Real Estate agents have all kinds of ways of going from beginning to end in a Real Estate transaction. Some agents put in an offer, communicate attorney information and then disappear into some large black hole never communicating the progress of the deal. Others agents will return an email or phone call when asked, others don't stay on top of their deals and don't know how to respond.
This is what happened to me on a recent transaction. The other agent is rather new in the business and her client was a relative. This agent thought it would be okay to pick which information she would divulge and would not permit the listing agent to properly do their job. Even in the climate we find ourselves with the banks, where listing agents in order to do their job property need to properly scrutinize a buyer this is how she proceeded. Other than understanding that this is the job her perception was that the listing agent was unnecessarily giving her a hard time by questioning the ability of her buyer to get a mortgage.
I personnally love it when an agent informs me along the way as to the status of transaction. A call that says, my buyer has submitted his application to the bank, my buyer has gotten a provisional approval, the appraisor will be coming next week, my buyer has submitted their application to the the co-op board, my buyer is going to be interviewed on such and such, etc. I find these calls invaluable for an owner. I always approach my transactions this way and keep a listing agent and seller informed. It helps a seller plan their next step.
Buyer's need to understand that properly analyzing a buyers ability to purchase a property helps a seller make a favorable decision as to whether to accept a buyer' offer. Seller's need to feel comfortable that a buyer is qualfiied. It is no longer enough to just present a bank pre-approval. Listing agents may require further information, may call the mortgage broker or bank the buyer went to and ask some tough questions. Be prepared.
Below is a link to the article that appeared in the local newspaper in Westchester County, The Journal News. According to the Westchester Putman MLS 3rd Quarter Report:
1. Home owners in Westchester County it would seem that a greater ability to hold their properties off the market and wait for some calming or reversal in the market;
2. The foreclosure problems devastating other real estate market throughout the country are not as dire here even though the number of foreclosures have increased and what is going on in the financial markets will effect us because of our proximity to Wall Street;
3. The unemployment rate has edged up;
4. The number of sales has slowed dramatically but some buyers can still buy and are finding the pricing to be good, it is a buyer's market overall in this county with the number of months of inventory at 9.6;
From the Journal News here.
While the internet provides a load of information I am hearing more and more that it is difficult to pull of this information together and know what to do. That is what Real Estate Agents bring to the table. We are the guides through the buying and selling process. We have the experience to explain to you what to do first, what comes second, third. We can explain the pitfalls, what to watch out for and what to do. It is not just looking for property's and seeing the house of your dreams. It is knowing what happens when you call the listing agent rather than having a buyer's agent representing you. It is knowing what to do with all of that information from the Inspection report. It is explaining which contingencies are reasonable to ask for in an offer, it is explaining that you can't control all aspects of your sale or purchase some things such as bank financing have a life of their own plus much more.
Are you a very busy person who wants a full service broker/agent to search out property's for you. Who can cover the market in Westchester County for you, can preview property's for you so you are not chased out to see things that will not work for you? I can and will be glad to provide that type of service to help you in your search. Call, write, email, SKYPE (Miriam642). For more information about me or Westchester County, please come on over to my blog, Westchester Real Estate Blog or if you want to search for properties on your own before contacting me check out my property search, Westchester County Property Search.
You are a home buyer. You look for homes in one of the most prestigious communities in Westchester County and you find a home but there is just one problem. The house backs a golf course. You decide to buy the house anyway. You live there happily for several years and there are no problems with the golf course in your back yard. Then, out of the blue the golf course decides to cut down the row of trees between your house and the course. Now you have golf balls on your property. Your kids can't go out to play because they might be injured. Golfers roam your property looking for their golf balls. You suffer several thousand dollars in damages and your dog is injured, what to do.
According to the Journal News this particular homeowner decided to sue the golf course which is not just any golf course but Winged Foot which is one of the most prestigious golf courses in Westchester County. You now have a ruling closing the 6th hole of the East Course.
This issue is being watched on a national level. If you buy a house on a golf course there is some inherent risk that golf balls will venture onto your property. Three large trees have been planted and the club has paid to replace windows in the home.
This in a time when the economy is faltering, we are at war, there is unemployment and more to come seems to me more trees could be planted. The golf course wants to be a good neighbor? I guess they just don't know how
According to the New York State Association of REALTORS® the August 2008 sales fell 20% compared to August of 2007. The August 2008 median was $225,000 10% lower that the August 2007 median of $249,000. In Westchester County the numbers are:
The median prices in August 06 was $749,000
August 08 $730,000
July 08 $730,000
August 06-August 08 -2.6%
August 07-August 08 -1.4%
July 08-August 08 -1.4%
August 06-August 08 -3.9%
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It is my goal to provide expert, informed and personalized service to my clients in Westchester County. I can be easily reached at 914-907-1922.
Westchester County is located immediately north of New York City. We have quaint and lovely Hudson River towns to the west, cosmopolitan areas to the south, acreage and horse farms to the north eastern quadrant and everything in between. We have world class dining. Parks, boutique shopping in our villages and several large shopping malls coupled with an excellent school system.
When relocating to a new community there is a lot to know. The internet now provides a wealth of information about communities, schools, commuting. You can find the best restaurants, nursery schools and whatever is of importance to you all from the comfort of your office or den. You can take your time and do research which is why I have worked hard and have a tremendous internet presence. You will find my listings on over 30 sites including the numerous sites I have. You can preview homes and now you can see satellite views of the locations. Nothing takes the place however of visiting a community or a property. Things that you study might be entirely different when you view them in person. Tire kicking or in house terms walking the property is still an important aspect of this process.
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