Buyer/Seller's Guide
Summary: Home Seller Benefits, Home Buyer Benefits, and the History of Buyer Agency
Dedicated personal service and advice based on years of successful business expertise and a broker's training and education is a key factor that helps achieve the goals of home sellers and home buyers. With Allan and his support staff you get a winning team!
Special Benefits for Home Sellers
Sellers of residential homes benefit from Allan's astute marketing skills for effective pricing and negotiation to achieve high priced sales.
Key to this process is Allan's 10 Step Marketing Plan.
- Enhance the appeal and value of your house for showing to get buyers more excited about your property and bring higher offers.
- Assist you in determining the best asking price -- too low and you might give some of your savings away, too high and you scare away good buyers.
- Total exposure -- not just a sign, an ad, and the MLS, but broad Internet coverage, exposure to all realtors in the community and targeted marketing to known potential buyers to get more interest and more showings.
- Assist you in qualifying buyers -- determine if someone not only wants to buy, but can they buy so you never needlessly take your home off the market because someone is not serious or qualified.
- Help buyers take action -- they tend to be hesitant. More action means more offers, which means more money.
- Negotiate for you without weakening your position or losing the buyer -- in real estate you don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.
- Make your home more affordable to the buyer through financing -- the lower the buyer's payments, the more they can afford; the result is more showings, better prices.
- Make your transaction worry free -- a checklist to make sure everything is done, resulting in peace of mind and an on-time closing.
- Backed by a full service real estate company which provides financing, relocation services and up-to-the-minute market information.
- Allan is a full-time professional agent who cares about you and your family and has a proven plan to get you where you want to be, on time, with peace of mind and the best price for your home.
Special Benefits for Home Buyers
Allan represents buyers in the capacity of a "Buyer's Agent," which makes achievement of the buyer's objectives his single, dedicated goal. Key to this process is Allan's 9 Step Buyer-Centered Value Package.
- Conduct a written survey with buyers to assure that as your agent I clearly understand your needs and priorities.
- Total market exposure to find the most desirable house that fits your needs -- not just the MLS but properties soon to be available buy not yet offered for sale so you have the broadest possible choice.
- Guidance in evaluating properties for market appreciation and long-term value, and to avoid hidden defects so you can make the right choice.
- Help you secure financing at excellent rates and become qualified so you can compete to win in today's serious seller's market.
- Educate you to the nuances of the purchasing process -- the little differences that can put you number one in the seller's eyes.
- Negotiate the best price and most favorable terms to achieve your goals -- in real estate you don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.
- Manage the details of the transaction including the best home inspectors and settlement companies so you can have peace of mind and an on-time closing.
- Backed by a full service real estate company providing up-to-the-minute market information.
- Allan is a full-time professional agent who cares about you and your family and has a proven value package to help his buyers find the best house at the best price in the shortest period of time and with the fewest problems.
The History of Agency in the Real Estate Business
Until the 1990s, unbeknown to most home buyers, almost all real estate agents represented the owners of the houses they were showing. Consequently, even if an Agent became friends with their prospective purchasers, they were required by the Laws of Agency to reveal any information they obtained from the purchaser to the seller of the home on which they were making an offer. Purchasers were considered to be "customers," and although they were usually treated fairly and honestly, they were at a disadvantage when it came to negotiating the price and terms of the real estate transaction.
Legally the selling Agent could not suggest an offering price other than the asking price, nor could they point out negative aspects or deficiencies of the property to the prospective buyer.
The efforts of consumer advocates have brought about a dramatic change in the representation of home purchasers in the real estate transaction.
Now purchasers have the option of being specifically represented by a Buyer's Agent who will work diligently and in your best interests in every aspect of the real estate transaction. The only exception is when the Agent already represents the seller of the home being shown. In that situation the Agent can become a Dual Agent representing both parties. Personally, I rarely function as a Dual Agent. In such situations my broker or I would assign you another Designated Agent from my office to represent you, thereby removing any conflict of interest.
Having a Buyer's Agent represent you instead of the seller by law requires a signed contract obligating the Agent to work diligently for you to find a property and to negotiate the best possible terms of sale; that contract also contains your agreement to work exclusively through that Agent for a specified length of time. This contract protects both you, the buyer, and me, the Agent. You will be able to read over the contract and discuss the implications with me before signing it. You will need to sign the Buyer Agreement no later than the second time out to look at houses.
Allan Wulff, MBA, Ph.D.
"Your trusted real estate advisor"
