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As a Realtor here in the metro Phoenix area, I
have distinguished myself from other real estate agents because I work
as a buyer’s agent. A buyer's agent is one that works solely on
behalf of the buyer and not the seller (like the listing agents whose
name appears on the for sale sign in the front yard of a home for
sale). In order to truly call myself a buyer's agent, I have taken additional training
and coursework that has given me the ability to focus on the needs and
wishes of Phoenix home buyers. Furthermore, I have distinguished
myself with the necessary experience requirements to back up the
education. I have earned the ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative)
designation after my name.
As a real estate buyer's representative in
Phoenix, AZ, I represent the metro Phoenix home buyer who is
purchasing property in a real estate transaction. Research by the
National Association of REALTORS has shown that when a buyer's
representative is used, the prospective buyer found a home one week
faster and examined three more properties than consumers who did not
use a buyer's representative.
As a real estate buyer's representative in the
Phoenix area, I work for, and owe fiduciary responsibilities to, the
real estate buyer and have home buyer's best interests in mind
throughout the entire real estate process. It is my job to:
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Evaluate the specific needs and wants of the
buyer and locate properties that fit those specifications.
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Assist the buyer in determining the amount that
they can afford (pre-qualify), and show properties in that price
range and locale.
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Assist in viewing properties -- accompany the
buyer on the showings, or preview the properties on behalf of the
buyer to insure that the identified specifications are met.
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Research the selected properties to identify
any problems or issues to help the buyer make an informed decision
prior to making an offer to purchase the property.
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Advise the buyer on structuring an appropriate
offer to purchase the selected property.
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Present the offer to the seller's agent and the
seller on the buyer's behalf.
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Negotiate on behalf of the buyer to help obtain
the identified property -- keeping the buyer's best interests in
mind.
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Assist in securing appropriate financing for
the selected property.
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Provide a list of potential qualified vendors
(e.g. title companies, inspectors, carpenters, etc.) if these
services are needed.
The following are a few of the transactions that
I have put together recently for clients as a buyer's agent:
Example #1: HUD Home in historic district. One of
my clients was looking for a home that he could purchase as a
"live-in" investment. His intention was to buy it, fix it up,
and in a couple of years sell it for a sizeable profit. He
purchased the single family home with multi-family zoning.
Knowing that it needed a lot of work, he applied for a grant through
the Phoenix Historic Preservation Office and was awarded $10,000 to
assist with the exterior rehabilitation of the home. Fixed up,
according to his lender's appraiser, the home was worth at least
twice of what he paid.
Example #2: First time home buyer needing help with the down
payment. A young school teacher solicited my help to find a
home near the high school where he taught a foreign language.
Knowing that he only had approximately $1,000 to apply towards the
home buying process, I found him a 1350 sqft home with a 1 car garage,
had the seller pick up 3% of the sales price towards his down payment,
pay all of his closing costs, buy him a 1 year home warranty, treat
the home for termites, and the home is located in a great neighborhood
that is 1 mile from his high school. After we closed on the
transaction, he actually receive money back from the title company.
Example #3: First time home buyer
looking for a historic home in Downtown Phoenix. Earlier in
the year I worked with a computer program for a local software company
that was looking for a home downtown. The home was not aesthetically
the nicest home on the block (need landscaping, a driveway, and a
little character on the inside and out). She bought the home for
about 5% below market, had the seller pick up $4,000 towards her closing costs and
I helped her find a lender that offered her 100% financing.
Because of the inspections I encouraged her to have completed, we
found out that the sewer line was partially collapsed (an item the
seller did not inform us about). I went back to the negotiating
table for her and secured an additional $4,000 to have the sewer line
fixed. Finally because she bought a qualifying home in a
historic district, I helped her complete the necessary paperwork with
the State to have her property taxes reduced in half for as long as
she lives there.
Example #4: Relocation client looking
for a VA foreclosure home. I worked with a wonderful young
couple from out-of-state that was looking for a newer home in the west
valley. I found them a 1500+ sqft home built in 2001, corner
lot, and a 2 car garage. I negotiated 7% off of the sales price
and was able to get the government to pick up an additional 3% towards
their closing costs. They saved over $9,000 just in the price of
the home.
Example #5: Investor looking for good
rental property. A previous client approached me with the
desire to buy a rental property. In this particular case, we
found a great townhome in the north valley.
In the six months that he has owned the property, it has easily
cash-flowed due to the area rents and the property is worth at least
$20,000 more than the price he paid for it. These
examples are just a sampling of the many deals that I have been able
to negotiate on behalf of my clients. I work hard for them,
strive to exceed their expectations, and help them every step of the
way. Most importantly and I cannot emphasize this
point enough, I fully represent the buyer
throughout the real estate transaction.
As I stated in other sections of this website, I pride myself in being
a "single agency" Realtor. This means that when you hire me to
help you buy or sell a home, I will always put your interest first and
NEVER will I betray your confidence by trying to work both sides of
the transaction. This is why I will not represent both parties
in a transaction, commonly referred to as limited dual agency, where
agents are telling the sellers they represent that they will get them
the highest price possible and turn around to their buyer client and
tell them that they will get them the lowest price possible.
Believe it or not, this happens far too frequently, especially when
one agent from a real estate company has the listing and another agent
from the same company is working with the buyer--and even then, the
buyer's agent has an obligation to represent the interests of the
seller.
If you would like a full-time Realtor that has
the experience, training and know-how to work for you and guide you
through the home buying process, call me at 480-888-1234. |
