Which Realtor®

Is The Right One For You?

Honest? Ethical? No High Pressure Sales Tactics? Knowledgable? Capable? Committed? Good Negotiator? Sorry! Not that simple.

As in every other profession, there are big differences between individual practitioners and how they approach their work. How much time and effort they devote to staying on the leading edge, for example. And the Florida residential real estate market has become like the wild wild west in recent years. So asking questions before you decide who to work with is a good start. Then remain loyal to them. We work really hard!

Short Sales

Owners: People claiming to be Investors are running around looking for any chance to snatch a Deed away from an Owner in distress or pressure them into signing their property over with something called an 'Option Contract'. Signing over any rights to your property without first getting written permission from your lender can breach a mortgage contract and trigger 'Acceleration'. Ask an Attorney.

And be certain to your satisfaction, that any Realtor© claiming they are an expert has explained just how they approach short sales. What results have they achieved? (A good sample question.) Know their experience before you decide to list. Are they any conflicts of interest? (Another good question to ask). Get all this fully disclosed up front. There are situations where a short sale is a very bad idea, worse than foreclosure according to attorneys I have asked about this. Only after careful analysis should a Realtor© agree to list any property for a possible short sale.

Buyers: Somewhere today, a Buyer is getting all excited about a short sale property that will probably never close. It might take months to find this out unless their agent is a skilled and experienced short sale practitioner. That Buyer can 'miss out' on real opportunities in the meantime.   Certifications only go so far. It's only OK to be a guinea pig if you got the chance to choose this status beforehand. Again, ask questions and choose carefully. Are they a fulltime Realtor©(another sample question)? There are many others.

With the rampant exaggerations and overstatements swirling around its no wonder there is all this confusion. Sellers and Buyers and their Realtors© are in the middle of it all. Happily, over 100 Realtors have completed my training classes. If I am not right for you I can provide a referral to one of my associates in Pinellas, Pasco, or Hillsborough Counties.

Owners facing foreclosure: Get an attorney if you can. Their fee could be a rounding error compared to your risks and liabilities. If you don't know who to call let me know. I cannot give legal or tax advice (and you deserve both before considering a short sale), but I work with many experienced attorneys. I can provide a referral to a skilled legal professional to help you make these tough decisions. These are likely decisions you never made before nor did you think you would have to make them in the first place. These are like 'troubled waters', they lie ahead. Also, there are free counseling services and government programs too. You might be able to save your Home. Call for referrals to these if you need them.

One final word of advice to Owners: Never ever ever sign  an 'Option Contract' or a Deed to your Property before you get legal advice from an Attorney representing you. The Investor's attorney is simply not enough in my opinion.

Need a Realtor©? I am applying for the Job!

Either way, Good luck out there!

Florida Real Estate Broker License
Florida Mortgage Broker Individual License
Florida Notary Public
 
HUD Trained For FHA Short Sales & Loss Mitigation
SFR Designation from National Association of Realtors
'Short Sale & Foreclosure Resource'