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If you want it done...
Sep. 22nd, 2008 11:57 amEverything is ready for the house-hunting trip. I am so tired of so-called professionals that can't make stuff happen. The mortgage broker we contacted in Austin made a big deal of us not having social security numbers yet and claimed that she couldn't get anything done before we got them. Not being one to take no for an answer I got on the horn to a few banks myself. It is true that most of them wouldn't even start an application for us, but I lucked on to the one bank that would and I've got a pre-approval letter in hand. So there! It may not be the bank we go with in the end, we'll have to see how their rate compares, but at least I can now shop for a house with some paperwork that proves I'm serious.
We're currently trying to select a real estate agent. Choosing a real estate agent is a crappy thing. It's a big purchase and it's one you don't make very often so it's hard to become an expert on your own. Given that, it would be nice to have some help, but it really feels like everyone you turn to for help just sees a big money-bag on legs when they look at you. And even if you were to find that elusive person who really does put your interests ahead of their own, you're so expecting to be screwed that you'll never actually trust them anyway.
We've talked to 4 agents, one while we were in Austin for the interview and the rest by e-mail.
The first agent terrified me. She showed us nice houses, but she didn't talk to us at all before she took us out to find out what we actually wanted, just got a price range and assumed a certain square footage and took us out to what she liked. She didn't bring her computer with us so when we asked to explore other options she was completely unprepared. She also liked playing with her GPS while driving (not just glancing at it but typing in new addresses) which scared the bejesus out of me. I haven't exactly told her that she's eliminated yet as we might turn to her as a last resort if no one else works out. I didn't hate her, and if she could be made to understand that I need her to bring her laptop and keep her eyes on the road it could work. She keeps following up, so I do have to admire her persistence.
The second agent was sent a detailed list of our requirements, including the thing that we absolutely would not compromise on (NO pool in the backyard - it's hazardous, expensive and work to maintain). In every dozen properties she sent, there were always several that were completely unsuitable and at least one with a pool. We sent her the "thanks for trying but we're going with someone else" e-mail this weekend and haven't heard from her since.
That brings it down to the two I'm talking to now. I found them both through a site online where you submit what you're looking for and agents send you proposals outlining how they'd help you with your search. I got 18 responses. I followed up with questions for 6 of them, and have narrowed our list to two that we might meet.
Rich responds in a timely manner to all requests. He's not the fastest out of the gate (it usually takes him a day) but his responses are well thought out and always very professional. When asked to submit a list of houses he might take us to, the one at the top of his list was the one that has been topping my list now for a few weeks. The others he suggested were ones I hadn't really looked at myself, but I agreed with him that they could be good. He's got the least experience as a realtor at only one year, but previously worked as a seller for a builder for 15 years, so he does know real estate.
Viv responds very quickly, but I have a feeling she doesn't always look closely at her responses. She was very negative and suggested that we can't find what we're looking for on our budget and that we need to make some compromises. We did indicate that we were willing to compromise and even put our wish list in priority sequence, so I'm questioning her ability to read. She also said that she wasn't willing to take us to any showings unless we could show her a pre-approval letter. I'm sure she's had lots of tire kickers waste her time in the past, but I resent being treated like one before we've even met. She did send another message later that was a sort of apology, but I am concerned about her surprising fly-off-the-handle initial response. Maybe I'm reading too much emotion into this e-mail, but while I was wanting to go with her initially, I'm seeing Rich as a stronger candidate now.
I think our plan will be to meet with one of them Sunday morning and with the other Sunday afternoon. Hopefully by dinner time I will have selected an agent if not a house. There's just one thing I wonder... If buying a house is so happy and exciting and something we all work towards, why is the process so freaking painful?
We're currently trying to select a real estate agent. Choosing a real estate agent is a crappy thing. It's a big purchase and it's one you don't make very often so it's hard to become an expert on your own. Given that, it would be nice to have some help, but it really feels like everyone you turn to for help just sees a big money-bag on legs when they look at you. And even if you were to find that elusive person who really does put your interests ahead of their own, you're so expecting to be screwed that you'll never actually trust them anyway.
We've talked to 4 agents, one while we were in Austin for the interview and the rest by e-mail.
The first agent terrified me. She showed us nice houses, but she didn't talk to us at all before she took us out to find out what we actually wanted, just got a price range and assumed a certain square footage and took us out to what she liked. She didn't bring her computer with us so when we asked to explore other options she was completely unprepared. She also liked playing with her GPS while driving (not just glancing at it but typing in new addresses) which scared the bejesus out of me. I haven't exactly told her that she's eliminated yet as we might turn to her as a last resort if no one else works out. I didn't hate her, and if she could be made to understand that I need her to bring her laptop and keep her eyes on the road it could work. She keeps following up, so I do have to admire her persistence.
The second agent was sent a detailed list of our requirements, including the thing that we absolutely would not compromise on (NO pool in the backyard - it's hazardous, expensive and work to maintain). In every dozen properties she sent, there were always several that were completely unsuitable and at least one with a pool. We sent her the "thanks for trying but we're going with someone else" e-mail this weekend and haven't heard from her since.
That brings it down to the two I'm talking to now. I found them both through a site online where you submit what you're looking for and agents send you proposals outlining how they'd help you with your search. I got 18 responses. I followed up with questions for 6 of them, and have narrowed our list to two that we might meet.
Rich responds in a timely manner to all requests. He's not the fastest out of the gate (it usually takes him a day) but his responses are well thought out and always very professional. When asked to submit a list of houses he might take us to, the one at the top of his list was the one that has been topping my list now for a few weeks. The others he suggested were ones I hadn't really looked at myself, but I agreed with him that they could be good. He's got the least experience as a realtor at only one year, but previously worked as a seller for a builder for 15 years, so he does know real estate.
Viv responds very quickly, but I have a feeling she doesn't always look closely at her responses. She was very negative and suggested that we can't find what we're looking for on our budget and that we need to make some compromises. We did indicate that we were willing to compromise and even put our wish list in priority sequence, so I'm questioning her ability to read. She also said that she wasn't willing to take us to any showings unless we could show her a pre-approval letter. I'm sure she's had lots of tire kickers waste her time in the past, but I resent being treated like one before we've even met. She did send another message later that was a sort of apology, but I am concerned about her surprising fly-off-the-handle initial response. Maybe I'm reading too much emotion into this e-mail, but while I was wanting to go with her initially, I'm seeing Rich as a stronger candidate now.
I think our plan will be to meet with one of them Sunday morning and with the other Sunday afternoon. Hopefully by dinner time I will have selected an agent if not a house. There's just one thing I wonder... If buying a house is so happy and exciting and something we all work towards, why is the process so freaking painful?
