Real Estate Tips and Tricks

DON´T BE FOOLED

We all know that everyone loves a good prank or two, even Plato said, “…even the gods love jokes.” But it’s no laughing matter when you’re made a fool of when it comes to purchasing a home. In the spirit of April Fool’s Day, here are a few real estate tips and tricks to look out for to keep you from being fooled when looking for your next home.

TRICK #1 NO PHOTOS OR BAD QUALITY PHOTOS

Always be leery when an agent doesn’t include any photos or has extremely pixelated, bad quality photos on their listings. A reputable agent will always have quality photos that do the listing justice. If there are no pictures or the photos look like they were taken by a three-year old, don’t waste your time.

TRICK #2 MAKING IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR BUYERS TO GET A PROPERTY SHOWING

Often, shady listing agents won’t respond to showing requests. They ignore calls and e-mails from other real estate agents. They will never be available at the time requested. The agent may cancel or try to reschedule the appointment at the last minute, often just within an hour of the scheduled time. This is a major red flag. Agents should cater to your needs and be eager to show you their listings. Don’t trust an agent that isn’t willing and confident to take you to a property showing.

TRICK #3 NO SHOWINGS WITHOUT AN ACCEPTED OFFER

An unscrupulous listing agent will publish that a property can’t be shown until a buyer’s offer has been accepted. This requires buyers to submit an offer on a home they’ve never seen. Buyers have to have an extreme measure of faith that they really want the property. They have to fill out extensive paperwork, put down a deposit, and hope that the home meets their needs and doesn’t have some major defect. Now unless you’re in the business of flipping houses or you have a close, trustworthy relationship with your agent, my suggestion would be to run and never look back.

There are many good, ethical agents who are willing to work hard to sell your home. The majority of real estate agents are honest. Keep these tricks in mind on your next home buying journey and rest assured that with the Cesi Pagano team, you’ll never have to worry about being fooled.