Team Maps Newsletter Mortgage Beach Cam (Live) Contact Us Email Us Local Resources Commercial Properties Links E-Pros Scott Berry ABR, E-Pro Sun Realty 3757 Tamiami Trail North Naples, FL 34103 800-450-0198 239-450-0290 Your Ultimate Naples Florida Real Estate Guide Scott Berry and The Berry Realty Group Scott Berry Was Recently Featured On ABC News! Awarded Top 10% in the Nation for Consumer Satisfaction by the Internet Consumer Group OTHER HOT REAL ESTATE ARTICLES MORE NAPLES FLORIDA REAL ESTATE STATISTICS >> Whether you are buying or selling property in Naples or Southwest Florida, we have assembled a comprehensive set of tools to make the process easier. YOUR Naples Florida Real Estate Agents! IF YOU ARE NEW TO PURCHASING OR SELLING NAPLES FLORIDA REAL ESTATE If you are new to purchasing or selling in Naples, you have definitely come to the right place. Real estate practices vary from state to state, and even among counties. We know the real estate market better than anyone else, and we would love to assist you. Naples Real Estate Directory Naples Florida Real Estate Directory Naples Real Estate Naples Florida Real Estate Bonita Springs Florida Real Estate Estero Florida Real Estate Bonita Springs Real Estate Estero Florida Real Estate Southwest Florida International Airport Florida Real Estate Directory Temecula Real Estate Olde Cypress Naples Real Estate Beautiful Custom Homes For Sale In Olde Cypress Naples The Best Naples Florida Real Estate Blog Naples Real Estate Naples Florida Real Estate Naples, FL Real Estate Whether you are buying or selling property in Estero or Southwest Florida, we have assembled a comprehensive set of tools to make the process easier. YOUR Estero Florida Real Estate Agents! IF YOU ARE NEW TO PURCHASING OR SELLING ESTERO FLORIDA REAL ESTATE If you are new to purchasing or selling in Estero, you have definitely come to the right place. Real estate practices vary from state to state, and even among counties. We know the real estate market better than anyone else, and we would love to assist you. Naples Real Estate Directory Naples Florida Real Estate Directory Whether you are buying or selling property in Bonita Springs or Southwest Florida, we have assembled a comprehensive set of tools to make the process easier. YOUR Bonita Springs Florida Real Estate Agents! IF YOU ARE NEW TO PURCHASING OR SELLING BONITA SPRINGS FLORIDA REAL ESTATE If you are new to purchasing or selling in Bonita Springs, you have definitely come to the right place. Real estate practices vary from state to state, and even among counties. We know the real estate market better than anyone else, and we would love to assist you. Whether you are renting or Looking for a Naples Florida Rental, we have assembled a comprehensive set of tools to make the process easier. YOUR Naples Florida Rental Agents! IF YOU ARE NEW TO RENTING OR LEASING NAPLES FLORIDA REAL ESTATE If you are new to renting or leasing in Naples, you have definitely come to the right place. Rental markets, policies, and practices vary from state to state, and even among counties. We know the Naples rental market better than anyone else, and we would love to assist you. Naples Florida Rentals Search this site powered by FreeFind See Us In The See Us In The Florida Real Estate Directory Sand Dollar Title Group, Inc. Naples Title Services This site features Naples real estate , and homes for sale, land for sale and other real estate for sale in Naples Florida, The Moorings, Pelican Marsh, Pelican Bay Real Estate, Vanderbilt Beach, Barefoot Beach, Park Shore, Port Royal, Old Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Marco Island and neighboring communities. Search this site for homes for sale in Collier County communities including, Naples, Pelican Marsh , The Moorings, Bonita Springs, Estero, Marco Island,Pelican Bay , Vanderbilt Beach , Barefoot Beach , Park Shore , Port Royal , Olde Naples , and find your dream home! Scott Berry, and the Berry Realty Group ,can help you buy , sell or lease a home or other real estate throughout the Collier County,Naples , and the surrounding communities. Naples Real Estate , Naples Florida Real Estate Naples Real Estate, Naples Florida Real Estate Naples Real Estate, Naples Florida Real Estate Real Estate Banner Network Find our listing in the directory at Real Estate & Mortgages Pelican Marsh, Pelican Marsh Real Estate Alpharetta Georgia Real Estate Crete hotel , apartments for holidays Crete - Greece flights All Links Directory Florida Real Estate SeekOn/Real Estate Indexed by State 1000's of FREE Promotional Resources = Reciprocal links exchange database and website promotion resources and more! PropertyTrek Mortgage Closing Costs You Shouldn't Pay - Click Here "Your High Speed Connection To Paradise" Is A Registered Trademark Scott Berry 2003-2004 | All Rights Reserved
investment property. Missing any
