Understanding Buyer Agency & the Home Buying Process

(& How to Avoid the Most Common Mistakes)

Shane Engel

Phone: (781) 258-7844 Email:shane.engel@remax.net

This guide was designed to be a resource for you. It contains answers to many questions that our clients had, prior to working with us and purchasing a property. The information in this package includes: Valuable tips on properly positioning your offer to get accepted under the best possible terms. Answers to many of the questions you might have about the home-buying process, such as: - Is right now a good time to buy? - What are the steps to the home buying process? - How can I go about negotiating the best offer terms and avoid over-paying? - How do I know I can trust my broker? My hope is that you will find the enclosed information to be useful to you, whether you choose to work with me or not. Please let me know if you have any questions. Sincerely, Shane Engel P.S. At the end of this package is a “Pre-Appointment Readiness Form.” If you could, please fill this out (prior to our appointment.) By doing so, it will help me understand your hopes and goals in a deeper way, and we will then have more time available to discuss the impor tant things that matter most to you.

Introduction

If you are like me, it is important to get to know the people with whom you are dealing. In addition to my blog posts and stories (which can be found at www.baystatehomefinder.com) here is a little about me:

Back in 2003, when I was still a technical salesperson (or, "Sales Engineer") with a well-known technology company, I worked with

a real estate agent in an effort to purchase a 3-family home. At the time, I hated my job, I had just read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad," and

was looking for ways of building a financial portfolio outside of my "j-o-b."

When I say I hated my job, I cannot overstate that. "On paper" my job was fantastic: I had a company car. I had great benefits. I

made a great salary for my age. I was "climbing the corporate ladder."

I also was an insomniac. I "lived for the weekend." And I was always afraid I was going to get fired or laid-off.

I didn't really know what to what to look for in choosing a real estate agent at that time, and I really didn’t have anyone around me

whom I trusted for advice in the situation. I ended up working with someone as my Buyer’s Agent “who shall remain nameless” (I

am not trying to defame anyone in particular. I am, instead, trying to make a point. Let’s call him “Ron,” for simplicity and

anonymity’s sake.)

So, I had done some “homework” (making decisions for myself, such as: which communities interested me, how much I could af-

ford, how much rent I could expect to collect, etc. At that time, I remember specifically telling Ron, “If I send you a list of homes I

would like to see, please let me know which ones are in ‘rough’ neighborhoods, because I am not interested in those.”

Only in retrospect do I see that all Ron cared about was getting a commission check. I would send him properties to see, and he

would mechanically set up appointments without giving me any sort of insight on them. (I WANTED his advice. I placed a high

degree of value on both my time and on his time, so I didn't want to waste it looking at homes that were not within the criteria I had

selected. I was also of the belief that, since he was a real estate agent, he knew more than me. This was a bad assumption.)

One prime example of how he either did not listen to what I was saying (or maybe, he didn’t really know the area as well as he

claimed) is as follows: One house we looked at was SCARY from the moment we pulled up to it. The neighborhood fit the descrip-

tion of exactly what I said I DIDN'T WANT. I really didn’t even want to get out of the car, but I did. When we walked up to the

front door, there were bullet holes in the front door. "Next!!"

...continued on the next page

A Little About Me (& why I actually became a Realtor)

There were actual properties I expressed interest in buying after we looked at them. I didn’t know it at the time, but, if Ron was do-

ing his job as my Buyer’s Agent, he would have offered to work up an analysis of those properties, including similar properties

which had recently sold, so that I would have had an idea of what a “fair price” was. Instead, as I stated earlier, all Ron cared about

what his commission check. He wanted the “path of least resistance." Apparently, he believed that the fastest way to his commis-

sion check was to try to get me to offer close to full-price on every property. (Please don’t misunderstand me. In certain markets,

where homes routinely are receiving multiple offers and are selling for higher than the list price, this strategy might be appropriate.

