Comments on: I Buy a Lot of Things on the Web…but not this! http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/02/23/i-buy-a-lot-of-things-on-the-webbut-not-this/ The thoughts and experiences of Merrill Dubrow Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:44:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Jon Cameron http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/02/23/i-buy-a-lot-of-things-on-the-webbut-not-this/#comment-5351 Jon Cameron Wed, 28 Mar 2007 15:43:46 +0000 http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/02/23/i-buy-a-lot-of-things-on-the-webbut-not-this/#comment-5351 Internationally, a shift is happening in both how homes are built and sold. Many manufacturers now sell their prefab homes online to be delivered to your homesite. There are many examples but check out this one: http://www.rocioromero.com/LVSeries/index.htm Internationally, a shift is happening in both how homes are built and sold. Many manufacturers now sell their prefab homes online to be delivered to your homesite. There are many examples but check out this one:

http://www.rocioromero.com/LVSeries/index.htm

]]> By: Mike MacLeod http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/02/23/i-buy-a-lot-of-things-on-the-webbut-not-this/#comment-3932 Mike MacLeod Tue, 13 Mar 2007 17:47:03 +0000 http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/02/23/i-buy-a-lot-of-things-on-the-webbut-not-this/#comment-3932 I am writing this from my new home that I closed on eight days ago. While I walked through the house before the closing, we made an offer - and it was accepted - before we stepped foot in the house. We were looking for houses in Pennsylvania and could only make weekend trips from Rochester. This house looked great from the outside and we liked the pictures on the inside, but we could not set up an appointment to walk through. Houses in this price range and in this area (EXCELLENT schools, by the way) were staying on the market for about four days. We didn't want to wait until the following weekend in case someone else made an offer, so we made one - sight unseen. Granted, it was conditional on a home inspection and the seller's realtor thought we were crazy, but we did it. And I couldn't be happier!! Call me crazy. Mike I am writing this from my new home that I closed on eight days ago. While I walked through the house before the closing, we made an offer - and it was accepted - before we stepped foot in the house.

We were looking for houses in Pennsylvania and could only make weekend trips from Rochester. This house looked great from the outside and we liked the pictures on the inside, but we could not set up an appointment to walk through. Houses in this price range and in this area (EXCELLENT schools, by the way) were staying on the market for about four days. We didn’t want to wait until the following weekend in case someone else made an offer, so we made one - sight unseen.

Granted, it was conditional on a home inspection and the seller’s realtor thought we were crazy, but we did it. And I couldn’t be happier!!

Call me crazy.

Mike

]]> By: Bill Soule http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/02/23/i-buy-a-lot-of-things-on-the-webbut-not-this/#comment-2883 Bill Soule Mon, 26 Feb 2007 18:44:25 +0000 http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/02/23/i-buy-a-lot-of-things-on-the-webbut-not-this/#comment-2883 It figures. Caveat Emptor. Hey, people buy cars online sight unseen all the time...jusk ask the top used car seller in the world, eBay. Good point Ace about the "3 P's". Many agents say they have a "marketing plan" for your home. Always ask them to itemize the plan, list the action and completion date for each item and indicate estimated expenses. This will get them backtracking fast. Just as the value of financial service advisory is scrutinized in this age of online access, real estate agent fees need to be also, from the standpoint of value versus services rendered. Many firms will not allow their agents to drop below a specific percentage; one national agency with local offices has a 5.5% rule. Discount brokerages are gaining popularity...one here is Duffey Realty, where payment to the broker starts, then builds (importantly) based what they actually do for you. Getting MLS or FMLS exposure and a sign to post in your yard (which you stick in the ground) is usually the entry point. At other firms (harder to find), a licensed agent pays the brokerage a minimum fee each month, and can negotiate deals as desired and are essentially untethered to a list of "deal" rules, just ethics and compliance rules. Shop, negotiate and save thousands...the average agent is just average, and therefore would probably appreciate the commission. It figures. Caveat Emptor. Hey, people buy cars online sight unseen all the time…jusk ask the top used car seller in the world, eBay.

Good point Ace about the “3 P’s”. Many agents say they have a “marketing plan” for your home. Always ask them to itemize the plan, list the action and completion date for each item and indicate estimated expenses. This will get them backtracking fast.

