How do I get the best deal possible?

Sellers-Clean and neat. Comfortable and clutter free. New home builders regularly sell homes for more than what local residents anticipate. Ever walk through a model home? Granted, not many people have such expensive furniture and no, if you think about it, few live as 'tidy' as they do and no, we don't remove all our doors to make rooms appear larger. As a regular seller, you need to know where the bar has been set, so to speak. Tour around some new home models-they spend far more than anyone else in researching their area and seeing what will appeal to potential buyers. A fresh coat of paint, nicely maintained yard, clean and clear counters and clutter free homes are more likely to sell than the 'normal' house. Lets face it, few people live as clean, neat, perfect and clutter free as a new build, but that is what is expected by some buyers and it can be simply explained as the 'wow' effect. Achiving the wow effect in a pre-owned home is not too difficult. Call us for a free, in-home consultation. We can make recommendations, offer services of known professionals (painters, carpet companies, staging companies, etc) and will offer you an independant evaluation of your property with not just our opinion, but solid numbers, current and historical market data and property information to completely inform you of your homes value.

Buyers-Those amazing deals you hear of are out there! But not quite as prevelant as you may be led to believe. If you are open minded and patient, yes, a great deal will appear. Otherwise, you must remember that sellers are typically not willing to give away the farm to sell the barn. You will someday be a seller as well, keep in mind your position. Sellers are listing their home because they want to sell, buyers want to buy. The seller has certain debts (mortgages typically) that must be satisfied and expenses in selling.

As agents, we will research the market, examine the home with you and give our professional opinion on how to proceed. We are often correct on where the value is and sellers willingness or ability to negotiate to a price that makes it a fair deal for all involved. Sometimes, sellers are stubborn, overburdened by debt or simply unaware of the value of the home in which case, we move our buyers to the next property. Getting a 'good deal' does not always mean getting a home for well under market price. It means getting a deal that you, the buyer, are comfortable with given the market conditions, comparable properties, your financial situation and finally, your love of the home. Our job as agents is to ensure you get the best possible and realistic deal as a buyer and we are here to help you steer clear of bad decisions, act as independant evaluators and shop without the emotional charge that accompanies most buyers. Call us and lets sit down and chat about your dream home and see if we can make it a reality!

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Do I have to sign a contract ?

Yes. That is probably not the answer you hoped for. The good news, you are not 'stuck' for the duration (at least, not with Radz Real Estate, LLC). In Colorado, for a licensed real estate agent to act in your interest, to make recommendations, to negotiate and to submit offers, a contract must be signed and in full effect. It is illegal for an agent to discuss price or terms with you without first having gone over either a listing agreement (sellers agent) or a buyers agency agreement (buyers agent). Contracts are state wide, you do not need to sign a different contract for looking in THornton CO Real Estate than Denver CO Real Estate.

In Colorado, you may terminate a contract so long as you follow the terms within the contract, even if before the contract expiration date! Huh? Say you have a one year buyers agency with an agent, but 2 months into the contract you have not found a home and want to try a different approach with a different agent. First, call that agent and see if you can work out a new approach, but if not, then request they mutually agree to terminate the contract. Most agents will do so! Request a letter be received from the agent stating you are not obligated. But be aware, you still must follow some terms of that contract. In the contract, for example, there is a 'hold over period' meaning a time frame in which you may not make a purchase/sale decision on a particular home (or to a particular buyer) without owing a commission to the previous agent. So the agent you are terminating the contract with had showed you a home. The new agent shows you the same home and you decide to make an offer-better check with a lawyer, you may be in a situation where a commission is owed to the terminated agent and to the new agent! Likewise, a seller who you negotiated with, but negotiations failed returns to your property a week after you change agents-again, two commissions may be owed. We suggest you request a list from the previous agent and make your new agent aware of the list of homes or people who your previous agent worked with. The new agent can then discuss the situation with the previous agent, if necessary, or make other arrangements. The hold over period and other contract terms are fully negotiable so negotiate them with your agent and make sure you understand what they mean and talk to your agent up front about how to terminate the agreement. If the agent refuses, well, then maybe give someone else a call. Radz Real Estate, LLC informs all buyers and sellers of their right to terminate a contract and explains the provisions that will remain in effect after termination and for how long.

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Can I get part of your commission/can you pay for... ?

Commissions are not set. Every deal, every agent and every company has a slightly different approach to answer these questions and what they are willing to do. A few things to remember-negotiate up front, not after a deal is made and the agent has done their work for an anticipated commission. The work the agent does is in anticipation of a specific reward (a commision) and is based on the value of that reward. Think of it this way, do you go to work each day, working for an anticipated reward and then, at the end of the day, negotiate a second time for work already performed? Probably not...