However, if Ron had my best interests at heart, he would have shown me WHY I should offer what he was suggesting. Perhaps he

did not have the skills or knowledge to perform that kind of analysis. Perhaps he didn’t want the hassle. Either way, he was doing me

a tremendous disservice.) Oh, and did I mention that he would get lost (in his own town!) on the way to showings?

Another way I could have used some help was in selecting a reputable mortgage lender. Instead, I was left to “fend for myself,” and,

ended up with some fly-by-night lender, who wanted to put me into a loan program where they would have maximized THEIR fees

instead of doing what was best for me. (At least I knew enough to challenge them on that part. They ended up putting me into an

FHA program when I pushed back on them after looking over the disclosure documents and seeing how I was being utterly

“milked.” But the fact remains that I really could have used some knowledgeable assistance to guide me through that part of the pro-

cess as well. I was an ignorant 23-year-old “kid.”)

There is a lot more I could say, but I feel like, if you have read this far, you get the point. You understand why I call the real estate

industry “The Island of Misfit Toys.” (I appreciate you staying with me while I “bare my soul” and expose some foolish mistakes I

made. Please don’t think less of me for being an idiot in my younger years.)

After my horrible experience with “Ron,” and still with a burning interest in the real estate business, I said to myself: “I KNOW I

can do better than that guy! If the industry is made up of people like him, there is literally no competition.”

Fortunately, as I have worked to be the kind of Realtor I wish someone had been for me, I have surrounded myself with other profes-

sionals who express the same desire to be true “protectors” and “advocates” for their clients. UN-fortunately, we are in the minority.

My purpose in sharing this is, believe it or not, is not to cast the real estate industry, in general, in a negative light.

My purpose in sharing this story is part of my effort to let you into my world, to let you know a little more about “who I am,” and

why I do what I do. I frequently tell new clients, when I am working with them, “At the end of the day, I have to be able to look my-

self in the mirror and know that I am doing a good job for the people who trust in me to do so.” For those who are just getting to

know me through this little “bio,” I hope, at the very least, it helps you understand what kind of standard you should be setting when

you engage the services of a Realtor. And, if we have the pleasure of working together to help you buy or sell real estate, I am excit-

ed about the opportunity to show you first-hand how much I mean what I say.

Next, we will discuss the reasons you might want to be a home-owner (and then we will go over why now MIGHT NOT be a good time to buy a home...I am not the “normal” Realtor, and I am going to prove it to you.)

A Little About Me (continued)

Reasons for Becoming a Homeowner

One of the greatest freedoms we have is the right to buy, sell, and own private property. Owning a home is usually the most significant financial investment of a person’s lifetime. Here are some reasons why investing in a home is worth considering:

Better handle on future cash flow: Landlords tend to increase rental rates every year. A fixed monthly mortgage payment, on the other hand, never goes up.

Shelter: Unlike all other capital investments, the home satisfies one of our basic needs for shelter. Shelter means more than keeping us secure from the natural elements. It also assures us the right of privacy which guarantees our individual freedom. The old saying that equates a home to a castle is quite accurate in that home ownership allows us to live our lives according to the preferences of our own lifestyle.

Pride of Ownership: The free enterprise system is one that rewards success. Traditionally, a home is one of the most significant signs of success. The obvious pride that one feels owning a home is one of the great emotional and psychological rewards for attaining some degree of success in our society. This feeling of pride is continually nurtured as homeowners upgrade the quality of homes they own.

Tax Advantages: Despite many changes in the Internal Revenue Service tax laws, home-ownership continues to provide unique tax advantages for ownership of a primary residence and a second home. Mortgage interest and property taxes are allowed to be deducted from regular income before tax com-putations on a primary residence. Ownership of a second home provides tax advantages as well. Consult an accountant for appropriate tax advise.

