All Posts Tagged With: "broker"
Are Broker Warranty Kickbacks Okay?
For some time there has been a nifty little side business in real estate: Your friendly broker offers a homeowner warranty program to reduce buyer worries about possible repairs. Such warranties may or may not be a good idea — you have to look at what’s included, what’s excluded, the up-front cost, the cost per [...]
6Jul2010 | Peter G. Miller | 1 comment | Continued
Compare “For Sale,” “Sold” & “Under Contract” Signs
In our area real estate signs say For Sale, Sold and Under Contract. These signs are a shorthand way to explain the contract status of the property — information which may suggest that the property is off the market, on the market or maybe both. For Sale It might seem that a property which is [...]
8Jan2010 | Peter G. Miller | 0 comments | Continued
Real Estate Brokers Versus Salespeople — What’s The Difference?
A “broker” can be seen as someone licensed by the state and who works for another and for a fee. In effect, a broker is an “agent– who works for a “principal,– say a buyer or seller. As an agent, a real estate broker must uphold certain duties and obligations or his or her license [...]
21Nov2009 | Peter G. Miller | 0 comments | Continued
How Come My Broker Wants Me To Leave My Open House?
Question: My real estate broker wants to hold an open house — and wants me to leave! What’s up with this? Who knows more about the house than the owners? Answer: There’s little doubt that owners are the world’s leading authority on the in and outs of their homes. But the real question ought to [...]
30Mar2009 | Peter G. Miller | 0 comments | Continued
The Case For Flexible Real Estate Commissions
Isn’t it time to change real estate agreements — to make them better for buyers, sellers and brokers? Syndicated columnist Peter G. Miller explains.
17Feb2009 | Peter G. Miller | 0 comments | Continued
Can I Back Out Of A Real Estate Listing Agreement?
strong>Question: What happens if you list a home with a real estate broker and then decide you don’t want to sell? Can the broker make you sell the property? Answer: No. You cannot be forced to sell. However, there can be financial consequences. A listing agreement is a contract between a property owner and a [...]
9Oct2008 | Peter G. Miller | 0 comments | Continued
What To Do In A Falling Real Estate Market
The seller was at wit’s end, a not unreasonable location given that the asking price for her beloved abode had fallen by $100,000 and further reductions loomed ahead. The house in question is well-located and beautifully prepared, but the local marketplace has begun to ease. The vast and predictable price increases of the past few [...]
19Sep2008 | Peter G. Miller | 0 comments | Continued
The End Of An Abusive Monopoly
It used to be that real estate regulation was an insider’s game, something that existed in large measure to protect brokers and salespeople from competition. To understand just how friendly the system was, consider these gems from the 1967 edition of the real estate laws in the District of Columbia: Individuals could work as real [...]
17Sep2008 | Peter G. Miller | 0 comments | Continued
Should We End State-Wide Real Estate Licensing?
By it’s nature real estate is a localized commodity. If you’ve ever heard someone say, “my home would be worth $400,000 more if only it was located elsewhere” you can see the issue: Location is crucial. The home isn’t located elsewhere, it’s located where it is and that’s one reason it’s not worth an additional [...]
16Sep2008 | Peter G. Miller | 0 comments | Continued
Who Owns Real Estate Broker Data?
There was never a question of who owned broker data before the advent of the Web. Brokers owned the listings, descriptions, and photographs they gathered and aggregated. Such content was private. And now, says still another court decision, it still is. The importance of broker data is plain: Major web sites need broker data and [...]
6Sep2008 | Peter G. Miller | 0 comments | Continued
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