• Above all, you should enjoy your REALTOR'S personality. It makes everything else a little easier.
• Negotiations can get stressful. You need to be convinced that your REALTOR is on your side.
• Some "top agents" can actually get too busy to provide the level of hand holding you need.
• Some “top agents” get there because they do offer exceptional service and have great systems.
• Your REALTOR’S level of production is subordinate to their ability to communicate.
• Your REALTOR should be highly responsive to your questions and calls, no matter what.
• You don't know what you don't know. Your REALTOR should.
• The way I work with Buyers is:
• First I schedule an appointment in my office.
• I have a questionnaire that I work from.
• We have what I call the "Real Estate 101" talk.
• We talk about your priorities in the home you’d like to own.
• We explore your affordability range – (your financial comfort zone).
• We discuss what compromises you may be able or willing to make.
• We explore different neighborhoods on the map and how they stack up.
• We talk about how an offer is structured, and preview the contract you’ll sign.
• We discuss the types of inspections you should be prepared for.
• I introduce you to a loan officer that I am confident in –
• (Lenders can make or break your transaction. You enter 2 contracts in your home purchase; 1 with the Seller and 1 with the lender. They’re inter-dependent, but not inter-related. It is your choice on what company you use, but having someone who is responsive to your REALTOR is valuable and can make a critical difference, particularly with the structured time frames you’ve negotiated).
• When we find a home you like, I do a "CMA" (Comparative Market Analysis).
• We discuss the negotiation strategy, and determine your offering price.
• Some houses need to be bought at full listed price.
• Others not.
• A lot of how “pricing” is determined is a function of the local market.
• Some of it has to do with how much you want the home, or how realistic the Seller is.
• Your REALTOR should have a solid handle on the current market trends and your motivation.
• I used to try and tell Buyer's not to worry. Buying a home can be fun.
• Then, I learned that, once an offer is accepted, ALL Buyers worry.
• Now I just say that worry is normal, so for the next 4 to 8 weeks you might as well get used to it!
• Escrow is a series of unrelated issues and processes moving simultaneously towards the closing.
• While it is routine in structure, each player involved has a separate agenda and differing priorities.
• There are plenty of nightmare stories out there, but I don't believe you need to know them all.
• The fact is that every real estate sale is a little different.
• They all have some issue or problem. And some are bigger than others.
• Your REALTOR should be able to offer you a clear perspective during those critical moments.
• Your REALTOR should work with diligence, yet not be overly tied to "keeping the deal together".
• Ultimately, your REALTOR should have the experience to either solve what does occur - OR -
• The insight to locate those resources you need in order to resolve the pressing issues at hand.
• The most crucial task of your REALOR’S job is to give you your options at the critical moments.
• You should feel like your REALTOR has empowered you to be in control of your purchase.

©2003 Ron Garcia