Michelle

My personal stance is to pass it to my buyer. Just want to put that out there, because obtaining the bonus wouldn't even be a consideration for me. When working with a seller and they ask about a offering a selling bonus, I advise them to reduce the price or offer it towards closing cost... Just my personal opinion though.

Thanks for the feedback.
Michelle - Fri May 16 2008, 07:24

J,

Unfortunately, loans can fall apart at the closing table.... The Underwriters can deny it. Your pre-approval letter should state the stipulations for which you are approved. Just as a suggestion to you, DON"T go finance anything new prior to closing. Most lenders will run another report on you just before closing. But don't stress over your loan too much at this time, your lender should be knowledgeable in this field and will do everything in their power to make homeownership happen for you... Best of luck to you!

Michelle - Fri May 16 2008, 06:33

Charles,

I would recommend "The Secret". The reason would be simply because it applies to every aspect of life for self improvement, from family to business. It is all about the "Laws of Attraction." It was given to me as a set of audio books by a dear friend and co-worker. I must admit that it has changed my method of thinking and I haven't had a bad day since.

Michelle - Wed May 14 2008, 11:14

Charles,

I was going on my very first listing appointment to a property located in The Highlands (A very upscale Subdivision situated around Robert Trent Jones Golf Course). Well I wanted to grab a photo of the property to put in my listing presentation. So I went out there a little early in the day and snapped my photo. Well, as I was getting back into my car a woman came running towards me and I jump out of my car to introduce myself and let her know what I was doing.

Well next thing I hear a huge crash sound..... When I jumped out of my car I forgot to put my car in park and well..... My car was parked on a down hill curve on the street and my car crashed right into a lawn care company's truck. Oh my goodness, the humiliation and embarrassment that over took me made me want to crawl under a rock.

Well, needless to say I had to be back at 5 pm for a listing appointment and I said to the homeowner, "Well there you go, I will be unforgettable to you now. See you at 5 pm". Unfortunately, I didn't get the listing nor did any other REALTOR in town. They did a FSBO and sold it themselves.

Hope this brings a smile to your day!

Michelle - Wed May 14 2008, 11:05

Dear Concerned,

I think you are coming across a bit harsh. It's okay that you might be a bit naive to the real estate field but you should be ready for battle when you throw down the guantlet.

You may not realize it but REALTORS have to complete specialized schooling called Pre-License and then pass a State Exam to get licensed, then complete Post-License, and then take 15 Continuing Education Credits every 2 years to maintain their license. I don't think car salesmen have to do that. We are Professionals with integrity.

The thing I don't understand about people that share your views is that buying a home is one of the biggest investments most people will ever make; Why would you trust that to a collective data base that is situated in an 1800 SF building crammed with cubicles and people trying to get real estate professionals to subscribe for services in a place that probably isn't even near your city??? How would they know first hand the market in your area and the factors contributing to it?

I bet you didn't even know that there is a difference between a Licensee and a REALTOR? Did you know that there are different types of relationships that are offered to you? Did you know that brokerages often seek compensation from the sale, meaning that in most cases the Seller offers to pay the Selling Agency's commission. So as the buyer, did you really save a commission??? Or did you just fail to get representation when purchasing your new home and making this huge investment???

So as many of the previous answers suggested; would you perform your own dental work, surgeries, auto repairs, electrical work, make major investments in the stock market or even file your taxes by yourself? Most real estate agents are independent contractors who are subject to splits with their brokerage, licensing fees, E&O insurance, MLS dues, advertising fees, desk fee, fees for maintaining their designations, gas, etc.... Did you know the average REALTOR in the United States makes just under $15K per year. So I ask you again to revisit your accusation and arm yourself with knowledge about what it is that we really do before attacking the career that we CHOOSE. We are educated and knowledgeable professionals who love this field of work.

We would not discourage you from trying things on your own, but we are here when you need help getting real estate matters done!!! Just out of curiousity what career field are you in?

Michelle - Tue May 13 2008, 11:45