I just wanted to write a quick post to give my two cents about the day-to-day practices in Greensboro real estate that I see as gimmicks.  You'll often see the following in real estate advertising:

• Home warranty!
• Seller to pay closing costs!
• Job loss protection!
• No HOA dues for 6 months!
• Interest rate buy down!

Now, there's nothing wrong with any of these practices, but I always advise my buyers to be aware of these options and decide which are important to them individually.  Then, disregard who's offering what - find the house you want to pursue and try to negotiate the items you want on the property you want! 

I feel like I say this a lot, but it's worth repeating.  As a 1st time home buyer in the market to purchase a home in Greensboro, NC or the surrounding areas, you may not be aware that having a highly trained Realtor at your side through the process is generally going to be absolutely FREE!  That's because the seller pays the real estate commission.  A good buyer's agent will:

1. Represent your best interests.  A good agent should be an asset in your home hunt, not simply a salesman!
2. Work at your pace.  It shouldn't matter if you are just getting your feet wet or if you're ready to sign an offer - the Realtor should understand where you are in the process and act accordingly.
3. Be objective.  A good Realtor will help you assess a potential real estate investment / purchase to look at it without emotion (although purchasing a home should be very exciting and enjoyable, you want to make an informed decision).

So, to re-cap, buyer representation or 'buyer agency' is *almost always free!  Why not call an agent (preferably me) and let them start earning their commission early on, and at the same time you'll get the most benefit from their expertise by having a Realtor by your side in the beginning of the home buying process rather than at the last minute.

*Buyer Agency Agreements could include provisions where the buyer would be asked to compensate the agent for any number of reasons such as: 1) The seller is offering less than the buyer's agent expects to receive or 2) The buyer decides to purchase a FSBO (for sale by owner) that will not agree to compensate your Realtor. 

P.S. I've represented lots & lots of buyers, and it has never cost any of my buyer-clients a dime to work with me!

My first blog!  Where to start?  I thought I'd start with the basics.  The things I seem to repeat a lot.  I mean a lot.  It's not that they're complex or hard to understand concepts.  It's just that I work in a field (like anybody else) that has it's own language and/or is overly boring until you are in the market to buy or sell a home.  So, I guess my first few blogs will be about the basics - working with a Realtor (me) as a buyer, as a seller, or as both.  We will cover:

• Buyer Agency - Hiring a Realtor in or around Greensboro, NC to represent you through a purchase.
  
• Seller Representation - Hiring a Realtor to assist you in the sale of a piece of real estate.
  
• Both - As a seller, you may decided to up-size, downsize, move across town (or country) - this is a good time to have a Realtor (I suggest the same Realtor) help you with selling your current home and acquiring your next piece of real estate.

So that's it - I hope you'll stay tuned for more, and I'll try my best to keep fresh articles posted regularly!