Agents are often looked at as greedy or rich. We are neither (not speaking for the entire community!). We want to make deals happen and we are aware of our cost and expenses and yours as well. We work with all our clients to ensure the transaction is fair to everyone and we earn our commissions through hard work. Yes, we make a good income, but those numbers are not as true as you may think. Our 'paycheck' is the commission check. But unlike most 'paychecks', ours is pure. We pay for our own health insurance, office equipment, advertising, double taxes (your employer pays half your social security and medicare tax-we are our own employeer, so we pay double), vehicle expenses, income taxes , licensing fees, education expenses, company insurance, E&O insurance, and more. When all is paid, that big commission check typically is not as big. Yes, we took all these expenses on as part of our profession and being self employed and we are not complaining. We are also not a non-profit and do work for a living, we do have living expenses on top of all those business ones.

Radz Real Estate, LLC has a policy of not setting any 'fixed' or 'mandatory' commisions on any transaction. Our agents may negotiate with each buyer and seler individually and are in control of their own income. We work hard and earn the commissions we charge. Please remember with discount brokers, rebate programs and other 'deals' that you are probably getting what you paid for. Sometimes it works out fine, but not always. If you want a quality, full service brokerage with agents who will work hard for you, then contact us. You will not be disappointed!

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Do you work with first time buyers ?

You bet! We work with all buyers and selers, regardless of their experience. We are aware of and have worked with many buyer programs and will assist you in finding the program and lender that best suits your needs. We do not have a maximum number of homes we will show you, nor do we have a minimum amount of patience. We will get to know you and work to fulfill your home ownership dreams-no matter the price or our commission. Radz Real Estate, LLC has a policy of showing buyers all available properties that meet their criteria, regardless of our commission received or the sellers choice of representation. Typically, the seller will pay our commission so you, the buyer, are hiring us without having to directly pay us. In some instances (for sale by owner properties) there may not be a co-op offered, we will make you aware of this and work with you to ensure we are paid and you still get the home you want (often, FSBO sellers are willing to negotiate in a commission).

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What is title insurance, mortgage lender, homeowners insurance?

Title insurance is required by most lenders. The seller pays for the policy for the buyer, the buyer pays for a policy for the lender. This policy will cover all parties in the event of an error on title, including any undiscovered liens or filings. Seldom do people actually have claims, but when they do, they are quite large.

The mortgage lender is the person whom you are using to obtain financing. Radz Real Estate, LLC does not offer any mortgage products and recommends independant companies for such services. We do not receive any referral fees or any compensation. Greg has experience as a lender and can assist in many questions and help ensure you are getting treated fairly. Watch the fees, but fees are not the entire picture. Compare quotes, ask us to help you analyze the quotes to find the best and most of all, if it is too good to be true-it probably is! Mortgage rates are determined by the treasury bill values, if the 30 year note is at a yield of 5.125 % and 3 lenders offer you a mortgage at 6.5% and then one says 5%...well, something is probably not quite right. We are happy to help you find a lender that will provide the terms, service, integrity and honest approach you need to ensure your decision is made properly.

Homeowners insurance is required on all home purchases and is paid a year in advance at closing. Like lenders, shop around to a few insurance agents, get multiple quotes. Make sure you understand the quotes and what the policy delivers. The lender will ensure your policy covers full replacement cost of the home, but what about the contents? The computers? The wedding rings? Theft? Flood? Hail? Have a good, long conversation with your insurance professional and make sure you are getting the insurance you need and want.

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When is best time to buy/sell?

The canned answer is to list in the spring for a summer buyer and to buy in the fall/winter for a desperate seller. Well, the canned answer does not always work for us. We have sold properties in every month of every year and our busiest month is often January, May and October! But wait...that does not make sense! There are always buyers and there are always sellers. The question is, when are you most willing to put the effort into either side of the transaction. If you want to list a home in winter, are you prepared to keep the snow cleared off the driveway and sidewalks? Likewise, if you want to shop in winter are you prepared to walk through snow sometimes? Does your home have a wonderfully landscaped yard that will show off in April and May, but appear dead in October? Are you travelling regularly during May and do not have time to look at homes? Are you getting my point? The best time to buy or sell is when you are ready and comfortable. Radz Real Estate, LLC works hard every month of every year to sell homes and find homes for our buyers. Just like having a baby, there is no 'perfect' time! We may start your listing or shopping at the 'perfect' time and then might find ourselves a few months down the road before we find the 'perfect' deal, right in the middle of the time we didn't think we would. When you are ready to go, call Greg Radziewicz and we will work hard for you. We will take you out in the snow or the sun, we will take new photos of the spring flowers for marketing and refresh the listing when the time is right so it appears new.

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