Pick A Good Buyer’s Agent
I have always enjoyed forums and recently ran into an agent who is begining to produce a series of great videos about Short Sales (A transaction in which a owner sells their property for less than the loan balance without bringing the shortage to closing but rather has the bank approve gaining the reduced procedes) and how different problems that come up can be resolved. I find it a neat little niche on the web as well as a great way for both agents and consumers to get educated on handling Short Sales. The agent is located in Minnesota and her name is Mary Alice Short. She specializes as a listing agent who handles Short Sale transactions. The videos that I have watched give me the opinion that she is very knowledgable and should be considered an authority on the subject. Today Mary Alice Short discusses in a Youtube video how not all buyer’s agents are created equal and why it is very import to pick a good buyer’s agent to handle your home purchase.
August 22nd, 2009 at 3:46 am
Thanks for introducing me to Mary’s videos. I will definitely have to check out some more of them!
August 24th, 2009 at 3:22 am
Hi,
I have lived in Houston for the last 5 years and now I am looking to move to Iowa city for work. Do you know a good realtor in Iowa?
Thank you for your time!
August 24th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
@Cary NC Real Estate – Can you please at minimum sign your real name at the end of your post. I like to know who I am chatting with plus it personalizes the comments.
You are welcome I think Mary’s videos have the ability to provide value to the web.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
Hi Maxine,
I know of a couple of good agents in Iowa city. Please email me at james.wheelock@era.com and I will get you in contact with them. I am sorry to hear that you are leaving Houston and wish you the very best with your new adventure.
August 27th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Hi Maxine,
I am a Realtor from Iowa City. I am the 2007 Gold Star Award Winner for Outstanding Professional from the Iowa City Area Association of Realtors.
For more information please visit my website
Thank you.
Michael Mceleney
August 28th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
@Micheal – Most bloggers will not appreciate overt self promotional posts in comments. I personally really do not like to see links in the comments. As you already recieve a link via your name.
September 26th, 2009 at 7:37 am
That had to be one of the funniest things i have ever seen. We get though all the time.
September 27th, 2009 at 7:05 am
Hi Mary:
From a Mortgage Bankers view on Real Estate contracts.
It amazes me how many are so poorly written, illegible, incorrect and even unable to use in underwriting.
Last week I had a contract where an amendment was made for $2150.00 in seller contributions. No big deal except what they actually wanted was the money to go for repairs after closing. The agents checked the wrong item on the form. No one told us the real intentions until the HUD was prepared and since it was a relo (relo company paying closing cost) the funds could only be used “per contract” for closing costs. Title and I spent a day working around this mess.
I also see a lot of missing contact numbers for title, scribbled agent numbers and blanks where something should be entered. Do you know how many Chicago title offices there are in Texas to figure out where to order title? Also, the faxing around a contract until all you can read are fax headers but not the contract kills me. Good luck in Houston
Jerry Holcomb
Your Dallas Mortgage professional
October 9th, 2009 at 12:25 am
This just goes to show you that the current licensing requirements for real estate agents is a joke. And if this is the case in Texas imagine how it is in other states that do not require contract law or the number of class hours. I personally feel that it takes at minimum an associates degree of information to be competent as an agent.
The trouble with this is the current traditional real estate model. The brokers profitability revolves around carrying as many agents as possible at low commission splits. Now if you increased the educational requirements to gain a license the brokers would have fewer agents who would be more knowledgeable and would require higher splits. Well that would likely reduce the profitability of the traditional brokerage and so is not something that is heavily pushed nor lobbied for.