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Well you do what you want, it's your business. I'm directing my remarks to everyone. It is the realtor's job to do the leg work and then tell you about what he found, and let you decide which units to look at. Don't worry about taking his time. He will make thousands of dollars on the deal. Besides, right now with the housing market at a mere 500 or 600 sales a month, down from about 3000 new and another 3000 existing home sales a month before the crash, they got nuthin better to do. If your realtor is making you feel like you're wasting his time then get another realtor. The guy I have been working with for over 16 years specializes in out of town people looking for homes here. I'll give you his number if you'd like.
It all depends on your price range and what a realtor feels like spending their time on. I'm out of town, looking to buy and mainly hunting online. A realtor set me up with an mls feed which has been quite helpful BUT said realtor never returned a call that I placed just to say "hi" and introduce myself (wanted to make some type of voice contact, ya know? lol). From that experience, I didn't get the impression that I was exactly at the top of this realtor's priority list. They will focus on clients where they're gonna make a big commission and since I'm looking in the lower price ranges, I don't feel like I'm going to get a LOT of personal attention. I'm not pointing fingers, just saying that there's a reality. Also, with all the short sales and hassles, the months needed to get one of these deals going and all the work involved, they'll spend a certain amount of time on someone like me, but not a lot I wouldn't think. If I find something I like, okay. If not, not. I feel that's the signal I'm getting. I didn't like the lack of a return call but maybe it'll be different when I'm really there and the realtor is sure I'm serious. I'm sure there's a lot of flakes who don't follow through. But still.....I'm not confident about someone who won't return a quick "hello, nice to meet you" call....wouldn't take that long and would give me a lot more confidence. Having said that, this realtor did better than another office i had contacted online who did NOTHING, no follow up, no setting up of a feed, and that's why I dropped them fast when this other company at least made an effort. If they all have nothing better to do and need the business, so far I'm not really feeling that from where I sit.
It all depends on your price range and what a realtor feels like spending their time on. I'm out of town, looking to buy and mainly hunting on line. A realtor set me up with an mls feed which has been quite helpful BUT said realtor never returned a call that I placed just to say "hi" and introduce myself (wanted to make some type of voice contact, ya know? lol). From that experience, I didn't get the impression that I was exactly at the top of this realtor's priority list. They will focus on clients where they're gonna make a big commission and since I'm looking in the lower price ranges, I don't feel like I'm going to get a LOT of personal attention. I'm not pointing fingers, just saying that there's a reality. Also, with all the short sales and hassles, the months needed to get one of these deals going and all the work involved, they'll spend a certain amount of time on someone like me, but not a lot I wouldn't think. If I find something I like, okay. If not, not. I feel that's the signal I'm getting. I didn't like the lack of a return call but maybe it'll be different when I'm really there and the realtor is sure I'm serious. I'm sure there's a lot of flakes who don't follow through. But still.....I'm not confident about someone who won't return a quick "hello, nice to meet you" call....wouldn't take that long and would give me a lot more confidence. Having said that, this realtor did better than another office i had contacted on line who did NOTHING, no follow up, no setting up of a feed, and that's why I dropped them fast when this other company at least made an effort. If they all have nothing better to do and need the business, so far I'm not really feeling that from where I sit.
I've never had that experience and I've dealt with at least a dozen or more realtors in looking for homes in both Las Vegas and Albuquerque. All I'm saying is that people come on here that sound like they've never heard of a realtor. Yes they should ask questions, but they will have to deal with a realtor sooner or later. By looking on your own you will be dealing with the buyer's realtor. Guess what...he/she is not on your side. If you have a realtor and you go out looking on your own (which─full disclosure─I have done BTW), you may end up causing the realtor who has been working so hard for you to lose the sale, especially if you talk to a rep at a model home. I'm just saying, have the realtor sort out all the listings with your requirements─price, size, pool-no pool, etc.─then ask for the opinion of locals. But keep in mind the realtor probably knows the market a whole lot better than we do.
