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... 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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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Home Mortgage

Refinance Mortgage, Home Loan, Home Equity, Home Purchase, Debt Consolidation - LowerMyBills Loans Home Refinance Loan Home Equity Loan Debt Consolidation Loan Home Purchase Loan Commercial Mortgage Automobile Loan Find a Real Estate Agent Debt DebtWizard Debt Consolidation Loan Online BillPay Login Take the Tour Insurance Automobile Insurance Life Insurance Health Insurance Homeowner's Insurance Renter's Insurance Credit Credit Cards Free Credit Report & Score Phone & Internet Cellular Phone Long Distance Service Internet Access Satellite Select One Home Refinance Home Purchase Home Equity Debt Consolidation Property State Select One 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 Home Description Single Family Multi-Family Condominium Townhouse Mobile Home Manufactured Home Your Credit Profile Excellent Good Fair Needs Improvement Poor Enter Your Email Address & Receive Our FREE Newsletter Full of Savings Tips and Special Offers Tips & Advice Browse over 200 FREE financial tips . Definitions Expert Answers Financial Tools How-To Advice LowerMyBills in the Media Calculators Home Refinance Calculators Home Equity Calculators Debt Consolidation Calculators Home Purchase Calculators (WEB06-C) (Q-1) (T-1850) (P-1336) (S-1)

Sell House

Sell House Home Sell a Home Buy a Home Services Mortgages City Profiles Appraisals -- Why sell your home by owner? Less hassle and frustration: When selling a home by owner, you don't have to leave the house because a Real Estate Agent wants to show it, or clean it every morning before leaving "just in case". You know when potential home buyers are coming, and can therefore prepare accordingly. And when a home buyer makes an offer, there's not all that frustrating back-and-forth telephone tag between real estate agents to reach an agreement. It can be done in minutes, and end with a friendly handshake and smile between the buyer and seller. "You can "sell your home" better than anyone else: You know your house best. The schools, the neighborhood, what is special about the area and the home, as well as other details about the house. A well-maintained, fairly priced home can virtually sell itself; your role is to simply provide additional information. Sell for a price on your terms; You're in control: Nobody is going to tell you what to sell for. You can advertise where and how you want to (not sit by in frustration because "they're not doing enough"), schedule showings when it's convenient for you, talk directly with prospective home buyers at your leisure, even take your home off the market for awhile if you can't find the right house for you. You aren't obligated to a 3, 6, or 12 month contract... you make your own rules. More $$$ in your pocket: Calculate 6-7% of what you think your house is worth, then ask yourself: is it worth paying this much to have someone else show my property, act as a go-between to negotiate the sale and coordinate the home's closing schedules with the lender, lawyer or titles company (dependent upon your area of the country). Sell your home fast: If you list your home with a real estate agent, you'll probably inflate the house's asking price to cover the cost of the commission. Two to four months later you'll come to the painful realization that no one is going to buy your home at that price, and you'll likely end up reducing the price (or accepting an offer) equal to the original amount you would have asked if selling on your own. Do it right the first time, and avoid taking the loss. Less uncertainty: Because you meet the prospective home buyers, you have a much better idea how interested people are, what they like about the house, how serious they are about buying and what their timeframe and situation is. The direct feedback is easier to live with than wondering how things are going, or worse, why no one has made an offer yet. It's easy: If you can sell your own car, you can sell your own home... it's that simple" said one of our home sellers. And he's right, once you find a buyer, lenders, lawyers or title companies take over (depending on your area of the country). And For Sale By Owner websites are now your best advertising resource for commission free home selling. Privacy & Disclaimer Partner With Us Career Opportunities Press Room Contact Us Terms and Conditions © 1997-2005 For Sale By Owner.com Site Map

buy Home [Magazine Subscription]