Buying Investment Property, RichDad.com Get the book that started it all. The #1 New York Times Bestseller Rich Dad Poor Dad is the book that "rocked" the financial world, J.P. Morgan declares. The Wall Street Journal calls "Rich Dad Poor Dad a must-read for Millionaires" and USA TODAY says it's "A starting point for anyone looking to gain control of their financial future." Learn how to have your money work for you and why you don't need to earn a high income to be rich. ARE YOU READY T O G E T O U T O F THE RAT RACE? Rich Dad's Roads to Riches : 6 Steps to Becoming a Successful Real Estate Investor - Cassette/VHS This program, developed in conjunction with Time Life, will teach you about buying investment property. Missing any of this program can, and will create an investing nightmare when buying investment property. The program includes: - 5 Audio Cassettes -104-page Hands-on Workbook - 2 VHS Video Tapes Bonus Gifts - The book: '101 Ways to Massively Increase the Value of your Real Estate without Spending much Money' by Dolf De Roos - The Mortgage Calculator - Rich Dad's Real Estate Evaluator Rich Dad's Roads to Riches : 6 Steps to Becoming a Successful Real Estate Investor - CD/VHS This program, developed in conjunction with Time Life, will teach you about buying investment property. Missing any one of these steps can, and will, create an investing nightmare when buying investment property. The program includes: - 5 CDs -104-page Hands-on Workbook - 2 VHS Video Tapes Bonus Gifts - The book: '101 Ways to Massively Increase the Value of your Real Estate without Spending much Money' by Dolf De Roos - The Mortgage Calculator - Rich Dad's Real Estate Evaluator. Rich Dad's Roads to Riches : 6 Steps to Becoming a Successful Real Estate Investor - CD/DVD This program, developed in conjunction with Time Life, will teach you about buying investment property. Missing any one of these steps can, and will, create an investing nightmare when buying investment property. The program includes: - 5 CDs -104-page Hands-on Workbook - 1 DVD Bonus Gifts - The book: '101 Ways to Massively Increase the Value of your Real Estate without Spending much Money' by Dolf De Roos - The Mortgage Calculator - Rich Dad's Real Estate Evaluator Home | Sign Up | Events | Buy Products | About Rich Dad | Sitemap RealEstate Investment | RealEstate Investors | RealEstate Investing | Real Estate Investing FAQ | Getting Rich in Real Estate | Real Estate Books | How to Invest in Real Estate | Sample Articles of Incorporation | Buying Property | Biography of Robert Kiyosaki | Robert Kiyosaki Products | Success System | Financial Independence | Real Estate Courses | Passive Income Builders | Acquiring Passive Income | Passive Income Business | Types of Passive Income | Rich Dad Poor Dad Reviews | Rich Dad Poor Dad Book | RichDad | Rich Dad Poor Dad | Summary of Rich Dad Poor Dad | Examples of Personal Financial Statement | Personal Financial Statement | Financial Statement Example | Financial Statement Sample | Managing Money Tips | Cash Flow Notes | Winning in the CASHFLOW Business | CASH FLOW Quadrant Game | CASHFLOW Quadrant | CASH FLOW 101 Game | CASHFLOW 202 | CASHFLOW Game | CASHFLOW 101 Game | CASHFLOW for Kids | Financial Definitions | Cash Flow Definition | Achieve Financial Freedom | Financial Freedom Services | Manage Your Financial Freedom | Books on Financial Freedom | Get Out of the Rat Race | Rat Race Board Game | Escape the Rat Race | Give Up the Rat Race 2002-2003 | CASHFLOW is a Registered Trademark of CASHFLOW Technologies, Inc. CASHFLOW THE E-GAME Whatever your dream may be, CASHFLOW THE E-GAME teaches you money managing tips and how to get out of the Rat Race. Learn about money and finance in a fun, interactive environment. First Name Last Name E-mail Address --
Colorado Real Estate: City
Colorado Real Estate: Find Homes For Sale in Colorado - REALTOR.com Colorado Real Estate Find Homes For Sale In Colorado Select an area using the map or the drop down menu. --Select an Area-- Akron Alamosa Arkansas Valley Aspen Boulder/Longmont Area Breckenridge/Keystone Canon City Colorado Springs Copper Mountain Cortez Delta Area (Delta County) Denver Area Douglas/Elbert Counties Durango Area Estes Park Evergreen-Conifer- Bailey Area Fort Collins/Loveland Area Fruita Glenwood Springs Granby Grand Lake Greeley/Weld County Area Gunnison Country (Crested Butte) Mesa County (Grand Junction) Monte Vista Montrose Monument/Tri Lakes Morgan County Otero County Pagosa Springs Peetz Pueblo Steamboat Springs Sterling Telluride Vail Westcliffe Winter Park Woodland Park Colorado Real Estate: City Search Mode If you don't see the area/city you're looking for on the map above, try typing its name into the box below. Please be mindful of proper spelling. Note that this method will not find homes in many unincorporated communities or areas. City: 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.