The #1 Mistake that Sellers and Buyers Make
The #1 Mistake that Sellers and Buyers Make in a Real Estate Transaction
The #1 Mistake that sellers make, the #1 is that they don’t manage their listing. They hand over the responsibility to a listing agent thinking that they are going to handle everything and in the meantime, they fail to look at their listing online or to even see the listing on paper. Often, when we are hired after a listing has expired, the seller is shocked to see the pictures. Small mistakes like a wrong zip code, schools, bedroom and bathroom amounts, etc… These mistakes make searches that buyers and agents do online ineffective. So again, it is imperative that the seller gives their input on the listing information, the pictures and the strategy.
The #1 Mistake that buyers make is that they don’t know who represents whom. In Georgia, until hired in writing, the buyer’s agent represents the seller. That means that all of the conversations, big or small, that incorporates motives for purchasing, timing for purchasing and preferences hinder the buyer’s position because the agent (the one that they have been driving around with for days) actually represents the seller (the person paying their commission) and anything that they learn can and WILL be used against the buyer to secure the best deal for the seller.
Although Georgia law states that an agent is to disclose who they represent at the first meeting with a buyer, most agents choose not to do that for some reason. Ask the agent to represent you and to put so in writing. That way, they are bound to your confidentiality and they are responsible for securing the best possible deal for you, not the seller that is paying the commission. Buyer representation is free to you, but you need to protect your interest.
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Metro Atlanta has spoken and Duffy Realty is 92% referred to friends and family for our $500.00 flat fee listing to sell a home that lasts until SOLD, now 8 years in a row. Over 1 Billion Dollars saved in Listing Fees and Over 14,000 listings has reigned Rhonda Duffy, top agent in Atlanta and the #1 Agent in Georgia and #6 in the U.S. for 6 years in a row! Browse the site and you will see many success stories of loyal Duffy clients and how they sold their home and saved a lot of money in the process. Visit http://duffyrealtyofatlanta.com/ or call 678-366-7846
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Home ownership does come with a different set of worries, unfortunately. Unlike a rental where the landlord takes care of regular maintenance issues, keeping a house safe from hidden threats is a homeowner’s responsibility. Here are just a few of the hidden threats we’ve uncovered in our home over the years; the list might surprise you.
Read MoreTo Do: Order a Survey
It is very important to order a survey.
Most lenders do not require a survey anymore so it is optional for you.
The closing attorney’s office will order the survey upon your request.
This information is from Jill Elliott’s website, a closing attorney friend of Rhonda’s. Here is her take on the issue.
(So what do you think you are buying?)
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