There are some good realtors on this forum that I'd consult. Olecapt is the only one I know of by his handle, and he is obviously very knowledgeable, and reliable. Other realtors that post here regularly are obviously doing a good job too. You seldom meet anyone in person on this site, so I'm not positive, but I think I met one on a tour of mid-century architecture, and my guess is it was 007.
I also agree that doing preliminary legwork is good. This aint the good old days when you could hire someone and just assume they'll look out for your interests like they would their own family.
I find many realtors along with many other workers are going to do the easiest, quickest, most simple thing to make the most money they can. That's why many of them do not want to show short sales, too much work! Everything nowdays is caveat emptor, so do your own research.
I don't know where you are picking up the reticence to do shorts. Shorts have to be about 75% of what we have to show in many places. They also often represent far and away the best deals. I have at least a dozen in the short sale contingency state at the moment. If you want to be into your house in 30 days you are not a good candidate for a short...but other than that it is mostly shorts. Typical example one client had three shorts working when he caught a classic that he had bid on an missed when it rebounded. Got a set of clients from winter still chasing various shorts...the majority of which now look probable in time.
The shorts do have long tails but they are not difficult.
So what are some of the top realtor sites you guys/gals recommend?
Zillow.com? ziprealty? etc?
I would avoid zillow.com if you're looking for a reasonable estimate of value. For the house I bought in March, its estimate of value is $48,000 more than I paid for it. I would love if that were true, but I know it isn't.
Some of the other information on zillow's site is helpful, but take its price estimates with a big grain of salt.
I've never had that experience and I've dealt with at least a dozen or more realtors in looking for homes in both Las Vegas and Albuquerque. All I'm saying is that people come on here that sound like they've never heard of a realtor. Yes they should ask questions, but they will have to deal with a realtor sooner or later. By looking on your own you will be dealing with the buyer's realtor. Guess what...he/she is not on your side. If you have a realtor and you go out looking on your own (which─full disclosure─I have done BTW), you may end up causing the realtor who has been working so hard for you to lose the sale, especially if you talk to a rep at a model home. I'm just saying, have the realtor sort out all the listings with your requirements─price, size, pool-no pool, etc.─then ask for the opinion of locals. But keep in mind the realtor probably knows the market a whole lot better than we do.
There are some good realtors on this forum that I'd consult. Olecapt is the only one I know of by his handle, and he is obviously very knowledgeable, and reliable. Other realtors that post here regularly are obviously doing a good job too. You seldom meet anyone in person on this site, so I'm not positive, but I think I met one on a tour of mid-century architecture, and my guess is it was 007.
I think what you might mean is the seller's realtor, not the buyer's realtor.
Second, I do not have a realtor in NV yet. I do not live in NV yet. I have a realtor elsewhere in another state. And he in turn has given me a referral to a realtor in NV just yesterday. I am asking questions to figure out what and which listings I want to present to prospective realtors. I've always done my own preliminary work and most people seem to appreciate it. It's just the way I roll.
No offense, but I'm not sure why I have to elaborate on this. This is a city data forum, after all - a place to gather information about specific cities.
I think what you might mean is the seller's realtor, not the buyer's realtor.
Second, I do not have a realtor in NV yet. I do not live in NV yet. I have a realtor elsewhere in another state. And he in turn has given me a referral to a realtor in NV just yesterday. I am asking questions to figure out what and which listings I want to present to prospective realtors. I've always done my own preliminary work and most people seem to appreciate it. It's just the way I roll.
No offense, but I'm not sure why I have to elaborate on this. This is a city data forum, after all - a place to gather information about specific cities.
Ask some questions about the "referral". Most referrals are a simple economc transaction whereby your old agent gets a cut of the new sale.
Nothing wrong with a referral if your old agent actually knows the new one or at least has some reason to believe he or she is good.
Mostly they don't. Just get 25% of the deal for making the referral. Many agents who take referrals are hungry. A few are good.
