The Golf Coast Standard

Eeeny Meeny Miney Mo….Which Darien Realtor Can Help Me Score?Darien Homes

I had a discussion with a fellow  Darien Realtor yesterday which has prompted this post. She was telling me how she was showing homes to a client who let it be known that he was, in fact, using several Realtors at once.

Now there are those who do this because they’ve never bought a home or don’t understand the protocol.  Then there are those that feel that they will see different listings with different brokers or somehow get a “leg up” in the process.

Let me explain why this will inevitably backfire.First,almost all listings these days are “multiple listed”.That is to say,they are available  to agents via computer databases that we all share. Gone are the days where agents held onto “pocket listings” or didn’t make all information available to the general public.(If you have a home listed with an agent who is still doing this….run…do not walk…in the other direction.) The point is that the Internet has made this practice obsolete and you therefore, will gain nothing on this front.

Second,a really good agent will want to get to know you, what you like or don’t like in a home,neighborhood or town.They will want to know about your commute, your children and other information that will help them to find your next home. If you are hopscotching between agents, they are ALL JUST SHOWING HOUSES and you will inevitably “drag out” your search process and wind up being confused.

Third, and listen up here….if it becomes known that you are utilizing the services of multiple agents,even for a day, an agent may be disinclined to invest the time it takes to educate you and find you the best deal.

This is where trust comes in. All good business arrangements, big or small, with a  written contract or without, are  based on trust . The first one to breach that trust loses!

When looking for a home,find an agent you like and stick with them. It will pay off  in the long run.Trust me.

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Riddle:When is Buying a Computer Like Buying a Home?….Darien Real Estate

Last week I bought a new laptop.My old one was slow, riddled with viruses, and the keyboard ws missing the letters “N and”D”. It was time.

Against the advice of my “Machildren” I decided  on a PC . It has a large,shiny,black screen, lots of memory and a keyboard that looks like it came straight off the Space Shuttle. 

Anyway,once out of the box,I had to figure out how to transfer data from the old machine to the new one. “Simple enough,”I thought. After all ,I had a tool they called,”The Easy Transfer Wizard.” With the wizard, your computers do a cyberdance and files and settings are transferred-magically .

Twelve hours, one sleeve of Chips Ahoy cookies, and a pint of Rocky Road ice cream later,I found myself  in the fetal position on the kitchen floor.I didn’t need the Transfer Wizard anymore.I needed Harry Potter.

Instead,I called Microsoft, Hewlett Packard ,Optimum Online and my fourteen year- old second cousin.  No one could figure the problem out. I gave in to despair when they all started to suggest I call the others.

The very next day,I paid a consultant to come over and pull my head up off the kitchen counter.It turns out I had a bad “router”.(You probably thought that was a power tool. I did.)

Through all of this,it occured to me that conveying property and setting up computers have something in common.Here’s how.

Statistics show that people buy  new computers every three to five years . Likewise, they buy or sell property every 5-7 years. In both cases the impulse is to think,”Hey,I’ve done this before. No problem”. 

It would be true except that computers and real estate are both changing at the speed of light.  New technology, pricing, marketing,and regulations create a dynamic  that most of us just cannot keep up with. Still,many people think they know  all about real estate- just like I believed in The Easy Transfer Wizard.

Take my advice.If you’re looking to set up a computer,call someone knowledgeable . If you’re looking to buy or sell a property,call the best Realtor you know.

 I promise it will keep you off the kitchen floor.

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Tags: realtor

Darien Stroll-Why We Live Here-Darien Real Estate and Relocation

I had a great time making this. If you’ve forgotten why you live here, watch this. If you’re thinking of moving here, well you really need to see it. Enjoy. Karen Brewer.

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Darien Real Estate and Relocation- Weekly Market Report October22,2009

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CAN WE TALK? Darien Real Estate and Relocation

Suppose you’re thinking of dipping your toe in the water of the Darien or Fairfield County real estate market. Where do you begin? The agent your friend had is no longer in the business or maybe you’ve had a poor real estate experience in the past.

Where can you go when you’ve found a home on the Internet that looks interesting or you’re just wondering how your home has fared in this recession.In other words,you want more information but are not ready to commit to  an agent.

 Many of you have commented here and on other sites about just that. The truth is that, for better or worse Realtors may be  in the only profession that offers time, advice and information -FREE.

We have been known to, at a moments notice, drop everything to show a home,give a tour of town,or offer a price opinion with no obligation whatsoever. And that is exactly what  I’m offering here. If you’ve haven’t figured this out by now,I am as no-pressure as it gets. Maybe you’ll want to buy or sell a home. Maybe not. Or maybe you’ll be able to refer me to someone who does. It’s as simple as that. So if you have a question or want  more information,give me a call  at 203-554-0951 or contact me at kmbrewer2@aol.com. No kidding.

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Darien Real Estate and Relocation,Market Report October 15,2009

Here is this weeks’ report for new listings,deposits,accepted offers and closings.Of note this week,the house on Renshaw Road bindered in one week. Not exactly a trend but notable all the same.Also, as I have mentioned before pricing is the key. If you price 20% or more than the market will bear,your home will likely languish. Get closer and get real and you will get a buyer.

 

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Darien Open Houses…Sunday,October 18,2009

Just a reminder that all open houses for this week are available by clicking on the left on Property Search and Open Houses.

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Darien Real Estate-Market Report,October 8,2009

Below is the Darien Real estate market report for this week,October 8,2009. As has been the norm these days,lots of price reduction and notably few new listings Call me for information on any of the properties listed here at 203-554-0951.

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Darien Real Estate,Can You Trust Your Agent?

Today I met with a young couple who is quickly outgrowing their present living space.and were thinking of relocating to Darien,CT. They knew very little about Darien real estate market and I was called in to do a price opinion on their Fairfield home as well.

We sat on a hard backed sofa, as they peppered me with questions about the market, inventory in Darien and New Canaan and how I’d arrived at my pricing advice .

They were wary and tense like I was about the try to sell them a set of encyclopedias or something. (anyone remember those?)

After a while,I suggested that they contact a mortgage broker and find out how much home they could afford.Then, when they were ready, we could look at  a few properties in order to see what their dollars could  buy. After all,there was no rush.Homes are not exactly flying off the market.They needed to get familiar with the market and its dynamics before making any decisions.

Soon they realized that I had no encyclopedias in my briefcase and everyone relaxed. Sounds goofy,I know, but that was the best part of the meeting.Real estate agents deservedly or not have a trust rating just a notch above that of a used car saleman.Putting people at ease can be a bit of a challenge.

 Its great to connect with people and have them know they can trust you.Its not exactly missionary work ,but it feels good anyway.

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Darien Commuter Parking-Update

A few months ago,I published a post about the process for obtaining a parking permit in the Darien,Ct commuter parking lots. I mentioned then that the process was under review, and the town hoped to authorize additional spaces at both the Noroton Heights lots and the Darien station.Below is the article that ran in this weeks’ paper with the details of new, “incentivized” parking spaces.

TUESDAY  Sept. 29 — For the price of $200 and a few extra steps, you can own a Darien incentive railroad parking permit. Read the rest of this entry »

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