Amazon.com: Better Homes and Gardens [MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION]: Magazine Subscriptions Your Store Magazine Subscriptions See All 32 Product Categories Your Account | Cart | Wish List | Help | Advanced Search | browse subjects | top sellers | today's deals | gift ideas | newspapers | professional & trade Search Amazon.com Magazines Newspapers Newsletters Web Search This item is not eligible for Amazon Prime, but over a million other items are. Join Amazon Prime today. Already a member? Sign in . MAGAZINE INFO Explore this magazine buying info editorial reviews customer reviews See more images Customers also bought these magazines these other items Share your thoughts write a review write a So You'd Like to... guide tell a friend about this item RATE THIS MAGAZINE I dislike it I love it! 1 2 3 4 5 Edit your ratings Visit the DVD Store The Incredibles (Widescreen 2-Disc Collector's Edition) DVD ~ Holly Hunter Spec tacular Readers Never misplace your reading glasses again with the hip andstylish magnetic readers from CliC . Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering. A9.com users save 1.57% on Amazon. Learn how . Better Homes and Gardens [MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION] Cover Price: $41.88 Price: $15.97 ($1.33/issue) You Save: $25.91 (62%) Issues: 12 issues/12 months See more images Print a Magazine Gift Card Ordering it as a gift? Give your recipient a personalized Better Homes and Gardens gift card! ( Flash Player required.) See more magazine gift options . Magazine subscriptions always ship free, and they help you qualify for FREE Super Saver Shipping on the rest of your order! See details . Ready to Renew? Learnhow . Availability: The first issue should arrive in 6-10 weeks. Here's why See more product details Better Together Buy this magazine with Good Housekeeping [Magazine Subscription] today! Total List Price : $71.88 Buy Together Today: $25.97 Product Details Format: Magazine Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. Publisher: Meredith Corporation Abstracts and Table of Contents. See here . ASIN: B00005N7OV Average Customer Review: Based on 18 reviews. Write a review . Amazon.com Sales Rank: Today: #89 in Magazine Subscriptions Yesterday: #147 in Magazine Subscriptions For magazine orders, your name and mailing address will be shared with the appropriate publisher. This magazine subscription is provided by Synapse Services, Inc. Customers who bought this magazine also bought: Southern Living [Magazine Subscription] House Beautiful [Magazine Subscription] Country Living [Magazine Subscription] Woman's Day [Magazine Subscription] Explore Similar Items : 20 in Magazine Subscriptions , 4 in DVD , and 1 in Music What similar items do customers ultimately buy after viewing this item? 18% buy Sunset [Magazine Subscription] 8% buy House & Garden [Magazine Subscription] 7% buy this item(Better Homes and Gardens [Magazine Subscription] 4% buy Home [Magazine Subscription] 4% buy Fine Gardening [Magazine Subscription] Explore Similar Items : 9 in Magazine Subscriptions , 9 in Books , and 2 in Kitchen & Housewares Editorial Reviews From the Publisher This home and family service magazine is designed for husbands and wives who have a primary interest in the home and family. It services its readers in the form of ideas, advice, information and inspiration to achieve a better home and family. Description Better Homes & Gardens magazine is designed for people interested in turning home, cooking, and gardening inspiration into action. It is focused on decorating, building and remodeling, crafts, entertaining, cooking, healthy living, and gardening. It also has extensive information specifically for women and families. In addition to providing product reviews, practical homeowner advice, step-by-step instructions, and money-saving suggestions, the magazine covers the latest developments and trends... read more See all editorial reviews... Spotlight Reviews (What's this?) Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. 11 of 11 people found the following review helpful: cluttered but nice , October 17, 2003 Reviewer: Alejandra Vernon "artist & illustrator" (Long Beach, California)- See all my reviews This magazine has a lower cover price than some of its competitors, and makes up for it with a massive amount of ads. A few ads contain coupons, for those that like to cut those little things out (unfortunately they are hardly ever for anything I want !). The paper is also a lot thinner than the higher priced home/garden publications, and the photographs do not reproduce that well on it. On the bright side, there are many nice dcor ideas, and simply terrific recipes. Taking the October 2003 edition as an example, Fall colors and produce are the theme. It has some ideas on how to display gourds, and an article on a community pumpkin patch, from the June planting by 140 neighbors and friends in a 6000 square ft. area, to harvest time. There are numerous articles on remodeling, "Foolproof Potted Plants", on the joys of having hardy succulents in your home, and a lovely piece with lots of photographs on actor Peter Strauss' gorgeous Ojai, California garden. The best article of all, is "The Magic of Soup", and some of these recipes are so good they might end up in your family for generations. They are simple to prepare, with easy to find ingredients, and will make a healthy, hearty meal for those frosty days ahead. Also included with the recipes is the preparation and cooking time, and nutritional statistics. As someone who writes a lot of notes and cards, I appreciate the final page which is about letter writing, and how this vanishing form of communicating is good for the soul. All things considered, this magazine gives good value, and is meant for those of us who do not live in a mansion or have hours to devote to a single recipe. