Commentary: How to select a real estate firm

by Bernadette Starzee

Real estate transactions, whether commercial or residential, are rife with potential snafus. Just as you would carefully choose a property, take your time and select a real estate firm that can expertly guide you and proactively look out for your interests from contract to closing.

Great attorneys invariably have great word-of-mouth advertising. On the residential side, you should have no problem getting personal recommendations from friends, family, colleagues and neighbors who have bought or sold homes in the area. Ask your real estate broker and mortgage banker for recommendations, as well. As they work regularly with real estate attorneys, they know who the good ones are.

Similarly, commercial real estate brokers, commercial bankers and property managers should be able to point you to attorneys on the commercial end that are knowledgeable and thorough. The Nassau County Bar Association (www.nassaubar.org) and Suffolk County Bar Association (www.scba.org) can also refer you to member attorneys who specialize in the type of real estate law you require.

Once you have a few names, visit the attorneys' Web sites to get more information on their practices. The sites will include details about the attorneys' credentials and experience. Look for an attorney with several years of experience and a favorable reputation in the community.

The Web sites might also provide some insight into the attorneys' specific areas of expertise. For example, on the residential side, if you're buying or selling a co-op, find out how much experience the attorney has with that type of transaction. Similarly, if you're in the market for a commercial real estate attorney, look for a firm that has a breadth of experience handling matters like yours. For instance, if you're unloading a commercial building, purchasing an industrial site or leasing a property, find out how many similar transactions the attorney has handled.

Before you get too far along in the process, make sure there are no conflicts of interest with your attorney's other clients that would prevent him or her from representing you.

Search the Internet and the archives of local newspapers to find out what has been written about the law firm. Find out if the attorneys have authored any articles on real estate topics. And contact the New York State Bar Association (nysba.org) to confirm that the attorney is in good standing.

Will the attorney handle all aspects of the transaction personally, or will parts of it be handed off to an associate? If the latter, be sure to meet with this person, and that you are satisfied with his professionalism and his experience level. Over the course of the transaction, you will invariably want to contact the attorney and/or associates with questions or concerns, and it is important that you feel comfortable approaching these individuals. If they make you uneasy in your initial meeting, or if you sense that your deal will not be a priority for them, look elsewhere.

Even if an attorney was referred to you, ask for a few additional references, and call them. If you are able to speak to a couple of the attorney's former or existing clients, ask them how easy it was to get the attorney on the phone when necessary. If any problems arose between contract and closing, how did the attorney handle them? Were there any unexpected fees at the end?

Speaking of fees, find out how and how much the attorney will charge for her services. Will she charge a flat fee or an hourly rate? If the latter, ask if she can estimate the total charges for your transaction.

The Checklist

Great attorneys invariably have great word-of-mouth advertising. Ask around for a recommendation.

Visit attorneys' Web sites to get more information on their practices.

Look for an attorney with a breadth of experience handling transactions

similar to yours.

Search the Internet and local newspaper archives and read what has been written about the law firm.

Copyright 2007 Dolan Media Newswires
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.

Selling is Questioning

Selling is asked. How skilled agents property in question will determine their ability generate listings and transactions. Below is a collection of questions that should be asked an agent before he was able to understand the finances.

* By the way how Mr. / Mrs. market this house?
* According to Mr. / Mrs. whether the ads can bring a prospective buyer?
Telephone * How have contact?
* How many people who contact the property agent?
* How many prospective buyers who have been to see?
* How many people serious?
* Is the prospective buyer has a serious bid?
* Is Mr. / Mrs. dealing with brokers?
* How many people have contacted the broker?
* How does Mr. / Mrs. determine the selling price?
* Is Mr. / Mrs. consider the price of other homes that are sold this region? Does Mr. / Mrs. have the data?
* Is Mr. / Mrs. data have already sold a home in the last 6 months this region?
* Is Mr. / Mrs. able to distinguish the candidates with serious buyers who are not serious, or that evil?
* Is Mr. / Mrs. heard how fraud that often overrides the home seller?
* Is Mr. / Mrs. agents know the properties of the contact Mr. / Mrs.?
* Did Mr. / Mrs. way to distinguish the property agents who are not professionals in that? That have offices / individuals that?
* Is Mr. / Mrs. know the risks associated with property agents who have not known / office without the brand?
* Is Mr. / Mrs. has been associated with the previous property agents?
* Is Mr. able to distinguish how a property agent "open listing" compared with the "exclusive listing"?
* Is Mr. / Mrs. understand the benefits associated with the "exclusive agent" in marketing the house?
* Is Mr. / Mrs. know how to work the network agent property?
* What is the network of agents working properties can be effective when marketing is done "open"? How the "exclusive", whether the network work effectively?
* What is different agents of the professional brand with a diverse?
* How do I choose a property agent who worked with a broad network and effective?
* How do I choose a property agent experienced in the location of the house of Mr. / Mrs.?
* Is Mr. / Mrs. been waiting buyers who do not come according to the promise?
* Is Mr. / Mrs. ever get a false telephone number of prospective buyers?
* Is Mr. / Mrs. met the broker pretending to be buyers?

There are still many questions that other ways of thinking to change the prospects listing.exchage perspective on the role of agents in marketing properties of the house.

That will come I will give questions to prospective buyers.
Hopefully useful.

Yafet Kristanto

Selling Questioning is part 2

Many property agents who are less able to get the listing. Opportunity to live handle the buyers. Ability to understand the buyer will be stabilized, and the achievement of a transaction that can be achieved. To understand the needs and wants of the buyer depends on the questions that compiled.

Most buyers do not have a clear picture about the property he wanted. Moreover, for the first time to buy a house. For those who have been buying property is a decision that needs to be done with caution.

When a property agent is not capable of directing and expressing the desire and needs of consumers, through the questions, buyers will be confused and hesitate in taking decisions. Offers made too low, to avoid the risk expansive and one location.

Most buyers increasingly see the location of the more confused. Property agents are also tired and bored with the buyers. Reviewing the location of more than ten locations with different, sometimes, for months, according to property agents do not understand and direct costuming.

The following questions as we reduce the cost of property agents. Efficient in our time and buyers.

* Where is the location that Mr. / Mrs. want? Make sure buyers mention a specific location, not random.
* What is the approximate price of the property sought? Answers will provide an overview Buyers recognize areas or not.
* How extensive land and building needed? Answers will show Buyers understand enough about the needs or not.
* How long does Mr. / Mrs. have been searching houses in the area?
* When Mr. / Mrs. plan to occupy the new house? Answer showed seriousness and urgency.
* Who will occupy the new house later? Answers showed how big the opportunity buyers will soon bid.
* How many houses that have been reviewed in the area? Perhaps we will offer, are also reviewed.
* What is already bidding for a house that had compiled?
* Is Mr. / Mrs. interested with the payment through bank / Home Ownership Loan?
* Is Mr. / Mrs. is the installment plan Home Ownership Loan? Give the table installment credit interest rate applicable.
* When the location of the review will be done?
* Is Mr. / Mrs. willing to locations together (our car buyers to join)?

Still many questions can be asked questions to speed transactions. A good preparation before meeting with the buyer needs to be done, if we want to succeed in selling.

Congratulations to try.
Yafet Kristanto