Maximum Real Estate Exposure

Yes - there is a significant difference. Realtors are held to a much higher standard. A Realtor is required to follow a strict code of ethics. A real estate agent is not. I am proud to have been a Realtor since I entered the real estate industry. Putting my clients interest first ALWAYS is one of my top priorities.

No - Zillow home values are all over the map. A buyer or seller should never rely on Zillow for the accurate market value of a home. Some homes have been more than $100,000 over or under the actual market value. Without visiting a home it is nearly impossible to determine an accurate real estate value. Speak to a reputable real estate agent or appraiser to get the true value of your property.

Bill Gassett is a top producing Realtor who has been in the real estate industry for the past thirty five years. Bill provides real estate services to the following communities: Ashland, Bellingham, Blackstone, Douglas, Framingham, Franklin, Grafton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hopedale, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Natick, Northborough, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Sutton, Wayland, Westborough, Whitinsville, Worcester, Upton, and Uxbridge. If you are considering selling your home, reach out to Bill for guidance and expertise. You will be guaranteed Maximum Real Estate Exposure for your home.

When a buyer or seller agrees to dual agency the real estate agent they hired for guidance and expertise is no longer allowed by law to give any. The real estate agent becomes a neutral party no longer able to provide the respective services they would be able to provide as a buyer's agent or a seller's agent. Dual agency is a conflict of interest. It is a harmful arrangement where the only party that benefits is the real estate agent. When interviewing a real estate agent, insist they do not become a dual agent. Dual agency is in fact illegal in some states. In Massachusetts it is still allowed. You want your Realtor to represent YOUR best interests. Dual agency does not provide that ability.

Yes, real estate commissions are negotiable. The Sherman Anti Trust act prevents fixing commissions. Many real estate agents and Realtors are flexible with the amount of commission they charge consumers for real estate services.

The primary closing costs for a home seller in Massachusetts are the following: 1. The real estate commission. 2. Massachusetts tax stamps which are $4.56 per thousand in most areas of the state. 3. Real Estate attorney fee if you have one. Fees are typically around $1000 to represent a seller including document review and attending the closing on the sellers behalf. 4. Recording a new deed is around $150.00. 5. There will be other smaller miscellaneous fees.

A seller is not required to make repairs after a home inspection. All homes are sold as-is. Sometimes, however, it is in the seller's best interest to make repairs or improvements. If the problem is one that the majority of buyers want remedied or could cause financing issues, it will make sense for a seller to address the issue. Home sellers should consult with their real estate agent on what fixes should be addressed. Part of a Realtor's job is to provide counseling to their clients.

An escalation clause is language that is written into an offer stating that a buyer agrees to pay X amount of dollars over the highest offer. An escalation clause will also have a "cap price" or the highest amount of money a buyer would be willing to offer over and above the next highest offer. Escalation clauses are often used in seller's markets where there are multiple bidders for a particular property.

A seller's concession is when a homeowner agrees to pay some or all of a buyer's closing costs. Sometimes a seller's concession is negotiated upfront and at other times it occurs during the course of the transaction. For example, a buyer could ask the seller for a concession after a home inspection.

Pending means that an offer has been accepted between a buyer and seller. There are different multiple listing statuses and pending is one of the choices you can make when a contract has been executed. Sometimes real estate agents won't change the status to pending until certain contingencies are met such as a home inspection or mortgage financing.

A short sale is when a homeowner's lender allows them to sell their property for less than the mortgage amount they owe. A short sale sale price needs to be approved by the lender before the transaction can close. The lender may or may not hold the owner responsible for the shortfall they owe. When selling your property as a short sale it should be done through qualified real estate professionals. The number one goal in a short sale is debt removal. Don't use a real estate agent who doesn't work in the short sale arena.

Working as a real estate agent for the past thirty five years here are some of the best tips for winning a bidding war: 1. Make the highest offer. 2. Pay cash. 3. Use an escalation clause. 4. Waive your financing contingency. 5. Waive your home inspection contingency. 6. Keep time frames short. 7. Close when the seller wants. 8. Offer something of value to the seller. 9. Write a heartfelt letter - keep pictures and family description out of the letter. 10. Consult with a real estate pro for the best strategies.

Earnest money is used to protect the best interests of the seller. Earnest money is collected to ensure the buyer has "skin in the game." Without collecting earnest money a buyer would be able to walk away from a real estate transaction with nothing to lose. If a buyer does not perform under the terms of a real estate contract they could lose their earnest money deposit.

A pocket listing is an in-house home sale where the listing agent sells a home to a buyer without marketing the home to other potential buyers. While there are rare circumstances where the practice makes sense, in most cases, sellers are ill-served by an in-house sale or pocket listing. If you want to sell your home for the most money it makes sense to expose the property to the maximum amount of buyers. Pocket listings often sell for less money then when exposed to the masses via MLS and other real estate marketing channels.

Contingent means that the seller has accepted an offer that contains contingencies that need to be met. Common contingencies in a real estate contract include home inspection and financing clauses. When a property goes under contract a real estate agent can choose between marking the home as either "contingent" or "pending". When a home is marked as contingent it remains as an active listing with the days on market continuing to increase. When selling your home make sure you speak to your Realtor about whether it makes sense to change the listing status to contingent or pending.