What’s a “Buyer’s Agent”?

In the complicated world of modern real estate there is still the age-old custom of commissions being paid by sellers of property. If someone wants to sell real estate, they contact an agent and hire an agent to market the property. The seller is then represented by a listing agent, whose loyalty must belong to that seller. Where does that leave the buyer?

Actually, it leaves the buyer in a pretty good position. At no cost,  buyers can hire their own agent to do their shopping for them, help negotiate a deal, help find financing, and represent them in all other aspects of the real estate transaction.

Some of the advantages of hooking up with a buyer’s agent are:

• Navigate the dozens of websites that advertise virtually identical properties
• Be a buyer’s “eyes and ears” when it comes to weeding out unsuitable properties
• Give advice and opinions openly, without regard to how it effects the seller
• Negotiate a better deal than if a buyer went to the listing agent directly
• See to it that the closing goes smoothly and the deal is done as negotiated. Believe it or not, stuff gets changed right before closing

As you can see, you’re better off to form a relationship with one agent whom you trust. Contacting a property’s listing agent is often the unwise choice. And one important point to drive home is that nine times out of ten, the commission is paid by the seller, not the buyer.

What a tribute…

Thank you for over 10,000 hits on this blog!

That is a true testament to Angelique’s popularity. I was able to tell her when it hit 5,000 that she had a lot of fans. I know she’s keeping track now. Thanks for your support.

Thanks for caring. Be Well.

“Here’s to you, Babe”

At exactly 6:55 pm tonight, I filled a crystal glass with ice, poured in the single malt scotch that George gave me last Friday, and walked down to the pond, and toasted my wife, my best friend, Angelique. It was her favorite spot in this mortal world. The water level is, of course, down. Cracks in the earth are huge. We beseeched her to send down some rain, but what with the trouble she had peeing for the last month, she probably could not conjure up any rain either.

She passed from this earth exactly one week ago. I thought it was befitting to give her such a tribute tonight. As I was raising my crystal glass to the heavens, a big ol’ bass hit something on the surface of the lake and made that “bloomp” sound that she so loved to hear. It was so sad, yet so sublime.

It is hard to fathom that it has been a week. There has been so much to do. It’s unreal how much activity there is when a loved one dies. Many have been here for me, but the bulk of the details has fallen on me. I still feel exhausted. The first few nights I couldn’t sleep, then I’ve tried to catch up the last couple of nights. I’ve slept better, but with sleep, comes dreams. Dreams of her. Dreams that she’s still here. I don’t want to stop seeing her walk and talk, but at the same time, I need the closure that comes from her disappearing from my dreams. Holy shit! I wish Bailey already had that psychology degree…or was it a drama degree? Crap, at this point, what’s the difference?

Our Relay for Life will fall on 9/19, exactly one month after Angelique’s passing. Here’s hoping we remember the kleenex.

Thanks for caring. Stay tuned…