Trish

Ms-I wrote:
When I purchased a car recently, the salesman at the dealership received the commission from the money I paid for the car. He was a good man and offered to help me get a very good deal . He told me that he works for me the buyer not for the dealership because if people like me do not get a good deal he will not be able to sell the cars and earn a living to feed his family. He in fact, went to the manager's office few times to get me a good deal. He even offered to help me get a loan to buy the car and offered to purchase my old car so I would not have to go through the trouble of trying to find a buyer. He told me that he made no money doing it but did it anyway for his clients.

When you are ready to buy a car, let me know. I can send you the contact details of this nice gentleman.
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Trish's response:
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...you are WAY too funny! Be wary of anything that can ONLY happen behind closed doors! They could have been drinking margaritas and 'passing the time' for all you know. ;-) - Mon May 5 2008, 15:54

s--nothing else I would want to make sure that if the seller wasn't able to come up with funds to close that we were reimbursed for our inspection and other fees.
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Hi again S--
Unfortunately, you can't get blood out of a rock and that is one of risks you take in the hopes of getting a 'good deal'. - Mon May 5 2008, 11:09

S--I would guess short sale would be the same thing but would be curious as to how that works since I have never done one. The buyers money goes to the bank? And the bank pays for everything? Even if there is not enough from the purchase price to cover all? What happens then - the bank takes the money from their own reserves? When a short sale is negotiated do the banks negotiate fees too? Thanks in advance for the advise.
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Hi S...
The 'banks' are the ones that 'run the show' in these cases. Agent need to be very cautious because they may NOT get anything. And YES, the banks do NOT get all the money owed on the property. They agree to a short sale so that they aren't stuck with a foreclosure and all the EXTRA costs involved with taking over a property and maintaining it. Foreclosures typically cost a 'bank' $10k PLUS each month they are holding it (thus the reason you tend to get a better deal in foreclosure situations). In short sales, the seller/owner is paying utilities, etc. and the bank isn't. Short sales are NOT good for a seller; in many cases the 'short' portion goes against the seller's credit and they must make arrangements to pay back that portion of the debt. BUYERS BEWARE...Since there are 'banks' involved in this transaction, they need to sign off on EVERYTHING and delays are common (one reason is that the bank isn't as highly motivated to respond because they don't have the liability of 'holding' the property anyway). - Mon May 5 2008, 10:59

You don't normally find someone twisting a seller's arm to sell. If a buyer is serious about a particular property, they need an agent that will work with them SERIOUSLY (low-ball offers typically come from buyers that don't NEED to buy...they are usually 'testing the water' to see if they can 'snag' it up at 'their' price). Occasionally you find an agent that thinks they 'know it all' and recommends that a buyer make a really low offer...this is NOT in the best interest of their client because they are taking the chance of losing the opportunity to negotiate with the seller, if it is rejected. Good Real Estate agents are also good negotiators and business is business. I have worked with both types of clients; I prefer clents that remain 'cool headed' even if they DO want to make a low offer. At least this gives me the opportunity to 'size them up' and decide if it is worth my time and energy to continue working with them. Buyers and sellers are HIRING US, but we don't have to accept the job. BUT if we DO accept, we need to consider everything our 'employer' asks us to handle on their behalf. When I go to listing presentations, I warn sellers that they could receive low offers. Afterall, a seller has options: Accept, Reject, Counter. If they counter, the buyer then has the same options....it is really quite simple. - Sun May 4 2008, 14:31

Monica-
I am so sorry to hear about your family troubles. You didn't mention who the executor of the estate is. My father passed away in August (lived in NJ), the executor (one of my sisters) is taking care of all expenses until we sell the house this spring. The expenses will be deducted from the estate when it is sold. If there isn't one, you need an attorney to help you sort this out. I wish you the very best! - Fri Mar 21 2008, 17:04

Hi Mr. Runion-
Property in Basye/Bryce (as with any area) needs someone marketing it that has a good understanding of the area. Make sure you interview several agents/companies that actually have an interest in working Resort-type properties and listen carefully to what they tell you about the market. If you are serious about selling, you want to make sure your property is listed correctly. Consider having an appraisal of your property before you start the interview process. Select an agent/ company that has a 'presence' in the market and will be available to 'walk it' with potential buyers AND their agents. Also, listen to what they intend to do in order to market it for you. If you would like to discuss your options with one of my agents, please call our office. Good Luck!
Regards,
Trish Snyder, Broker

P.S. I signed up with Trulia today, saw your question, and decided to answer it even though it is from November! - Fri Mar 21 2008, 16:46