Automatic Savings Plan/ Build Net Worth: People who own homes have much higher average net worth. Renters have an average of $4,200 net worth. Homeowners have an average of $132,000 net worth. (Source: United States Federal Reserve)

Profit Potential: Unlike other investments, where you make a return only on the amount of money invested, home ownership allows you the opportunity to obtain a return on both invested and borrowed money. This technique, known as leverage, provides a method for every homeowner to enhance his or her net worth. For example, if you put $5,000 down on a $100,000 house, you start off with $5,000 of home equity. If the house appreciates 5% the following year, the new value is $105,000. This means that you now have $10,000 of home equity: a full 100% cash-on-cash return! (Note: The average home value appreciation in the United States is 6.3% per year!)

Reasons for NOT Becoming a Homeowner

I hate to say it, and it is possibly against my self-interest to say this, but there are times when it is a BAD time to buy. One of the reasons I want to be honest and up-front about this is because: I don’t want to treat my relationships with my clients as a one-and-done “transaction.” I would rather (if it appropriate) have my clients wait until a more opportune time to buy a piece of real estate than to put themselves in a bad position and regret their decision. (Besides being the “right thing to do,” I do have a selfish reason for taking this position: Happy clients come back and do business again, and, again ,and again. That is my goal for our relationship, and the best way to do this is to help you, as much as I can, to make a decision that works best for you. So, with that being said, here are some reasons you might want to re-consider your plans to buy right now: Bad timing (for personal reasons): Are you in the middle of a major job transition, or other life circumstance that is extremely stressful, and could cloud your judgment?

Bad timing (market is over-priced): As anyone who purchased a home in 2006 can tell you, there ARE times when market conditions are such that it is generally a bad idea to buy a home. To illustrate this point, please consider the fact that home values, as of 2015 (in many communities) had still not recovered the value lost during the 2007-2009 market correction. The “right house” is not available (at a price you can pay): If you and your family really need a 4-bedroom house, located within a half hour drive to work, but the best you can afford at the moment is a 2-bedroom condo 45 minutes from work, it is probably worthwhile to wait. I am obviously not trying to “talk you out of” buying a home. (I would go hungry if that is all I did.) But I do genuinely care about the people with whom I work, and I just feel a responsibility to at least present some things for people to consider, before moving forward with such a major life decision. I hope that, in so doing, I have worked toward earning your trust.

Why You Should Hire a Buyer’s Broker (if you decide to buy a home)

Here is a fact that everyone (who has shopped for a home) knows, but few agents will discuss:

THE VAST MAJORITY OF HOMES CURRENTLY FOR

SALE ARE PRICED HIGHER THAN THEY SHOULD BE.

This fact alone is reason enough to engage the services of a reputable, trustworthy, and competent real estate broker, because a qualified, experienced broker is in the best position to understand home values in the area and can help you avoid over-paying for a home. Not only can this knowledge help you avoid over-paying for a home, I can help save you time by helping you avoid wasting time looking at drastically (unrealistically) priced homes where the seller has already indicated they are unwilling to be reasonable in their expectations of their home’s possible sale price.

Who Works for Whom? Why Do We Need Mandatory Agency Disclosure?

Buyer Agency began in the early 1980's with the Federal Trade Commission study indicating that 72% of home buyers and 74% of home sellers thought that the real estate agent working with the buyer was representing the buyer. This belief was incorrect, these people were not represented by the real estate agent. Instead they were being guided through the buying procedure by agents representing the seller. As a result of this, laws requiring agents to disclose exactly who they represent have been passed all over the country. When consumers became aware that most agents were working for the seller, they began demanding their own representation. In response, buyer's agents began offering exclusive buyer representation to home buyers.

In 1993, the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons adopted an updated acknowledgement form with the purpose of enabling consumers to make informed choices before working with a real estate licensee. The Mandatory Agency Disclosure form must be provided at the first personal meeting that you have with an agent to discuss a specific property. This form gives you the opportunity to interview the real estate agents to find out who they will represent, how they will get paid for their work, and if they have any conflicts of inter-est (e.g. listings for which they previously agreed to work for the sellers.) Keep in mind that, until you know who the agents work for, it is in your best interest to keep your fi-nancial information and motivation for buying or selling confidential.

