5 Ways to Avoid Driving Your Realtor® Insane

Not all agents are made equally. Not all agents will be great at what they do. So it’s important to find one with a great reputation and someone who holds their business to a high standard.

SO, YOU FOUND ONE? That’s awesome; I hope your agent is treating your family with the highest level of loyalty and respect.

Like any professional relationship it’s important to be on the same page. So this is how you avoid driving your agent insane.

Being Untrust Worthy. Price Swapping.

Most buyers don’t really pay for a realtor’s time. Some buyers unintentionally or intentionally put themselves and their agents into compromising situations. If you agree to work with an agent, it is wise to stay in communication with your agent.  It is important to be upfront about your intentions. Are you not looking to work with one agent? Are you looking to find a place yourself?

One huge issue that can cause major issues is price swapping. Attempting to negotiate a deal behind your agents back is a big no-no! It not only will cause potential issues legally, but it might cause you to lose the property and sometimes lead to legal issues. So, don’t do it.

Making Unjustified Lowball Offers.

So, you walk into a fully renovated house marketed at $600k. You put in an offer for $400k just to see what the owners say. The real estate business is a business based on building relationships. There is nothing more insulting to a potential seller or agent than constantly low-balling. 

It is in your best interest to be strategic, but you must be realistic and realize that you get no where by insulting someone's biggest asset.

Unrealistic Expectations During Showings.

Demanding loads of unrealistic attention early on is a sure fire way burn a bridge with a realtor who is only trying to help you.

It’s important to educate yourself on the market. Viewing houses is not going to necessarily mean you are ready to purchase. You may be 1-2 years away from actually being ready. You shouldn’t demand so much time from a realtor if you are just looking around. Realtors are not tour guides. They are “home purchasing” consultants.

Indecisiveness

One moment you want a condo, then you want a co-op. Then you read an article and decide to buy a house. Then you realize you can't really afford the upkeep of a house and decide to go back to a co-op. Any good realtor will help you come up with a game plan – before showing your properties . Lay out all your options and help you figure out your budget.

LOOKING TO BUY A HOME IN QUEENS?

So, the next time your not sure how to proceed just ask your trusted realtor. Transparancy is the best form of business. You wouldn’t tell a doctor how to do your surgery? A good professional deserves your respect and loyalty as well.

Happy house hunting!

6 Tips That Will Improve Your Home's Value.

TINY UPGRADES...BIG MONEY

NO MATTER THE SIZE OF YOUR BANK ACCOUNT, THERE ARE STILL SMALL THINGS YOU CAN DO TO IMPROVE YOUR RESALE VALUE! 

It does not matter if you are getting your home ready to sell or just want a couple of tips for improving the over all look of your pad. It is important to start where your money counts most. Many home owners and DIY-ers are making huge bucks from prospective buyers by focusing on these 6 areas of their homes. So let us help you get the best return on your investment possible! 

YOUR LAWN IS THE FACE OF YOUR INVESTMENT

This might be the easiest fix one can do at an affordable price. If it is fall or summer your curb appeal matters! When someone sees the FOR SALE sign outside your house, before they even see the bricks and Morter, they see the grass and bushes. If you have an abandoned refrigerator or an old tire from your first car in your front yard it might be time to get rid of that. Nothing screams welcome and attracts more buyers then a nicely maintained lawn. Make your realtors job easier and help him or her get more people into the house. 

YOUR BATHROOM, MIGHT COST YOU YOUR BUTT

(NO PUN INTENDED)

According to any good google search the average person spends nearly a year and a half of their life in the bathroom. Yes! So updating your bathroom and keeping it freshly painted or tiled will definitely raise the desirability and value of your home. Bathroom jobs can be pricey so it might be wise to consult with a real estate professional first. 

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION

Alexa, turn on the kitchen lights... The age of using fingers to turn on the light in a room are over. Switches are so yesterday but if you decide to update the lighting of your place make sure its done right. Remember the old realtor adage "The brighter the room the larger it looks." Go to home depot and get some LED lights and watch your potential buyers shine! 

