How can your agent show you properties....

How can your agent show you properties…

 

When you are an agent, it makes sense to work with buyers as well as sellers: if you do your job right, the buyers of yesterday will be your clients sellers of tomorrow.

And to be sure your clients buyers will be as happy tomorrow as they are today following their new purchase, I believe that your job while showing properties is not so much to “sell” the house, but to “inform” the client about the house. 

What is important in my mind when I show a property is to point out to the client what he/she would otherwise not see, and to inform them about things they would not think about.  While I remind my client that I am not a negative person, I will most likely point out negatives that they otherwise would not notice.  The positives? I trust the client to see them, and know why they like the place.  The clients are the ones knowing best what is good for them, what they need or like in a property.  On the other hand, they may not notice some less desirable features in the house or the surroundings. 

 

I think the term “salesman” has been wrongly attached to the profession, and I do my best to counter that impression: I am here to help clients purchase the best house for them, not to sell them anything.

 

When I was a young agent, my mentor used to say: “a house is like a boat; as the captain, you just want to know there is a leak if there is one”. The leak in itself is not necessarily critical.

What are red flags that may not be apparent to a new home buyer?

-       Cracks.  All cracks are not made equal  ;-)  Some are more worrisome than others. Although an agent cannot give an opinion on how serious cracks may be, unless he/she is also a contractor or a specialist, some things statistically will be more problematic than others.  Cracks like other defects need to be pointed out and referred to a professional inspector (who in the end is always the one to give a professional opinion to the buyer).

-       Puddles near the foundation.

-       Sticky doors or windows - probably a sign that the structure moves. 

-       Flickering lights,

-       Uneven floors,

-       Black stains on walls, floors, windows…

-       Missing or displaced shingles on a roof, etc…

 Any experience you’d want to share? I would love to hear your experience!

Thanks for reading,

Francis

Silicon Valley real estate specialist
Detailed, local trends etc...
Current mortgage rates
A place worth noting: Our Brother's Home in MountainView

Know your insurance before remodeling.

Property insurance is not a very exciting subject to be sure.  I just read this blog from a local insurance company, Allied Brokers Inc., well known for their involvement in real estate insurance

here in the San Francisco Mid-Peninsula area.

The article covers the insurance issues that can pop up when you have a remodeling project that encounters problems; things are not always covered as you thought they were, and it is a good idea to check up on your insurance coverage with your insurer before starting any remodeling.

Checking also whether your contractor has any insurance, along with his/her sub-contractors if there are any, is essential, and you may also want to add yourself to the Contractor's policy.

More on this important subject in this Allied Brokers Inc. article.

Thanks for reading,
Francis

Silicon Valley real estate specialist
Detailed, local trends etc...
Current mortgage rates