Agency Disclosure Form

MASSACHUSETTS BOARD OF REGISTRATION OF REAL ESTATE BROKERS AND SALESPERSONS MANDATORY AGENCY DISCLOSURE - AGENCY RELATIONSHIP

The purpose of this disclosure is to enable you to make informed choices before working with a Real Estate licensee. It must be provided at first personal meeting that you have with an agent to discuss a specific property. THIS IS NOT A CONTRACT. It is a disclosure for your information and protection. BE SURE TO READ THE DESCRIPTIONS

OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF AGENCY REPRESENTATION ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS DISCLOSURE.

CONSUMER INFORMATION

1. Whether you are the Buyer of the Seller you can choose to have the advice, assistance, and representation of your own agent. Do not assume that a broker is acting on your behalf unless you have contracted with that broker to represent you. 2. All Real Estate licensees must, by law, present properties honestly and accurately. 3. If you are a Seller you may authorize your listing agent to cooperate with agents from other firms to help you sell your property. These cooperating agents may be subagents who work for the seller's or buyer's agents. 4. If you are the Buyer you have the option of working with seller's or buyer's agents. The decision will depend on the types of services you want from a Real Estate agent. A buyer should tell seller's agents, including subagents, only what he/she would tell the seller directly.

CONSUMER RESPONSIBILITY

The duties of a Real Estate licensee do not relieve the consumer of the responsibility to protect his/her own interest. Consumers with questions on whether and how Real estate agents share fees should pose them to the agent. If you need advice for legal, tax, insurance, or other matters it is your responsibility to consult a professional in those areas.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I have provided this disclosure form to _________________________________________________________________. I will be assisting the above named consumer as a: (check one) _____Seller's agent _____Buyer's agent.

_________________________________ ______________ ________, 20___ (Signature of Real Estate Agent) (License No.) (Month-day-year)

I have read this agency disclosure form IN ITS ENTIRETY ON BOTH SIDES. I understand that this form is for agency disclosure AND NOT A CONTRACT. It was provided to me by the agent named above.

_________________________________ __________________, 20____ (Signature of Consumer) (Month) (Day) (Year) _________________________________ __________________, 20____ (Signature of Consumer) (Month) (Day) (Year)

Check Here: _____Buyer _____Seller

__ As a consumer I recognize that I need not select any representation at this time. Therefore, I decline to sign this disclosure. Any additional reasons for declining to sign:

____________________________________________________________

(print name of consumer and reason, if any)

When a seller hires listing broker that, seller becomes the broker's client. They owe the seller undivided loyalty, utmost care, disclosure, obedience to lawful instruction, confidentiality and accountability. They must by law put the seller's interest first and negotiate for the best price and terms for their client, the Seller or they could lose their Real Estate license. This means that any information they obtain, which can be used as negotiating leverage, is used against the buyer to aid the seller in their negotiations. For example, if you are pre-approved for a $500,000 loan and the seller’s agent knows that, do you think they will accept any less than asking price for a $450,000 home? Without someone representing their interests, a buyer is left to fend for themselves.

Asking Price $500,000

Pre-Approval Letter

Alternatively, when a Buyer hires their own Buyer’s Agent, then that Buyer becomes the Broker's Client. This means the Broker represents the Buyer solely. The Broker owes the Buyer undivided loyalty, utmost care, disclosure, obedience to lawful instruction, confidentiality and accountability. The Broker must by law put the Buyer's interest first and negotiate for the best price and terms for their Client, the Buyer or they could lose their Real Estate License. This means that any financial information obtained by the Buyer’s Agent will be kept confidential. For example, the Buyer’s Agent may obtain a second pre-approval letter showing a lower qualification amount in order to benefit the buyer in the negotiations and keep their full financial capabilities confidential.

