David Barr's Sarasota and Venice Real Estate Blog

This week I was contacted by home buyers to show a property they had found online. It turned out the buyers had put an put in an offer on the house they wanted me to show them, with another agent. The buyers did not have a representation agreement with the other agent, and an offer is only an offer if it is not accepted by both the seller and buyer.  They felt their first agent did not represent their interests, and they were correct. Key West style home for sale in Englewood $254,900 The buyers and the seller came within $900 of making a deal.  Then, according to the buyers, nothing happened, which is why they contacted me. I went over the comparable sales and told the buyers that the price the seller counter-offered was actually a pretty good deal.  $900 represents a difference of about $5 per month in mortgage payment.  The buyers agreed it would not be worth losing the home over $5 per month. Unfortunately, their previous agent did not provide c...

This is a follow up to my previous blog about buyer's agents:  http://blog.davidbarrhomes.com/2014/03/case-study-why-experienced-buyers-agent.html The real estate world is always changing, but sometimes the changes can be confusing for prospective home buyers. There are three competing business models nationally which are shaping how consumers buy and sell real estate: 1) Zillow and Trulia:  Non-licensed: what we in the industry call "portals".  They exist to generate visits to their websites and sell advertising. Participating agents pay to be featured in certain geographical areas; 2) Traditional brokerages, such as Re/Max and Keller Williams with their national real estate sites, where buyers can search for homes and get funneled to one of the company's featured agents; 3) Redfin and Movoto:  Licensed brokers, but without physical brick and mortar presence in local markets.  These companies partner with established local agents when a home buyer or s...

Today's experience working with out of town buyers makes an excellent case study in why you need an experienced buyer's agent. I have been working with a couple since late 2013 who want to move from Clearwater to either Sarasota or Venice.  The buyers had a smart initial strategy to visit Sarasota and tour homes one day, and visit the Venice area and tour homes a couple of days later. Luckily, this couple was very clear in terms of what they were looking for.  They did not like high-rise condo living, wanted something near beaches and amenities, and wanted to gain some privacy in the process.  After touring homes with them two times previously and asking for feedback every time we visited a property, I had a good idea of what they were looking for.  Key terms here: ask and listen to the client. Fast forward to this week.  I sent the buyers a list of properties to choose from for our property tour today, but they didn't make any selections.  This is a...

As I get older and wiser I find the old cliches about business do have a basis in fact and success.  When dealing with a customer, try to put yourself in their shoes. A great example of this happened to me this morning with a customer from Canada.  As much as I enjoy working with Canadian buyers, they are extremely risk averse.  This buyer in particular was sensitive to the potential for mold in a condo unit that was not a primary residence for the current owners.  His thoughts were that moisture build up in an unoccupied residence could cause hidden mold issues. Of course, it didn't help that the sellers left one of those timed Lysol fragrance spritzers on in the unit. To the buyer, it seemed like the fragrance was covering up a moldy or musty smell.  Putting myself in the buyer's shoes, and since I am from up north myself, it must seem "musty" to a visitor because of our high humidity, even compared to Canada's hottest, most humid days. Since the home...

I was working with some buyers over the past weekend who illustrated that expert real estate representation means more than just showing properties. These buyers initially had very specific criteria which significantly narrowed their choices.  One of these criteria included finding a home in a community that had a lap pool. Rather than simply showing these buyers only the types of homes they thought they wanted to see, I asked them questions and got to know what other options might satisfy their goals.  Because of my local market knowledge, I pointed out the benefits of a local YMCA, as well as a fitness facility operated by Sarasota Memorial Hospital, both of which the buyers discovered more than met their needs.  This significantly increased the buyer's potential housing options, and maximized the use of their time during their visit. Home buyers: If you are looking for an agent who can present you with a range of opportunities that will fit your goals, please...