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ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What’s the difference between a Realtor®, a real estate agent and a coach?
Every consumer should know the answer to this question! Realtors® and real estate agents are both licensed to sell real estate but but some agents are NOT Realtors®. Only the Realtor® is a member of the National Association of Realtors® and promises to adhere to a strictly enforced professional Code of Ethics. In this case, the real estate coach for home buyers is a Realtor® who is with Long & Foster Real Estate and who chooses to work only on the preparation portion of the purchase process with the client and then refer the client to another qualified Realtor® to guide them through the rest of the process.
Knowledge is power! A good Realtor® knows everything you will want to know about buying your home. They will…
· Give you relevant market data and comparative market analyses
· Research the neighborhood that interests you, including amenities, planned projects, quality of the schools, safety, etc.
· Find the homes that meet your criteria and show you the ones you want to see
· Help you structure and make an offer on the home you want to buy
· Advise on ways to structure your deal to save you money
· Explain the advantages and disadvantages of different types of mortgages
· Guide you through anticipated as well as unanticipated problems that occur during the process
· Answer last-minute questions at the closing
· …and more Go to top or Real Estate Coaching & Referrals Home, or About Us
Why work with a real estate coach when the Realtor® manages the entire process?
The role of the coach is to save the Realtor® and the client time, energy, and angst! Until now, buyers relied solely on their Realtors® to guide them through real estate transactions. And, many people think that approach has been and continues to be effective. Today, however, clients have options – they can go it alone with the Realtor® from beginning to end OR they can begin the process with a real estate coach who not only helps them do their homework before working with a Realtor® but finds them a good Realtor® too. Go to top or Real Estate Coaching & Referrals Home, or About Us
Define "real estate coach for home buyers."
In our case, a real estate coach for homebuyers is a Realtor® who helps to prepare home buyers to work with another Realtor®. The coach then refers the client to a Realtor® from her network. Clients can be assured that the selected Realtor® is available, interested, and skillfully capable of guiding the client all the way to settlement. Go to top or Real Estate Coaching & Referrals Home, or About Us
How does the real estate coach help to prepare buyers to work with a Realtor®?
A good real estate coach knows how to help the buyer enter the Realtor® relationship with their eyes wide open and a reality-based perspective along with completed documentation, pre-qualification, and a clear understanding of their needs, deal makers and deal breakers. Generally, the coach helps the client do their homework in preparation for buying a property. Go to top or Real Estate Coaching & Referrals Home, or About Us
That pre-work positions the client to feel more confident about certain transactions which could otherwise be mind-boggling. Really good Realtors® are hard working, extremely helpful professionals. The bad ones give the good ones a bad name. Most people have no idea how committed good agents are to giving their clients a quality experience or how much work they put into making a complicated transaction appear seamless and smooth to the client. The role of the coach is to make the process easier and less burdensome for both the client and the Realtor®. Go to top or Real Estate Coaching & Referrals Home, or About Us
What do you really mean by "free" coaching?
We mean that home buyers do not pay a single penny for their time with the coach or for anything related to the coach's work. Here's why: When a buyer purchases a home, they go to settlement (closing) to finalize the purchase. At closing, the seller pays a commission to the seller's broker and the buyer's broker. The coach is paid from a portion of the commission to the buyer's broker. No additional fees are charged for the coach's services and the home buyer who works with the coach will not pay anything to either the coach or the buyer's broker or agent. Again, in a nutshell, the seller pays the broker at settlement, and the broker then pays the Realtors® (in this case, one of the Realtors® is a coach). In addition, in some areas, such as in the Washington, D.C., metrolopolitan area, Realtors® can receive payment ONLY from their broker and never directly from a consumer for any services rendered in a real estate transaction.. Go to top or Real Estate Coaching & Referrals Home, or About Us
Will the client continue to work with the coach after being referred to another Realtor®?
The client is coached to work directly with the Realtor® immediately after the referral. This is best for everyone involved. The role of the coach is to prepare the buyer to work effectively with a Realtor®. If a problem occurs with the referral, the client should alert the coach. In one case, a home buying couple called with an urgent request for me to help them find another Realtor® because they thought the one they had was ignoring them. I listened very carefully to their concerns and learned that while they were festering about the situation, they did not know how to bring it up with the Realtor®. I coached them to ask the Realtor® what they wanted from her before terminating the relationship. Once they openly voiced their needs, they got exactly what they wanted. It didn't hurt that I gave the Realtor® a heads-up about their dismay. In the end, the clients were glad because that Realtor® “won a huge battle” for them just days before closing. Rest assured that your Realtor® will work hard for you. I seek and find intelligent, authentic, caring, committed, and ethical people who know the business like the back of their hands. As a result, I am proud to include these astute professionals in my network and recommend their services to you. I would not hesitate to refer any of them to others interested in buying, selling, or investing in real estate. Go to top or Real Estate Coaching & Referrals Home, or About Us
How do I begin working with the coach?
When you are ready, simply email the coach to request a coaching session. A coach will respond to your questions as soon as possible. Telephone appointments are available on an as-needed basis. Go to top or Real Estate Coaching & Referrals Home, or About Us