Asking Price $150,000

Pre-Approval Letter

X

Negotiate Home Inspection Repairs In Favor Of The Buyer

X

Keep Buyers Financial Position Confidential Unless Authorized

X

Structure Offer With Buyer’s Best Interest In Mind

X

Negotiate Best Price And Terms In Favor Of The Buyer

X

Disclose All Research About Property History And Liens

X

Advise The Buyer Even It Means Pointing Out Reasons Not To Buy

X

Promote And Protect Interest Of Buyer At All Times

X

Represent Buyers On MLS Properties, FSBO’s, REOS, & New Construction

X

Prepare Property Value Study

Buyer Agency

Seller Agency

Services/ Duties Provided

Only Buyer’s Brokers can assist with...

Steps to Successfully Becoming a Homeowner

Before looking at property:

Choose a a Buyer Broker with whom you are comfortable and about whom you feel confident about their ability to powerfully represent you and your best interests.

Get pre-approved for a loan through a reputable mortgage lender. This benefits you in several ways: 1) When you make an offer, it will be more powerful in the eyes of a seller, because, by obtaining a mortgage pre-approval, you show that you have taken care of the financial aspect of purchasing a home. (One major concern for people who are selling their homes is, “Will the buyer be able to buy the house?”) Being able to prove to a seller that you are already financially qualified for a loan could allow you to purchase a property for LESS than someone who cannot prove that they are financially qualified. 2) You will be able to see ahead of time what your monthly mortgage payment is going to be. 3) Save time by making sure you are looking only at properties within your desired spending limit. 4) You can find the best possible interest rates and the lowest possible monthly payments!

Decide what you are looking for in a property in your ideal price range. (for example, number of bedrooms, location, size, amenities, etc.)

Drive by each prospective property to observe neighborhoods before seeing inside of homes. In other words, become familiar with the neighborhood before falling in love with a particular home. Owning a home in an area in which you are comfortable makes a HUGE difference in your quality of life AND, ultimately, in the home’s re-sale value when you decide to move again.

Finding your new home: After driving by properties that seem to match what you are looking for, choose the top 3 to 5 and contact us to schedule appointments to look at those homes. It is often helpful to take notes about what you like and what you don’t like about each home. Feel

free to talk with us to help make the best decisions (for you) about which home best suits your

IMPORTANT: If you go to Open Houses without your agent, tell the seller’s agent that you ARE working with a buyer’s agent and present our business card to them. DO NOT SHOW INTEREST in a property in the presence of the seller’s agent!! As Donald Trump says, “If you want to buy something, it’s obviously in your best interest to convince the seller that what he’s got isn’t worth very much.”

When you have identified the home you want, it is time to make an offer. As Buyer Agents, we can prepare an analysis on the home of your choice. This will ensure that you don’t pay more than fair market value. It is your Buyer’s Agent’s duty to negotiate the best possible price and terms for you.

TIP: The higher your deposit (at the offer and the Purchase & Sales agreement), the better deal you can sometimes get. At the very least, it serves to add credibility to your offer. The lower the deposit you put down, the less bargaining position you potentially have. The reason is that sellers typically view an offer with a small deposit as putting more of the risk onto them, as the seller, since they are taking a risk in removing the property from the market while the buyer has less at stake. That being said, we all know that there are limits to what is possible for every individual. But, it is important to think from the perspective of the seller who will be judging your offer and take into account why they might select one offer over another.

Steps to Successfully Becoming a Homeowner, cont’d.

After your offer has been accepted: Beware of “Buyer’s Remorse.” Almost EVERYONE experiences anxiety immediately after submitting an offer on a home. DON’T WORRY. THIS IS NORMAL. By getting pre-approved through a reputable mortgage lender, you have already determined what you can afford it. If there is anything seriously wrong with property itself, you have the option of getting out of the agreement, if the offer was written properly. This is another good reason to have us represent you as your real estate agents. We are masters at offer presentation and negotiation.

