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Realtors

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by genuinemommy, Dec 12, 2014.

  1. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    How do I choose a good Realtor who really wants to work for us as a buyer's agent?

    How do I communicate my home-buying desires effectively with a Realtor?

    We've just moved to a new area and we're really having trouble finding a Realtor that we like. We feel like everyone is sending us listings for absurdly giant homes that don't suit our taste that are located in the wrong neighborhoods and are at the very tip-top of our allowable price range (outside my comfort zone, but within my husband's). When we look at Zillow or Trulia, we have a hard time finding a home we dislike, but then these Realtors seem to find the only ones that have bizzarre floor plans and are utter crap... it's seriously frustrating.

    And they're telling us that it's a "seller's market" which is complete bull. With this many homes on the market and things not moving really fast, not many with multiple offers, how can they possibly call it a "seller's market?" It seems like that's their code for telling us that they're not going to help us negotiate down the price on any home. Is that the case?

    I feel like we're talking a different language. I'm starting to think that we shouldn't use a Realtor at all and just call and make offers on the homes that look interesting to us. Help me figure this out, please!
     
    Last edited: Dec 12, 2014
    genuinemommy, Dec 12, 2014
    #1
  2. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    Start going to open houses on your own. Picking a realtor that suits you is difficult on both ends. I've been through enough house sales with my family to say so. The easiest way to shop around for one that suits you is to go to open houses. The realtors there aren't always the one selling the house, so you have a chance to feel out a realtor. Good luck!
     
    snowy, Dec 12, 2014
    #2
  3. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    Great suggestion, Snowy! Thank you.
     
    genuinemommy, Dec 12, 2014
    #3
    • Like Like x 1
  4. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    I hope you guys find your dream home soon.

    (P.S. You knew this, but we'd love a place to crash in Houston while we check out all the nerdy sites/sights.)
     
    snowy, Dec 12, 2014
    #4
  5. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    Hehe - yes! We will gladly host you guys when we find and settle into our new home.
     
    genuinemommy, Dec 12, 2014
    #5
    • Like Like x 1
  6. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    Ok. I found this link insanely helpful. Ten Rules for Working With Real Estate Agents
    Sounds like we need to let our potential realtors know that we're just interviewing them when we first speak with them on the phone and when we meet with them. That may go a long way.
     
    Last edited: Dec 13, 2014
    genuinemommy, Dec 13, 2014
    #6
    • Like Like x 1
  7. Levite

    Levite Levitical Yet Funky

    Location:
    The Windy City
    Maybe it's not worth saying, but word of mouth counts for a lot. Do you know anyone you trust in your area? If so ask them for recommendations. By the same token, put the call out on your Facebook, and see if anyone you know knows someone who knows someone.

    That's how we got the very good realtor in LA who helped us sell our condo when we had to move. The amazing realtor we found in Chicago was total luck of the draw.
     
    Levite, Dec 13, 2014
    #7
    • Like Like x 2
  8. fflowley

    fflowley Don't just do something, stand there!

    True story: We live in a snowy part of upstate NY. We moved here from Buffalo 15 years ago.
    I had accepted a job that started in June; we were house hunting in January.
    It should have been very obvious that we were serious shoppers: Nobody drives across NY to a rural area in the dead of winter to look at houses unless they are serious. The RE market here is pretty dead during the winter.
    I called 4 or 5 RE agents about a month before we wanted to come look at houses.
    Despite having very little business that time of year only ONE could be bothered to take 30 minutes to copy some home listings, put them in an envelope and mail them to us.
    Two other had the gall to say "Call me when you are in town, we'll go look at some places."
    Seriously? I'm driving 4 hours in the middle of winter and that's all you got?

    We of course ended up buying through the one that sent us the listings. But it all has left me with a negative impression of realtors work habits and motivation.
    I think @Levite has it right. You need someone local who has worked with these folks before.
    --- merged: Dec 13, 2014 12:55 PM ---
    True story: We live in a snowy part of upstate NY. We moved here from Buffalo 15 years ago.
    I had accepted a job that started in June; we were house hunting in January.
    It should have been very obvious that we were serious shoppers: Nobody drives across NY to a rural area in the dead of winter to look at houses unless they are serious. The RE market here is pretty dead during the winter.
    I called 4 or 5 RE agents about a month before we wanted to come look at houses.
    Despite having very little business that time of year only ONE could be bothered to take 30 minutes to copy some home listings, put them in an envelope and mail them to us.
    Two other had the gall to say "Call me when you are in town, we'll go look at some places."
    Seriously? I'm driving 4 hours in the middle of winter and that's all you got?

    We of course ended up buying through the one that sent us the listings. But it all has left me with a negative impression of realtors work habits and motivation.
    I think @Levite has it right. You need someone local who has worked with these folks before.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 20, 2014
    fflowley, Dec 13, 2014
    #8
    • Like Like x 1
  9. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    Thanks, Levite. Hubby is against the idea of asking around because he does not want to ruin any friendships if the sale goes wrong in some way. I will talk to him about it again. I think asking the potential realtor for a list of references from their recent buyers will probably help cover our bases.