THE KITCHEN IS THE HEART OF THE HOME

"Home is Where the Heart is."

FALSE! The kitchen is where the heart is. When it comes to a family home, the kitchen is where people congregate the most! Since it's a human need to eat, most traffic and discussions within the home happen around or near the kitchen. So if you want to raise your home's value this is where you might need to start. 

A remodeled kitchen can make a huge difference in the sale of your home. Lacking the funds to redo your whole kitchen? Try replacing old appliances. The fresh chrome look always makes potential buyers happy!

HOLES IN THE WALL WILL CAUSE HOLES IN YOUR POCKET

This might seem obvious, but that hole you made 5 months ago should be patched and re-painted. For some first time home buyers a $15 job might look like a $1000 job. So, to avoid low offers patch the holes up. 

FRESH PAINT MIGHT MAKE YOU A SMALL FORTUNE

One of the best things a home owner can do to raise the value of their home is a fresh paint job. It's important to use natural and warm colors and avoid bright colors. Sorry, that includes baby blue and hot pinks. A fresh paint job is the equivalent to a new car smell. All potential buyers love a newly painted home. 

TIP: MAKE SURE YOU CONSULT AND HIRE PROFESSIONALS! NOTHING IS WORSE THAN A BAD PAINT JOB OR THE WRONG COLOR. 

I Wasn't Looking to Sell Until My Broker Got Me A 1 Million Dollar Offer

Queens, NY is a one of a kind place filled with culture and adventure. Most Queens home owners have lived here for so long and they're unaware that a gold mine sits right under their feet. Some people have dreams to move to Florida and never look at their home as the vehicle that could get them there in first place. 

True Story:

To protect this millionair's identity we will call this man Eric. Eric started off renting in Elmhurst Queens. Upon his mother passing away he inherited a 1 bedroom co-op worth $200k in 2009. He decided to sell with his realtor and wanted to move somewhere that had potential. His Realtor recommended Sunnyside because Long Island City was on its luxurious rise to fame. 

He moved in 2009 and lived in the property till 2015. He wasn't thinking about selling until his realtor told him that he might want to test the market because he thinks the market is shifting and he could walk away with some serious bucks! The realtor tested the market and the 2-bedroom he bought for $300k sold for $429k! At that price, he could not turn it down. 

"Invested...with a huge house and 8 investment properties."

He then bought a Woodside condo which was a rental conversion building and because he was one of the first to buy he was able to secure one of the 2-bedroom 2-bath units at $495k. He promised his realtor that this would be the last move until in 2017 and his realtor told him to test the market. He ended up selling that unit for $836k.   

Fast forward Eric took his money and moved out of state. He took his profits and invested in Florida with a huge house and 8 investment properties. 

LESSONS FROM ERICS STORY:

TEST THE MARKET WITH YOUR PROFESSIONAL

It is always important to run a market analysis on your property every year. If you like what you see place it on the market you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. You never know! 

TIP: Make sure your realtor knows exactly what he's doing and you trust their judgment and knowledge of the market. 

KEEP AN EYE ON THE HOMES SELLING ON YOUR BLOCK

If you see a bunch of homes on your block go on the market it can mean one of 2 things. The market is dropping! :: The sky is falling :: OR values are going through the roof! It's important to talk to a professional to come up with a game plan and figure out whats going on. 

BEFORE YOU MAKE MAJOR REPAIRS IT MIGHT BE WISE TO SPEAK TO YOUR REALTOR

I want to redo my kitchen before I sell because it will get me 50k more for my property. 

TIPS: DONT MAKE ANY RENOVATIONS WITHOUT SPEAKING TO YOUR SALES PROFESSIONAL. 

Trends change and you could lose a ton of money by making the wrong renovation decision. It would be a shame if you could have still got market value by just leaving your home 'As Is.'

We can all learn the power of real estate investing from Eric. Some may consider him lucky based on the factors presented to him. The funny part about the story was Eric never considered himself an investor until he had rental properties. IF YOU ARE A HOME OWNER YOU ARE AN INVESTOR and you might be making a killing without even knowing it!