This is an ongoing issue that I feel the need to discuss. I’m sure my fellow co-workers will either despise me for writing it, while others will definitely agree with what I’m writing.

Lately, I’ve been frustrated; with reason, with agents processing or inputting listings on the MLS system when they already have accepted offers.
My feeling is this. If someone employs me to list and market their property, I owe them a fiduciary duty to represent their interests above all else. That being said, when I list a property, I process my listing on MLS and allow any potential realtors access to my listing in an attempt to get my clients competing offers or to show that a reasonable attempt has been made to get my clients top dollar for their home. It’s the right thing to do.

If I suddenly list a home and bring an offer on it the very same day with my own buyer, it appears as though, I didn’t make a valiant effort to properly market that property by allowing as many agents through and that I may have been trying to line my own pocket with the full commission.

I’ve recently listed a house on a Friday and that day, I had 7 requests to show the property throughout the weekend by various agents. The first agent that showed the property wrote an offer that same evening. I could have presented the offer but in fairness to all the other agents who requested showings, I contacted them, and requested they show the house as soon as possible as an offer was being presented on Saturday evening. It was the right thing to do. I allowed all buyers and their agents’ access to the property, secured a second offer for my seller clients and at the end of the day the house sold for 100% of its asking price, without upsetting anyone.

Last week I requested to show a listing from a rookie agent, who advised me that the sellers weren’t ready for showings that day. I requested the showing for the following day. Much to my dismay when I called the next day to request a showing, I was advised that the sellers had accepted an offer. I thought it was strange, that I couldn’t show the house because it wasn’t ready for showings but magically they were able to accept an offer. I later found out that his own buyer client viewed the property (the same night, I had requested to show it), wrote an offer and had the offer accepted. I was furious! Was he really representing his sellers best interest? Should he not have contacted any agent who had requested showings to advise them of an impeding offer and allow us access right away to show it to our prospective buyers? It appeared to me that this agent had a hidden agenda. He must have needed the entire commission, who knows. I just feel terrible for his sellers who weren’t really given a fair shot at the market. It could have sold for more, we will never know. What I do know: is that I won’t waiver or slightly wander from my principles and the way I conduct my business. I sleep well at night and will continue to do so….

Happy Buying and Selling!
Marcel Gladu,
Broker
Re/Max Crown Realty 1989 Inc. ]]> http://www.marcelgladu.com/blog/goals-2012/feed/ 0 http://www.marcelgladu.com/questionssellers/why-sell-with-us/ http://www.marcelgladu.com/questionssellers/why-sell-with-us/#comments Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:56:57 +0000 admin http://www.marcelgladu.com/?p=412 read more]]> We’ve assisted so many people in selling their homes that for us its second nature. We will guide you through the process step by step, advising what needs to be done in order to get top dollar for your home. This may include de-cluttering, painting, staging, or simple renovations to make your home shine. We will give you an honest opinion of your homes value. We won’t inflate your price just to get the listing. We want to sell your home not just list it. We will negotiate on your behalf and promote your listing relentlessly. We outspend our competition in advertising. Why? Put simply homes that are poorly marketed may not achieve market value. In other words, without the best exposure you don’t get the best price. Call us today. We’d like to work for you!

As top Greater Sudbury Area real estate agents with  years of experience and a proven track record, it is our job to guide you through this complicated process, from beginning to end. We want you to get the maximum value for your home, within YOUR time frame. Here are  just some of the things that we will do to market and sell your home:

