Negotiating

Communication and the Buyer Agent

When a stranger contacts our office looking for a buyer’s agent, we get only one chance to make a first impression. I get the feeling that the first impression that we make is different than other agents from other companies. One of our professional organizations, the Massachusetts Association of Buyer’s Agents, sent us a lead

By |2023-06-18T11:29:16-04:00June 21st, 2023|Categories: Exclusive Buyer's Agents, Negotiating, Pearl|Tags: , , , |

Better Financing as a Negotiation Tool

The trend has been for listing agents to encourage their clients to accept offers that have  better financing. Because of this, commercial investors have a strong advantage because they frequently purchase for cash or with very high down payments. Whose interests are being served by rushing offers, then choosing buyers who are going to resell

By |2018-06-29T10:17:36-04:00July 18th, 2018|Categories: Mortgage matters, Negotiating|

The home inspection

Did your buyer's agent tell you to waive home inspection in order to be more competitive? We don't recommend that, ever! We want to you know what to expect, in terms of care and maintenance on this high-priced investment you are making. With average sales well over $600,000 in most areas we work in, we

By |2018-02-08T11:59:32-05:00February 14th, 2018|Categories: Negotiating, buying process, Problems and repair|Tags: , , |

What stays, what goes, when you sell a house?

If I incorporate my art into my house, should I remove it before I sell? My clients, T. and E. are selling their house. They are leaving two stained glass pieces that T. made. They are also leaving a wallet holder that T.’s father made. He is attached to it, but it “belongs” in that

What is WRONG with those listing agents?

Buyer tip: A badly done listing sheet can save you money. Many buyers will reject a place based on bad pictures, or not enough pictures.  Some agents don't do their job. There's plenty of them. Enough to fill humor sites like Lighter Side of Real Estate, Bad MLS photos, Hooked on Houses, Terrible real estate photography,  Even

By |2021-11-01T16:39:38-04:00September 20th, 2017|Categories: House Hunting, Negotiating, thinking of selling?|Tags: , , |

Don’t Give Up Your Rights

Here’s how James Morrison at Banker and Tradesman reported on Dave Twombly, my favorite agent of the week (wink!) Buyers Need Protection Just down Mass. Ave. at 4 Buyers Real Estate, also in Cambridge, the exclusive buyer agents tell the buyers they work with that home inspection contingencies are a must, according to agent Dave

By |2021-11-01T16:49:40-04:00August 23rd, 2017|Categories: Legal questions, buying process, Dave, Negotiating|

Estimate repairs while house hunting

It is impossible to judge the value of a house without calculating a rough cost of repair. The properties around here are frequently 100 years old. When a problem begins, it is much cheaper to repair than the same problem left for years to get worse. Tip one: deferred maintenance costs roughly five times more to

By |2017-07-17T11:10:36-04:00August 2nd, 2017|Categories: Problems and repair, Negotiating|Tags: |