Real (estate) Sausage
Real (estate) Sausage
Many, years ago I ate blood sausage. With research, I determined blood sausage was not good for my physical being, my health.
Most homebuyers eat the equivalent of real estate blood sausage and don’t do research. That affects their financial well being, their money.
Read along, you may improve your financial well-being or, you make keep eating the BS (err, blood sausage).
You’ve heard the term, “I know how the sausage is made.” It means one works in a field and knows how things are really done – not how they are presented to the public.
1. It’s worth the asking price.
Sausage: The asking price is $390,00 (but the value is $365,000). Agents and companies compete for listings among home sellers. When home sellers invite more than one agent into their home to prepare a market analysis, a false promise may be made as to value. This allows the agent to get the listing
The other agent, maybe a bit more honest as regards value, doesn’t get the listing. This happens once or twice and the other agent begins to make false promises. Now both agents are making false claims as to value. In the real estate business it’s called “buying a listing.” (Photo: Carl Richards, NY Times)
Link this “value” approach with an agent who doesn’t work for you – in a market where the real estate industry and social media creates a sense of panic and you have a recipe for buying home for more than it’s worth.
(Our client purchased the $390,000 home for $365,000, a secret Homebuyer Associates recipe.)
2. My agent works for me. (Secret: The agent doesn’t work for you.)
Sausage: Did you read what I wrote? If you don’t have a signed contract with “your” agent, you are speaking to someone who doesn’t work for you. This is a fact. Yup, that agent on Zillow you connected with using your panic button (IPhone) works for the seller. It’s in the State statutes.
I must ask, If the agent doesn’t work for you, why are you talking to “your” agent? Your conversation will give away information that at worst will be used against you and at best will not be used to help you.
3. I have a Buyer Agent.
Sausage: How can an agent list homes 75% of the time and work for a buyer 25% of the time? How does an agent, working as a buyer agent, negotiate against an agent from his same company who has the home for sale?
Does that mean Homebuyer Associates is 75% better than other buyer agents because we are Exclusive Buyer Agents? Yes, 100% real EBA beef.
4. I saw it on a video feed so it’s true.
Sausage: Admit it, you watch pornographic real estate T.V. (my term). I watched an HGTV show the other day. The agent showed a potential buyer a home for sale. The buyer loved the granite, the yard, blah, blah.
I’m trying to get the buyer’s attention so I’m yelling at the T.V., “What about the apartment buildings in the back? That’s not good.” Renters (no offense) can lead to issues. My wife asked me to leave the room.
It’s reality T.V. Do you believe the Bachelorette is a good method to find a life partner? It’s not information, it’s misinformation.
5. I’m not just an agent; I’m your friend.
Sausage: Real Estate is a relationship business that uses guilt, pressure and friendship to sell homes. Homebuyer Associates views a home purchase first as a major financial decision requiring information gathering and counsel and true representation of your interests… although we do hope you like us as part of the process.
We’ve been successful with homebuyers smart enough to want to learn how the sausage is made and by doing so, working with an agent who really works for the homebuyer (Homebuyer Associates).
If you want to make an informed purchase, you need an Exclusive Buyer Agent. You are entitled to objective information, not salesmanship. That’s what a true friend would provide.
Thanks for reading,
Michael D. Holloway