Archive for July, 2008
I Want to Fire My Agent
Occassionally I’ll get a phone call or email from a seller that is not happy with the real estate agent currently representing them. They ask if I can help them because they want to fire their agent. This is very touchy ground because real estate agents are not allowed to interfere with the relationships between other agents and their clients.
The advice I always give is this: if you are not happy with your current agent, have a conversation with them about why you are not happy. See if you can get them to change their attitude, marketing plan, whatever it is about the situation that is not working for you. The agent might not even know you’re displeased. If you don’t see a noticeable change after your discussion, contact their broker and express your concerns. They may try to assign you to a different agent in the office. In some cases, they may let you terminate your contract. It all depends on the situation.
Real estate is just like any other business. There are excellent performers, average performers, and low level performers. When you sign a contract with a real estate agency and a specific agent, you have the right to expect a certain level of service. Voicing your concerns to your agent and their broker is the first step in getting the issue resolved.
Wanted: ING Half Marathon Training Partner
Apologies for the non-real estate post.
I am going to be running the ING Hartford half marathon in October and I’m looking for a training partner(s). It’s much easier to keep a training schedule if someone else is keeping you honest. I’ve run a few half marathons in the past. The most recent being the New Haven 20K last fall. So, if you’re interested in running together a couple of days a week, or know someone else who might be interested, please drop me a line at amybergquist@gmail.com. I run about 9:00 to 9:30 minute miles and like to go early in the morning (around 5:30am or 6:00am) in order to beat the heat and start the work day at a reasonable hour. And no, I’m not going to try and make you buy or sell a house. I just want to run. 
Preparing for a Fixer Upper
The New York Times had an excellent article this past Sunday regarding homeowners buying fixer uppers. Not necessarily because they want to, but because it’s what they can afford in order to enter the real estate market.
Unfortunately I think the HGTV culture leads lots of people to believe that home renovations are much easier than they really are, and that the renovations cost less than they really do. Remember, when you watch an HGTV do-it-yourself renovation show, they typically are only quoting the materials and are not taking into account the cost of the laborers doing the actual work. As far as you and I are concerned, the plumber or electrician isn’t really going to work for us for free.
So if you are in the market for a true fixer upper, here are some things to think about…
1. Is the house livable? Are you going to be able to stay there while you do the renovations or do you need to have other accomodations? I have a client that recently closed on a property and they live in about one-third of the house while they fix up the remaining two-thirds. It works fine for them, but I know it would not work well for others. You have to figure out your comfort level.
2. Do you have the cash available to get the necessary work done? Your agent and a general contractor should be able to give you rough estimates of what the renovations will cost. Can you do all of the work immediately or will it need to be staggered over several months or years?
3. If you have a partner, is your relationship a strong one? Major renovations that you personally undertake can be very stressful. They usually take more money and time than expected, and you may not have the same ideas as your partner. My husband and I once took on a porch renovation project that he and his dad thought they could do in a week. Three months of continuous evening and weekend work later, our neighbors were remarking they were surprised we were still married! Make sure your partnership can endure this type of stress before embarking.
Fixer uppers really aren’t for everyone, but if you’re willing and able to put in the work, you may be able to get the home of your dreams that would otherwise be out of reach. It might just take a few months or years to actually turn it into the home of your dreams.