Figure taken from page 25 in Your First Home
Questions for your agent
Why did you become a real estate agent?
Part of it stems from my frustration with our own first home buying experience. It would have gone so much better with an experienced professional on our side negotiating for our best interests. The other part comes from my competitive desire to have an edge in negotiations and empower others by redeeming what I have learned from my experiences.
We bought new construction directly from the subdivision agents and they were just working for the builder – which is their job. But that left us as totally on our own throughout the whole process as the buyer and we simply didn’t know what we didn’t know. My goal now is to level the playing field.
Why should I work with you?
In the words of my accountant for 30 years: “Michael, you are honest, straight-forward and willing to do whatever it takes. That is all I need.”
What do you do better than other real estate agents?
I see things many other people miss. It’s an attention to detail; it’s a lifestyle perspective. Whether I am coaching buyers on options or story telling when marketing a home for sale, my advice can be the edge our clients need to get what they want.
What process will you use to help me find the right home for my particular wants and needs?
I have a checklist of 67+ items that affect resale values, developed over the past 27 years, that we use to advise our buying clients so they can make great decisions.
What are the most common things that go wrong in a transaction, and how would you handle them?
There are a couple of crucial pitfalls as a buyer in this process. One of the first is underestimating the power of having your financing locked down with a local human being as a lender who can actively advocate for you in an offer situation – after hours on on weekends.
The second is overlooking key resale issues when selecting a property. The impact of this is that you inherit issues you regret when it comes time to sell AND you overpay for the property today. Our process usually goes a bit slower because we are picky. But our buyers also stay put longer than average because their purchases are well thought out.
What are some of the mistakes that you think people make when buying their first home?
I think most mistakes come from rushing the selection process, not moving fast enough once you are under contract and penny pinching on lenders. Rushing the process can result in major issues down the road with resale. Not responding to lenders and closing attorneys can jeopardize deadlines (and your earnest money). Pinching pennies when shopping lenders can strand you at closing where the stress levels are high and alternative solutions are really expensive – if they are even possible.
What other professionals may we work with, and what are their roles?
There are number of professionals who can make your life easier during this process:
- Local, Responsive Lender – Delivering the loan approval and funds for closing without drama
- Thorough Home Inspector – helps you meet your deadlines and understand issues in enough time to negotiate concessions from the seller
- Termite Inspection and Bonding Company – helps you negotiate if there are issues
- Radon Remediation Contractor – helps you undetsnad the magniture of the radon issue if there is one
- Home Inspection Repair Contractor – provides you with cost estimates for home inspection issues
- Reliable Movers – saves you from drama at one of the most stressful times of your life
Can you provide me with references or testimonies from past clients?
Yes, most definitely. I have Five Star reviews on Zillow, Google and Nextdoor.