NARŪ Broker Will Swear It - Real Pro' Agents Share It - FSBO Truth

For posting the "Truth" on your website, some FSBO's will not like you. These prospects would not have listed with you anyway. For Sale By Owners - that can receive sound advice - will appreciate your courage, celebrating by having listed their home with you.

Sometimes, the "Truth" hurts. Yet, being ripped off, raped, or even worse - hurts a whole lot more. Ask any police officer if home sellers should open their doors wide to strangers. Better yet, inquire how frequently FSBOs cry to law enforcement after being robbed, assaulted, or otherwise endangered by persons masquerading as home buyers.

Since many agents - in an attempt to appear professional - resist telling prospects the whole, atrocious truth, all too many FSBOs are not properly informed of the very real risks they are taking. In an effort to put safety of others ahead of a personal profit motive, you can rest assured that you - a true "Professional" - have done the right thing.

It is absolutely the owner's right to sell their own home - without the assistance of a real estate agent. Yet, more often than not, the dominant marital partner says, "We can sell our home ourselves, Honey, without paying any real estate commissions. We will need those extra dollars ourselves for when we move."

No thought of the danger is realistically acknowledged.

Rather, the man says, "I'll go get the For Sale By Owner sign. You write the ad for the newspaper. We will save thousands by selling this way!"

His compliant, even if apprehensive, companion places the advertising, is supposed to field the phone, make appointments for - supposedly interested - home buying prospects to come view the "For Sale" property. She wants to be certain that her husband is home - with her - when people come to see their home. If that is not always possible, she likely has enough of an awareness of inherent evil lurking about that she will try see to it a friend is.

Soon, the parade of the unqualified begins. These are the curious "Lookie-Lews." People arrive into the FSBO's home, eager for their own reasons, not all of which are honorable. For thieves, it is a "Free-for-all." For shrewd real buyers, "It's Bonanza!" Unfortunately, "Little Joe" Cartwright isn't there to protect the homesteader's interests.

Every year, dozens of real estate agents are abducted, robbed, raped, and murdered. The NARŪ, National Association of RealtorsŪ continually warns it own members to be vigilant, careful whom they work. The "Truth" is: For Sale By Owners can not be too careful?

Russ Miles is author of the novel, For Sale By Owners:FSBO. A "Seasoned Real Estate NARŪ Broker," Russ is disabled by Multiple Sclerosis so he writes books and Articles on varied subjects. A motivational speaker, he can be passionate and inspirational in his refreshing approaches to problem solving.

FOR SALE BY OWNERS:FSBO ISBN 0-595-28703-4,in trade paperback,is available by phone or Internet:1-800-Authors to order direct!Very HOT-LINK Adobe e-book & hard cover editions also availableFSBO at Amazon.com at Barnes and Noble and other fine booksellers.Comments: MilesRuss@Gmail.com. Coming soon: MilesBooks.com

More than 40 states signed onto a proposed $25-billion deal with major mortgage servicers over faulty foreclosure practices. New York, Nevada and Delaware joined California in holding out for better terms.

More than 40 states signed onto a proposed $25-billion settlement with major mortgage servicers over faulty foreclosure procedures, but California, New York and other key states were still not among them.

California has until Monday to share in a multi-state deal with banks to obtain mortgage relief and reforms. Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris, who walked away from talks last year, says the door remains open.

With a Monday deadline at hand, California officials have resumed direct talks with the Obama administration about joining a multibillion-dollar, multi-state mortgage settlement with the nation's largest banks, a source said Sunday.

The talk show host pays $12 million for the 4,088-square-foot house with four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The ocean-view home sits on 1.26 bluff-top acres with beach access.

In one of the more talked-about transactions in town, actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have sold their Malibu beach house to daytime host and comedian Ellen De Generes for $12 million.

The four-bedroom, five-bathroom house built in 1920 for industrialist James Wigmore lists for $2,875,000.

A decorative cast stone entrance opens to this restored Spanish Colonial Revival-style house in Pasadena's South Orange Grove area. Built in 1920 for industrialist James Wigmore, the house retains such original details as coffered wood ceilings and arched doorways.

They don't believe they can sell their property for what it's worth, so they're spending money on making their homes more comfortable.

Do you fit any of these descriptions?

A biennial research report by the National Assn. of Realtors indicates that a handful of real estate agents and brokers and their clients either don't know the law or don't care to follow it.

When it comes to lawsuits, real estate agents and brokers tangle mostly among themselves.

The president aims to help about 3.5 million people with good credit who are unable to refinance at historically low rates because their homes are worth less than their mortgages.

 

The White House hopes to help millions of homeowners lower their monthly mortgage bill with a $5 billion to $10 billion plan to set up a streamlined refinancing program for people who are current on their payments.

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index of 20 large U.S. cities fell 1.3% in November from October as foreclosures continue to drag down the housing market.

Three straight months of home-price declines in the biggest U.S. cities showed that foreclosures remain a significant drag on a housing market that is entering its fifth year of deterioration.

L.A. Clipper Chris Paul may be quick down the court, but he moves pretty fast when it comes to buying multimillion-dollar real estate too.