Just as the value of financial service advisory is scrutinized in this age of online access, real estate agent fees need to be also, from the standpoint of value versus services rendered. Many firms will not allow their agents to drop below a specific percentage; one national agency with local offices has a 5.5% rule.

Discount brokerages are gaining popularity…one here is Duffey Realty, where payment to the broker starts, then builds (importantly) based what they actually do for you. Getting MLS or FMLS exposure and a sign to post in your yard (which you stick in the ground) is usually the entry point.

At other firms (harder to find), a licensed agent pays the brokerage a minimum fee each month, and can negotiate deals as desired and are essentially untethered to a list of “deal” rules, just ethics and compliance rules.

Shop, negotiate and save thousands…the average agent is just average, and therefore would probably appreciate the commission.

]]> By: Ace http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/02/23/i-buy-a-lot-of-things-on-the-webbut-not-this/#comment-2872 Ace Mon, 26 Feb 2007 14:39:26 +0000 http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/02/23/i-buy-a-lot-of-things-on-the-webbut-not-this/#comment-2872 Realtors do make a lot for minimal time spent when listing a house. I have my house on the market now with Ebby Halliday. The homes in Southlake, TX sell themselves due to the area and the great schools. She will make a nice commission from basically only doing the "three P's" poke a sign in the ground / put it on the internet / pray it sells quickly. That's a bit simplified, I definitely recommend negotiating a much lower commission these days. Realtors do make a lot for minimal time spent when listing a house. I have my house on the market now with Ebby Halliday. The homes in Southlake, TX sell themselves due to the area and the great schools.

She will make a nice commission from basically only doing the “three P’s”
poke a sign in the ground / put it on the internet / pray it sells quickly.

That’s a bit simplified, I definitely recommend negotiating a much lower commission these days.

]]> By: James Hsu http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/02/23/i-buy-a-lot-of-things-on-the-webbut-not-this/#comment-2786 James Hsu Sat, 24 Feb 2007 04:31:33 +0000 http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/02/23/i-buy-a-lot-of-things-on-the-webbut-not-this/#comment-2786 It takes a very ...very unique type of person/couple to buy a house without walking through it, touching it themselves. With other material goods, we've come to expect a consistent product. A Harry Potter book at the store should be the exact same Harry Potter book I buy on Amazon. Houses couldn't be further from that example. Houses have a feel you have to experience. The layout may look good in a picture, but just feel wrong when you walk through the house. I haven't had a client want to buy a house just from pictures, but I can imagine it being extremely stressful as the agent. Actually, I think I would insist they come in person ...unless they're that uber unique type that doesn't need to see it themselves. It takes a very …very unique type of person/couple to buy a house without walking through it, touching it themselves. With other material goods, we’ve come to expect a consistent product. A Harry Potter book at the store should be the exact same Harry Potter book I buy on Amazon. Houses couldn’t be further from that example. Houses have a feel you have to experience. The layout may look good in a picture, but just feel wrong when you walk through the house. I haven’t had a client want to buy a house just from pictures, but I can imagine it being extremely stressful as the agent. Actually, I think I would insist they come in person …unless they’re that uber unique type that doesn’t need to see it themselves.

]]> By: Karen Rhodes http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/02/23/i-buy-a-lot-of-things-on-the-webbut-not-this/#comment-2772 Karen Rhodes Fri, 23 Feb 2007 17:45:15 +0000 http://www.marcresearch.com/blogs/merrill/2007/02/23/i-buy-a-lot-of-things-on-the-webbut-not-this/#comment-2772 I had a client purchase a home site unseen in 2000. They saw it online. I took lots of photos and emailed them. I sent them school information. They had a professional home inspection. They saw their new house for the first time 2 weeks after they closed on it. I was terrified but they loved it when they saw it just as much as they had before. Do I want to do it again? No way. I always try to get at least someone they know to visit the home before an offer is made and if possible I write the offer with the contingency that they actually view and accept the home within a set time frame. I had a client purchase a home site unseen in 2000. They saw it online. I took lots of photos and emailed them. I sent them school information. They had a professional home inspection. They saw their new house for the first time 2 weeks after they closed on it. I was terrified but they loved it when they saw it just as much as they had before. Do I want to do it again? No way. I always try to get at least someone they know to visit the home before an offer is made and if possible I write the offer with the contingency that they actually view and accept the home within a set time frame.

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