Well you do what you want, it's your business. I'm directing my remarks to everyone. It is the realtor's job to do the leg work and then tell you about what he found, and let you decide which units to look at. Don't worry about taking his time. He will make thousands of dollars on the deal. Besides, right now with the housing market at a mere 500 or 600 sales a month, down from about 3000 new and another 3000 existing home sales a month before the crash, they got nuthin better to do. If your realtor is making you feel like you're wasting his time then get another realtor. The guy I have been working with for over 16 years specializes in out of town people looking for homes here. I'll give you his number if you'd like.
I'm also looking to buy in LV and am with intrepidnomad on this one. I too like to do a lot of my leg work so that when I do start talking to a realtor, I am informed and my bulls**t detector is calibrated
Tha being said however, I have approached no less than 7 realtors through email explaining my wants and my intentions with the properties I'm looking to purchase, but I have not gotten a single response back from any realtor (even after leaving my phone number for them to call back at). I thought they would be all over taking on new clients, but I may be wrong?
I'm essentially trying to interview agents before I settle on one, and I'm making it clear that I don't want them to show me property listings until I tell them I'm going to go with them. I may need to change my approach, but I don't to lead someone and then having to tell them I don't need their service.
I think what you might mean is the seller's realtor, not the buyer's realtor.
Second, I do not have a realtor in NV yet. I do not live in NV yet. I have a realtor elsewhere in another state. And he in turn has given me a referral to a realtor in NV just yesterday. I am asking questions to figure out what and which listings I want to present to prospective realtors. I've always done my own preliminary work and most people seem to appreciate it. It's just the way I roll.
No offense, but I'm not sure why I have to elaborate on this. This is a city data forum, after all - a place to gather information about specific cities.
I'm with you on this one. I think it is best to do much of the preliminary work yourself for several reasons. First, it is nice to narrow down your specific desires yourself ie type of neighborhoods, type of houses, location, etc. It is too easy for realtors to steer you toward what they think you want, or they spend too much time thinking or guessing what you want. I also always have an underlying concern that the realtor is not acting in my best interest, so the later they are involved in the process the less attachment that develops. I also have a harder time to separate if needed than others probably would. Good luck.
I'm also looking to buy in LV and am with intrepidnomad on this one. I too like to do a lot of my leg work so that when I do start talking to a realtor, I am informed and my bulls**t detector is calibrated
Tha being said however, I have approached no less than 7 realtors through email explaining my wants and my intentions with the properties I'm looking to purchase, but I have not gotten a single response back from any realtor (even after leaving my phone number for them to call back at). I thought they would be all over taking on new clients, but I may be wrong?
I'm essentially trying to interview agents before I settle on one, and I'm making it clear that I don't want them to show me property listings until I tell them I'm going to go with them. I may need to change my approach, but I don't to lead someone and then having to tell them I don't need their service.
Your experience with not getting a phone call back mirrors mine also as indicated in a previous post. At least the realtor I contacted did set up an mls feed and a few other helpful online tools that helped me get oriented a bit so I can do the prelim legwork even if at a distance. So I also was quite annoyed that I didn't get a call back to establish some personal contact. I , too, have left my phone number and said to call me anytime, but nothing. I would have been happy with an email acknowlegment of my voicemail, like, "hey, I got your message, I'm super busy but thank you" or something. but nothing. So I'm not overly confident about what I'm going to run into with this individual.
If seven realtors haven't responded to your emails, it may be that they're running into a lot of flakey out of town buyers who they do a lot of work for online and then they never hear from the buyer again so they just stop wasting their time, which I also understand. They should at least make clear what they want from YOU to begin working with you online at a distance, whether it's proof of your financial readiness/ability to purchase or other info of that sort. They shouldn't just ignore you IF they really want or need the business. Again, I would ask them to set up an mls feed and other online search mechanisms for you, to at least prove to you that they are minimally interested in getting your business. If not, keep looking. Good luck!
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