    Ffowley, yes! Wow! You were serious and I'm glad a Realtor took you seriously so you could find a place. Tt sent out e-mails to 300 (not eggagerating) Realtors in the area and received one response. We phoned and left messages with about 20, no response. The buyer's agents we have found so far have been set up by USAA. I really don't understand why they aren't jumping at a serious buyer when there are so many Realtors and realty agents in the area.
     
    genuinemommy, Dec 13, 2014
    #9
  10. omega

    omega Very Tilted

    That is unfortunate. I was fortunate enough to have the same agent who helped us buy our house when we moved out here in 2007. Because she was still around she helped my ex and I sell our house, and then brokered both of us buying new homes, all in a five month span.
     
    omega, Dec 13, 2014
    #10
  11. Street Pattern

    Street Pattern Very Tilted

    Location:
    The American Midwest
    A bizarre floor plan?

    To me, that sounds like a tremendous plus!

    floorplan.jpg longwood.jpg
    castleplan.jpg
     
    Last edited: Dec 13, 2014
    Street Pattern, Dec 13, 2014
    #11
    • Like Like x 1
  12. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    Yay! Looks like we found our Realtor match today!
    I'll tell you how things go.
     
    genuinemommy, Dec 13, 2014
    #12
    • Like Like x 3
  13. Lindy

    Lindy Moderator Staff Member

    Location:
    Nebraska
    I'm going to take a somewhat contrarian point of view on this.
    What you are really looking for is not an agent, but a home. A real estate agent is just a means to that end. A real estate agent is not a person that you will have some kind of continuing relationship with, like you would have with a doctor, dentist, broker, veterinarian, insurance agent, etc. You may look at several, but you only need to find and buy ONE house.


    Great advice @snowy! Sig and I sometimes do this (after our Sunday morning sexathon and brunch) sometimes with planning, other times just driving around in neighborhoods that we like looking for signs. We've met a couple of real estate people that we like. The folks on duty at the open houses are always willing -- at least here in Lincoln -- to suggest other properties. I shot us in the foot on one open house where the house was just perfectly what we both wanted, the price seemed too god to be true. I wanted to wait and research the price before jumping in and the house sold later that day to someone who made a full asking price offer.:(


    Five years ago was a buyer's market nationwide. Desperate sellers and not many buyers. It has become more of a seller's market in the sense that there aren't as many desperate sellers as there were a few years age. That makes it easier for the other sellers to bide their time because they are not competing with desperation. Around here there are quite a few houses in established neighborhoods for sale that belong to "downsizing" baby boomers. Motivated but not desperate. Some neighborhoods may be buyer's markets, others in the same city may be seller's markets. And some segments are always a seller's market. A $150k home in a $250k neighborhood is always a seller's market home.
    If the listing price is realistic, then there is not much room to "negotiate down." To paraphrase Warren Buffett: "Would you rather have a wonderful house at a fair price, or a fair house at a wonderful price?"

    Depending on how much "hand-holding" you need, that might be the best thing to do.
     
    Lindy, Dec 13, 2014
    #13
  14. Stan

    Stan Resident Dumbass

    Location:
    Colorado
    We did this. I loved the house, my wife loved the house, the location was perfect, and the price seemed a bit high for what it was.

    We made a full price offer with approved financing. Getting my wife and I to agree on the house and location was more important than the $3-4k we may or may not have been able to save.

    We went with a brand new, learn as you go, realtor. She was willing to do a bit more than the more experienced ones.
     
    Stan, Dec 13, 2014
    #14
    • Like Like x 1
  15. ASU2003

    ASU2003 Very Tilted

    Location:
    Where ever I roam
    While you don't need to have 100% firm requirements, it helps narrow down the houses out there. And it also helps the realtor know what type of house you are looking for.

    1. Location: close to work, stores, schools and whatever else you want.
    2. Price: Have a price in mind, but tell the realtor $25,000 less. Make sure it is realistic though.
    3. Fixer upper vs Move in ready: How much work are you willing to take on
    4. Home Owner Associations vs none (but usually older homes then)
    5. Land and property taxes
    6. Crime and Sex Offender listings
    7. Energy efficiency (might not be as big a deal in coastal Texas).
    8. Modern kitchen, open concept, basement, number of bedrooms & bathrooms.
    9. Garage, and how big?
    10. Close to a hospital, police station, fire house
    11. How are the neighbors?
    12. Copper or Aluminum wiring, age of AC, Furnace, water heater, etc.
    13. Flood zone, or ability to survive a hurricane?
    14. Closet space & storage space
    15. Speed limit of the road in front of the house
    16. Trains, airports, and noise
    17. Distance to highway, airport, and frequent destinations
    18. Parks nearby?
    19. How well run is the city or suburb, income taxes, school taxes?
    20. Room for a backyard garden?


    And whatever else that you can think of. Create a spreadsheet to compare houses. Don't be afraid to revisit a house again for a second look.
     
    ASU2003, Dec 13, 2014
    #15
    • Like Like x 1
  16. cynthetiq

    cynthetiq Administrator Staff Member Donor

    Location:
    New York City
    1. Word of mouth to locate someone reasonable.

    2. The realtor should be showing what is on your list of needs and requirements not something that doesn't match. If they keep showing you things that don't work then it is imperative to change realtors.
     
    cynthetiq, Dec 25, 2014
    #16