From what I see, we are our own worst enemies. Seriously. A Realtor breezes into your home with an offer within days of it being listed, and expects you to sign it and send them away with a potential commission cheque of $5,000 or more. This is when the husband and wife look at each other and think...I think we’re in the wrong line of work...that was too easy! Let’s not forget, we have been in a crazy market here for a couple of years, a monkey could have done the same thing...When there is a housing shortage, selling is easy. The problems occur when multiple people try to buy anything thats listed, and this is where the crooks and con-men revel in the mayhem and panic. Oh yeah, just ask any property inspector. And by the way, since when does new laminate flooring and a paint job qualify as "totally renovated"???

So, where do we go from here? How, as a buyer, do you find a seller, with the type of home you want to buy, who is realistic on price? And how as a seller, do you market a home that seems to be like every other house on the market out there? The private seller web-sites and marketing companies, who get paid by the way, whether a house sells or not, will tell you it is so easy to buy privately, its a wonder that everyone isn’t doing it themselves...

Here’s the dirty little secret that they don’t want you to know....Negotiating face to face on such an emotional purchase is extremely difficult. The seasoned investor, who may be on the buying or selling end, is likely just as, or more knowledgeable about real estate than most Realtors. And, they have absolutely no fiduciary duty to you, no ethical guidelines, no real duty to disclose defects or problems that may have been encountered during the "total renovation", they just completed.

These people are in it for themselves, and getting the advantage is priority number one. If you think you can handle dealing with these people on a daily basis, then go for it. A well priced listing, or a pre-qualified buyer is worth gold to the other party to the transaction. A fair, clean sale, is what it is all about.

If you think we can work together, you need to call me. my office # is 780-439-7000. I do not check my e-mail as regularly as I should, so phone is best.