Carol B.C. Honkanen

In today's market, it seems a bit odd to still be a Real Estate Agent.
BUT, for those of us who still are - we love the challenges.

We may not be making the best of money right now, but we still have the
desire to help people looking for homes, or those who want to Sell. Real
Estate is part of who we are, we live and breathe it.

Some people compare Real Estate Agents to Lawyers (negatively) and it hurts.
For those of us who really strive to do the best for our clients and to put THEIR
interest above our own, we can't really understand the comparison - other than
the fact that we have a limited license to put Contracts together for them. And,
we are legally liable to our Clients for any negligence.

Real Estate Agents who love their work will always be here. We enjoy knowing
what is going on in the neighborhoods around us. We'll go to the Open Houses,
the Brokers' Opens, and keep current on what is Listed and what has SOLD. We
do this WITHOUT being paid - just because we love the industry! And, you'll find
us also take on other pro-bono events, to help the community or groups of people.

Many people believe that we are overpaid for what we do. But, the truth of the matter
is that when you look at the hours we put in every day, every week, every month, and
over the entire year, we are paid less than you'd think (and less than the average person
would want to be paid - that's why many people who jump into Real Estate will jump back
out).

The market right now is not easy for us Real Estate Agents. We're doing what we have to,
to keep afloat. Some of us are taking on other jobs (just to support our Real Estate habits)
and others are lowering their fees/commission (or both) just to survive.

Are there any Real Estate Agents who want to share what THEY are doing, in this crazy economy,
to stay in business? (And, is it working?!)

I'm curious about the majority of people who are out looking for homes.

Are you looking for a home, with serious intentions to Buy?

or

Are you looking for homes, because your Agent asked you to use other Agents until you are
ready for him/her to write up your Offer?

or

Are you just browsing and checking out what is out there?

If you are working with a professional Real Estate Agent, hopefully they have asked you to sign
a Buyer's Agency Agreement. If not, that's too bad (for your best interest AND their's).

Let's hear about YOUR experiences looking for homes (whether you are serious about buying or not) . . .

Did you know that you don't have to pay a Contractor "in advance"?! :-o

The more reputable ones will allow you to pay them when they finish. This is the SAFEST thing to do,
and you won't be financially obligated to keep a bad Contractor, for the fear of losing your money.
(I only work with Contractors that are confident enough to wait for me to pay them when they FINISH the job.)

If your gut tells you something is wrong - INVESTIGATE!!!

Have you ever doubted someone who was doing work for you, but then didn't question it or tell them
your concerns? Don't ever second guess your gut - make sure you have all your concerns and questions
addressed BEFORE there is a bigger problem later.
(I saw how our Contractor nailed the floor together. It bothered me, but I thought "he was the Professional". Today, that floor squeeks when I walk on it, reminding me EVERY day that I should have spoken up!)

Are you embarrassed about asking for References?

Don't be shy about asking for Referrences AND making sure to CALL them and even go out to see the
work they performed!!! (I wish I would have called and went to SEE the claimed work our Contractor did. I doubt he had the ability to perform to the standards that I wanted - I had to hire someone to fix his mistakes. And, we now have a tiled floor with a heating element underneath it that doesn't work - because he failed to properly test it along the way, before it was too late. THAT was over a $1K mistake. He obviously did NOT have experience in putting in Heated Floors, as he had claimed.)

Anyone else have some Words of Wisdom for anyone contemplating a Remodel or Improvement?

What are your Pros and Cons about Flat Rate Fees versus Typical Commission Rates?

Personally, I believe all Clients should have a "choice" when it comes to what they pay.

That's why I offer them the Flat Rate Fee AND traditional Commission rates. I let them
decide what services they prefer and what fee or commission they want to pay. It has
worked well for me so far, and no one is disappointed. I don't do more work than
what is wanted, and they don't pay more than what they bargained for.

You'd be surprised to find how many Clients will actually opt for a high Commission, if they
know exactly what you will be doing for it!

What's YOUR opinion and experience with the Flat Rate Fees versus Commission?