• Buyers want to buy your home for as little as possible! Through detailed comparisons between your home and recently sold homes, and other properties currently on the Greater Sudbury Area market, together we can determine what your home is really worth in today’s market. In the industry this is called a Comparative Market Analysis or CMA. We will do this for you, for free.
• Buyers have their own timelines, which might not be yours! We make sure they don’t waste your time by qualifying them as to their real ability to afford your home.
• More buyers interested in your home means more money in your pocket when it is sold. Our extensive marketing of your home assures you of maximum value. When we begin marketing your home, we will immediately notify all the buyers that we are helping find their ideal home. We’ll also notify all the real estate agents in this area that we work with, who quickly tell their homebuyers. It is a powerful way to jump-start the sale of your home!
• You and a member of my team or I will walk through your home together. We will advise you how to present your property to maximize its selling price. Some improvements are worth it, and some are not! Be careful.
• We will make sure you conform to any and all Ontario statutory disclosure requirements. We will also inform you of any inspections that you should consider having done ahead of time to smooth the negotiating process with buyers, and to ensure a successful closing.

You pay no up front costs for our services! So you can bet that we will work hard to get your home sold, for as much as this market will possibly bear. We will also work within your time frame and your needs. For example, sometimes it can be hard to sell and move out of your current home, and buy and move into a new home, all at the same time! We can help smooth this out.

Call or email us. Ask for a free In-Home Presentation. We will come to your home or office, and present you a plan that details exactly how we will market your home. There is absolutely no obligation so don’t let this opportunity pass. It is part of our job as top real estate agents to offer you this service.

Now might be the perfect time… And it is FREE, WITH NO OBLIGATION! Just fill out the form below.

We ONLY collect personal information necessary to effectively market and to sell the property of sellers, to locate, assess and qualify properties for buyers, and to otherwise provide professional services to clients and customers.

We do not sell, trade, transfer, rent or exchange your personal information with anyone.
We appreciate the trust you are placing in us.

1. You are limiting your exposure to potential buyers (less than 10% of what a good real estate broker will generate) which theoretically means your home will take ten to fifteen times longer to sell on the market.
2. The longer a home is on the market the lower the selling price is. Why? Because most buyers think that if the home has not sold after this long… there must be something wrong with the home.
3. The selling/buying process begins AFTER the buyer leaves your home. Most sellers think that all it takes is for someone to see their home, fall in love with the great decor… and the offer automatically will follow. Remember that the buying process begins after they leave your home. If a real estate sales representative does not represent the buyer, and they are looking on their own…they usually leave the home and start to talk themselves out of the buying process. Real estate professionals are trained on how to overcome buyers remorse–a very common occurrence.
4. Because of the limited exposure you will very likely end up with a lower selling price. Remember, in order to generate the highest price possible for your home… selling means exposure. You need the maximum exposure possible, to generate the highest price possible.
5. Most buyers find it extremely awkward to negotiate or even to talk directly with sellers and therefore avoid FSBO properties.
6. Lack of negotiating experience and lack of pertinent information often will result in a lower selling price, or worse yet, a bungled contract and possible lawsuits.
7. The majority of qualified buyers are working with experienced real estate professionals.
8. Many serious buyers will pass by a FSBO home merely because they recognize that it is not in the real estate mainstream, this can some times make them wary.
9. As most local buyers now retain an experienced real estate sales person to represent them as their buyer-agency, you will probably be negotiating against an experienced professional.
10. Expected savings in broker’s fees will also be greatly reduced if you offer a selling commission to entice real estate sales representatives to bring potential buyers.
11. If you are planning to use a Lawyer to help you negotiate the offer, then your lawyer’s fees will be considerably higher.
12. Only real estate sales representatives have access to the up-to-date market information. News reports cannot approach the timeliness or specificity available to real estate sales people. Further, real estate sales representatives are involved in home sales much more frequently than the average homeowner is. This familiarity leads to a degree of expertise that provides an edge on negotiating and successful selling.
13. You only pay the commission to the real estate broker, if they successfully sell your home at the price you are happy with.
14. Accepting an offer is one thing, ensuring a safe and successful closing is quite another. Real estate transactions usually always have problems on closing. At times, expecting the Buyers and Sellers Lawyer’s to fight it out or resolve the problems, can sometimes mean the deal is lost. This is the time that your experienced real estate professional, can be the most important. Your Real Estate professional can act as a great mediator. Lawyers MUST act only on their client’s instructions and are not paid to negotiate.
15. The SECRET to selling a house is … houses sell because of PRICE. It’s a simple rule. Any house will sell, if it’s priced right. Realtors have access to all of the latest information and have the experience to know how to price homes so that they sell. The majority of For Sale By Owner’s have no idea of the true market price of their home and end up pricing it too high or too low.
16. Unlike discount brokerages and private home sale organizations, we don’t charge an upfront fee to list and market your property. You only pay us for satisfactory results.
17. Constructive criticism is sometimes key when selling your home. Buyers won’t be forthcoming with feedback, whereas, they will be upfront and honest with us.
18. When putting your house on the market all you should worry about is keeping your house clean for all showings and knowing how many boxes you will need to start packing.