Hire a competent home inspector and have a professional home inspection within 10 days. A home inspector usually charges between $250 and $500, depending on the type of property, location, size, etc. For an additional charge, a home inspector can also test for the presence of mold, radon, or lead paint, etc. Be sure and ask the home inspector whether or not they provide these services and how much they charge for them.

We suggest that you hire a competent real estate attorney review “Purchase & Sale” and loan agreements. Be prepared to sign this and put down an additional deposit within 10 days of your offer being accepted. If you have not already formally made your mortgage application, make sure to apply for a mortgage by the agreed-upon date (which can be found on the Purchase and Sales agreement). Also, be sure to obtain a “Good Faith Estimate” from the lender within 2 days of formally applying for the loan. This document is an accurate estimate of all of the costs the lender charges for closing the loan. Lender closing costs usually range between $5,000 and $15,000 (depending on the price of the home, the type of loan, etc.) Before your loan is approved, the lender will usually require an appraisal to be done. An appraiser is someone who goes out to the property and puts together an estimate of value for the lender. This is generally a charge that is paid up-front by the buyer. Depending on the type of property, appraisals can cost between $250 and $1,000.

Be aware of the “mortgage commitment” date (and all significant “milestone” dates, which will be contained within the Purchase and Sales agreement. Make sure to provide all necessary documents to your mortgage lender when they request it, so that they can help you meet all of your mortgage commitment dates. As a general rule, you should receive your mortgage approval approximately 2 weeks before closing.

Before the closing, DO NOT purchase anything major on credit cards (example: car, plasma screen TV, etc.). Doing this could jeopardize your loan approval and put your deposit money at risk. Also, if you are considering a career change…DO NOT quit your job until after closing. This could also jeopardize your loan approval. Call your insurance agent and ask for an insurance binder. Your lender will require this before they

will allow you close on the loan. Your lender may require you to pre-pay up to 12 months of property insurance. Before the closing, we go through the house with you to make sure that the house is in the appropriate condition.

When you have followed all of these steps, you should be ready to close on your new home!

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Testimonials from a few Past Clients

“My husband and I were first time homebuyers and didn’t know what to expect. I had

heard horror stories about pushy realtors that only cared about commission, well Shane

is NOT that guy! The moment we met Shane, we knew we wanted to work with him. Not

only was he extremely knowledgeable but he’s just an overall nice guy who did a wonder-

ful job representing us and always looked out for our best interest.

Shane was always available to answer our 100+ questions no matter what day of the week

it was. Not only that, his calendar was incredibly accommodating for showings. Shane re-

ally did make the home buying process easy and stress free. I 100% highly recommend

working with Shane and can’t thank him enough for helping us find our first home!”

- Kelley Ash

“We want to express our gratitude and appreciation for all your help during the selling of our house. Thanks to your experience, skills, and knowledge...we were able to make the right decisions when we needed to most. We are really grateful to have not only a professional, but a person who really put himself in our place and made this a great experience for us.”

- Carmen and Miguel Cintra “It was a pleasure having you represent us. Your confidence and knowledge of what you are doing is superb. You are always willing to go the extra mile, and you do. Howard and I feel it was our good fortune to have you represent us. Keep up your good work.”

- Connie and Howard Johnson

Frequently Asked Questions

How do we get paid as your agents? If a seller is paying 6% of the sale price as commission, the listing agent generally offers to split it with another agent if they bring the buyer to the property.

6%

3% 3%

Listing Broker Buyer’s Broker

The seller generally pays the Brokers out of the closing proceeds.

