All Forum Posts by: Sarah Ziehr

It depends on your market and if there are other buyers. I might talk to your lender and agent about putting conventional on the contract for purposes of getting the property under contract, and then going FHA. But make sure that the lender is experienced and you have enough time to pivot to conventional if things go sideways. Buyers in my market do this all the time. As long as you close on time the seller may never know and certainly won't care.

Keep the process going until one person gets their stuff in order and you find it acceptable. In a hot market, sometimes there are multiple applications to choose from. You don't owe anyone anything. May the best applicant win. 

What price point are you in and what level of engagement are YOU showing that agent? 

I agree that some agents are just lazy but I've been on the other end of it, working my butt off for someone who never buys a single thing. Finally after months or years (yes, years!!) I put them on the back burner. Likewise if you are in the under $100k price point you may be expecting too much. Traditional agents get paid only after they close a deal.  

For those investors that fancy themselves the expert, consider getting your own real estate license and MLS membership if you think you real estate agents are obsolete.

@Jay G. Absolutely! I can think of so many scenarios where a buyer would walk if they were not engaged in conversation. Buyers are flakey. Got to keep their attention! 

That is just unacceptable. Just today I have been negotiating a deal and intermittently as I spoke with the buyers agent, I was giving my seller updates whether it be by forwarding an email chain or text message chain or letting them know what was the latest phone conversation I had. 

I don't have experience with refinance situations, but I do know that with a resale it is up to the underwriters and the bank to deem the current appraisal flawed and order a new appraisal.

A similar issue just happened to me and instead of fighting the appraisal the stupid attorney convinced the sellers to agree to sell for $5k less than the agreed upon purchase price. I am not happy about it because I feel confident that a new appraisal would have supported our purchase price, especially since we had multiple offers. Grrrrrrrrr 

I am a broker constantly in the field, however there is absolutely no reason I would ever have limited access to email. Any person or agent who gives you that kind of excuse is living in the dark ages and should be fired immediately. 

It is true that I will take care of emails in the mornings or evenings, if those emails can wait. When it comes to negotiating offers, that takes precedence. 

I think that is up to the attorneys to hash out and/or finalize in your offer to purchase. I can see it going either way depending on the bank. 

What is customary in your market? Most forecloses in my market are 100% tax proration and often times the buyer picks up the tab for anything questionable, just to acquire the property. 

It depends on your market and what is popular among renters. In Chicago there are many vintage units that are in high demand and everyone uses window units. 

In terms of the price, you can expect that the listing agent is paying at least 2.5% to a buyers agent from the agreed set commission in the listing agreement. If you are not working with a buyers broker, you could reduce your offer by this 2.5% that they will be saving, or whatever you can negotiate with the listing agent.  

I would thank them for the list and assure them that you won't hold them accountable for any of these items when and if they move out at some point. 

I would suggest that they look up the manual for the thermostat on the manufacturers website. 

In addition to the leak, I would have the gutters cleaned because that could cost you thousands down the road. 

You are under no obligation to fix anything else, but you may want to send over a handyman to look at the windows (a little WD-40 may do the trick), replace the light bulbs, the garage door and the bathroom window (could be a health and safety item).