The first thing to consider is your needs vs. your wants. Looking for a new home can seem overwhelming at first. There are so many things to think about, and so many choices. A small investment of time and effort right at the start will pay enormous dividends. When we work with you, we always take the time to sit down and help you organize your thoughts before you start actively looking. Making a plan will simplify the process, save you time, and help lead you to the right home!

Here are some important questions to ask yourself even before we meet:

• Where do I want to live? (community/general area)
• Are schools a factor?
• Do I want an older home or a new one? What style of home do I prefer? (detached, town home, condominium, multi-family, bungalow, other)
• How much renovation and remodelling am I willing to do?
• Is being close to public transportation important?
• Do I have special physical requirements, such as wheel chair access?
• Do I have pets to consider?
• What sort of lot would I like? (small yard, large yard, fenced, garage, patio/deck, other buildings)
• How many bedrooms do I need? How many would I like to have?
• How many bathrooms do I need? How many would I like to have?
• How big a house do I want? How many rooms? How many square feet?
• What features are important? (air conditioning, carpeting, ceramic tile floors, hardwood floors, eat-in kitchen, separate dining room, formal living room, family room, den, library, finished basement, separate laundry room, fireplace, workshop, other)

Ideally, find out about your mortgage options before you start looking. There’s nothing more frustrating that falling in love with a home, only to find out you can’t afford it. Pre-qualifying for a mortgage is the best way to discover how much you can afford. Your banker or financial planner will look at your income, expenses and debt to determine how much a lender will lend you. Combine that amount with the money you have for a down payment, and that’s your budget.

Of course, I can introduce you to several trusted mortgage brokers who can help you look at the big picture. Want to get an idea of how much you can afford? Try our Mortgage Calculator on the left-hand sidebar for a quick estimate.

Of course, the question comes up all the time: why should you use a real estate agent at all? With the surge in FSBO (for sale by owner) websites and the explosion of websites geared to helping buyers find properties and research neighbourhoods, some people think about doing the job themselves. The fact remains that though you might find your ideal home on the Internet, it is still essential to have an advocate who will help you every step of the way, from screening properties, to negotiating the best possible deal for you, to handling the dozens of transactional details. What are the potential dangers of not having a trusted professional guide you through the process?

• You can waste weeks, even months, searching for the right home while missing out on great opportunities because the public MLS (Realtor.ca) is not immediately updated nor does it contain vital property information
• The Seller’s agent is looking out for his or her client, not for you – they will not negotiate fiercely on your behalf, so you could easily overpay for the house
• Conversely, no counsel on current market value means you might lose your dream home by only a few thousand dollars in multiple offer situations
• Serious problems with the home, including structural damage, may not be visible to the untrained eye and once the deal closes, you are stuck with the property
• Complex clauses in the offer to purchase (drafted by the Seller’s advocate, not yours) may put you at a disadvantage in terms of payment arrangements and conditions
• Your deposit money can be tied up for months in the event that the deal falls through; in extreme cases of fraudulent sellers, that money can literally disappear
• Once the deal is done, you’re on your own in terms of the closing and any issues or problems that might arise.