A Question worth asking: “If my Buyer’s Agent gets paid more based on the sales price of the house, why would they negotiate a lower price? The “simple” answer is: We have a legal obligation to represent in our clients’ best interest. It is the law! Realistically, though, it would be hard to prove mal-intent in this regard. The more significant reason is: If we do a great job for you, your goodwill, referrals, repeat business, and word-of-mouth recommendations are worth much more to us than any additional amount we would make by having you pay a higher price. (For example, when we save you $10,000 on the purchase of your home, our wage decreases by approximately $200. This amount is truly insignificant, compared with the value we place on your trust, and repeat and referral business.)

What is the value of a great of Real Estate Broker?

Process knowledge $1500+

Market knowledge $2000+

Needs assessment & counsel $100+

Correctly preparing agreements $500+ Presenting your offer favorably/ strongly $1000+

Negotiation/ representation $2000+ Helping you navigate the closing process $750+

Total Value to You $6850+

And, for all this value, you pay…$0 out-of-pocket

toward my compensation.

The following page describes how brokers get paid.

None of these service cost you a penny…

All we ask for in return is your loyalty. Real estate agents know that if the people with whom they are working don’t buy a house through them, the agent does not get paid for that sale. By working only with loyal clients, we know we are filtering out people who will never pledge loyalty to any one agent. This results in, perhaps, fewer sales than I could otherwise make. I am OK with that. First, by working with fewer buyers (only the buyers who mutually agree that we are a good “fit”) than the average agent, I can offer you better service and more personal attention. Second, if I know that someone is not going to “cheat” on me, I know I am going to get paid eventually, s there is no need for you to feel pressure to buy every home we look at. Contrast that with an insecure agent, who views buyers as “slippery fish” and a need to “reel them in” before they go off and buy a different house with a different agent. If you have experienced that before, and many have...It is the reputation of the industry...The way I choose to go about servicing and selecting my clients is better for everyone involved.

PRE-APPOINTMENT READINESS FORM

Here are some questions for you to answer about what you are hoping to accomplish, which will help me get a better idea of how I can serve you. By thinking them through, and answering them as thoughtfully as possible, we can make great use of our time together and help you accomplish your objectives in an efficient and more enjoyable manner. Appointment Date _________________ Time__________ AM/PM

Personal Contact Information Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Address: _________________________________________________________________ Home Phone: ________________ Work Phone: ________________ Cell Phone: _________________ E-mail: __________________________________________________________________

Attorney Information ( if you will be using one) Name: __________________________________ Phone: __________________ Address: ________________________________ Fax: ____________________ 1) What is important about moving? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2) How do you know when a Realtor is good? __________________________________________________________ 3) How soon do you want to move? _________________ 4) Have you been pre-approved through a reputable mortgage lender?

Mortgage company:_____________ Contact person: ________________ Phone#: ________________ 5) Is there anyone else involved in the decision? (We’ll need to meet with them as well.) _______________________________________________________________________________ 6) Are you currently renting or do you own the place in which you are living? _____________ If renting, are you on a lease? If so, when does the lease expire? _____________

7) What is your biggest fear or concern with owning a home? ____________________________________________ 8) What price range are you considering? _____________ 9) What is your desired total monthly mortgage/ tax/ insurance payment? _____________ 10) How much do you plan to put down as an initial investment on your new home? _____________

Home requirements: Do you prefer older or newer home? __________ # Bedrooms/ Bathrooms? _________

Size of living area (in square feet) _________ Do you need a garage? _____ Do you have a preference for siding? _______ If yes, what? _____________ Do you prefer one story or two? _________ Would you like to be in a subdivision or on some land? _____________________ Is there anything else the home MUST have (ex: pool, fireplace, etc.)? ____________ How much parking is ideal for your situation? Is there anything that you would like for the home, but that isn’t a MUST? Are you trying to stay within a certain driving time to work? _______

When I make appointments to look at homes, do you prefer to take a quick look through each one and come back to the ones you are interested in, or would you like to take a thorough look the first time? ________________________________________________________________________________ When are you typically available to view homes? ______________________________________

Thank you for taking the time to read this information in preparation for our meeting! This will really assist us in providing you with the top-quality service you deserve!