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 7 of 7 people found the following review helpful: Essential for Decorating Tips! , December 30, 2001 Reviewer: Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Issaquah, WA)- See all my reviews If you are looking for ideas for that next decorating project, more than likely you can find at least one article each month to inspire you. With a focus on friends and family, gardening, interior design, building, family matters, flood, good health and shopping, you can't go wrong! I like the "Yours for the Asking" section where you can send away a postcard for more information instead of contacting each company. For mom's, the "kids project" section will be amusing and your kids will love the ideas. The cartoons are also cute and I had to laugh at the one that said: "Of course I love you. Didn't you get my fax?" Something about the pictures in this magazine always remind me of a bright sunny day. The open kitchens and lush gardens are just a treat to see. The recipe section really has a personality all of its own. The "Petite Caramel Apple" recipe they had in the September 2001 issue was so adorable! I look forward to every issue! Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) All Customer Reviews Average Customer Review: Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. 3 of 3 people found the following review helpful: Better Ads & More Ads , June 20, 2005 Reviewer: theosuperstar "theosuperstar" (Hallstead, PA United States)- See all my reviews This magazine is a waste of money and bores me. Nothing here to see but ads. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: I love this magazine but... , October 7, 2004 Reviewer: Miss Seattle (Parker, Colorado)- See all my reviews most of the beautiful gardens I see are in Washington or Oregon or back east somewhere. Having lived in Washington, I do enjoy seeing some of the plants that I am missing here in Colorado, but it would be nice to see a more varied selction of gardens becasue we all can't live in the Pacific Northwest. I have a subscription to Sunset so I guess that will have to suffice, but I do wish BH&G would take that into consideration. Otherwise, I LOVE this magazine. I used to get several magazines, but this was always my favorite. It is chock full of ideas that we can really use. And I love the photography. What sets BH&G apart is that you can see a hint of life in these beautiful houses. Slippers on the floor, newspaper on the table and often the owners of the home are in the pictures too. They are sometimes blurred from movement which is actually nicer than a posed shot. It helps set the feeling that this home is lived in and is attainable. I would say get this magazine right away. I would have given it 5 stars except for the whole garden thing. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 7 of 10 people found the following review helpful: AKA...Better Homes and Advertising , February 18, 2004 Reviewer: A magazine reader (Glendale, CA United States) I ordered this magazine recently only to cancel my subscription. There is way too much advertising in the magazine and none of the crafts or projects really enticed me to get creative. It's too bad. Go with Martha Stewart Living or Sunset magazines instead, both high quality. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 6 of 17 people found the following review helpful: Hello... , January 8, 2004 Reviewer: A magazine reader (St. Helens, OR United States) For those of you that complain about advertisments in magazines, what are you whining about? How do you think magazines get a nice chunk of their funding? They have companies pay to have their products advertised in the mag. so shut up. On a happier note, I love this magazine. It has wonderfuly lovely ideas for make your house look beautiful though some of the ideas do seem a little pricey. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) See all 18 customer reviews... So You'd Like To... "Be Well-Rounded" :by Mara Baechemel , 4th Grade Teacher, avid Amazon shopper Protecting Your Spines Natural Curves., :by Dr Adam Weiss , Doctor and Author "Enjoy a Terrific Media Mix" :by Mara Baechemel , 4th Grade Teacher, avid Amazon shopper Listmania! Interior Decorating Delights :A list by Psboston7 , 16 Various Magazine Subscriber Relaxing Gifts fro Mom :A list by hugandkiss , anyone Best Magazines for a Quiet Afternoon :A list by candi92 , Magazine Fiend and New Texan Browse for magazine subscriptions in: Titles, A-Z > B Subjects > Home & Garden > General Subjects > Home & Garden > Gardening I have read this magazine, and I want to review it. Is there a specific product you'd like us to sell? Tell us about it. 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