Buying a home is a big step, both financially and emotionally. No one we’ve worked with has said they wished they did it on their own. My team has helped many hundreds of people buy their homes, and we know what we’re doing. The great news is, Buyer Representatives are compensated through the Seller, so using a REALTOR® does not require you to pay any out of pocket fees. My team works on contingency, putting all our time and effort into helping you reach your real estate goals. We don’t get paid until you are happily nested in your new home!

Sometimes clients approach me to help them buy their next home and out of curiosity, I ask them why they’re not working with the person who sold them their last home. From the answers they’ve given me about what’s important to them, here are some things to keep in mind when choosing your Realtor:

• Go local – look for the top REALTOR® in the area you want to live in. Your REALTOR® should work often in the area you want to move to – how else will they know what the local market is doing and what private opportunities might be under the radar?
• Check the agent’s track record of success over the years – a good REALTOR® should know their stats. Ask to see their client testimonials, and search the content of their website, which should give you a good idea of how the REALTOR® works for their clients.
• Choose an agent who often handles homes in your price range. If you’re a first time condo buyer, choosing an agent who primarily sells trophy homes means you may not be getting the market expertise, time or energy they would devote to someone with more money to spend.
• Call one of the agents on your short list and speak to them or a member of their team. If you enjoy the contact, then you are in good shape to meet them in person to determine if they are the right fit for your unique needs and lifestyle. After the meeting, think about whether they seemed trustworthy and honest, realistic when discussing your home purchase, committed to you, motivated to helping you, and knowledgeable.
• When it comes to real estate, two (or more!) heads are better than one. If the agent you’re considering works with a team, including a buyer specialist and administrative people, you can usually be assured of a better experience. No successful REALTOR® can fill every role in the complex buying process, so although you might not be working with the CEO or team leader all the time, you’re still getting the best of his/her expertise plus the rest of the team’s time and skill.
• Choose an agent who listens to what you want and who takes the time to explain things which are not clear to you. Ask questions!
• Ask what makes your Realtor’s service special what distinguishes them from all the other agents out there.
• Choose an agent who is available on your time schedule. If you are only available to look at homes on Sunday, and your agent doesn’t work weekends, then find one who can accommodate you. Ask what provisions are in place for when your REALTOR® is not available.
• Make your experience a ‘one-stop-shop’! Your agent should be able to assist you with other necessary real estate services, such as arranging a house inspection, arranging a mortgage and finding a real estate lawyer.

With everything going on in the economy today, the first question many people ask me is whether real estate is still a good investment. They want to know if they should buy now or wait until prices drop even further. After so many years of the Sudbury real estate market booming, and prices are constantly increasing, one has to wonder if the prices will ever drop?

Our team designed this comprehensive Guide to Buying so you can be prepared – prepared to think about buying a home, prepared to afford your home, prepared to buy it and move into it. Our goal is for you to have an edge over the many buyers out there who are making decisions based on incomplete information, lack of experience and even desperation. Our whole business is based on making sure you are thrilled with both the process of finding a home and the end result: owning a piece of Sudbury you really love.

So, I always tell my clients that there are many good reasons for buying a home, even in today’s economic climate – and it ultimately depends on what’s best for you. Of course, before getting into looking for a home, we’ll sit down and discuss your situation and craft a plan to get you to your ultimate goal.

If you are thinking of buying, it’s crucial to examine your own personal and financial circumstances to determine whether now is the right time for you. Here are the key points to consider:

• What sort of monthly payments (mortgage, taxes, utilities etc.) can you afford?
• How big is your downpayment?
• Do you have funds set aside for closing costs?
• Is your job stable?
• Are your needs (job change, starting a family, etc.) likely to change in the next 12-24 months?
• Do you have time and energy for this process? (looking for homes, notice given to landlord, baby on the way etc.)
• Do you have a home that I want to sell first?