Advice to Buyers

1 Who pays for the Realtor’s Services?

Harriet Martin & Associates offers FREE SERVICE TO BUYERS! We’ll help you every step of the way… finding your home, negotiating the best deal for you, helping you with financing if needed, inspections, appraisals, closings. We’re working for you… and best of all – the seller pays our real estate commission!

2 What properties can you help us with?

Any property! We can show you any home that is for sale. Yes, most of the time we can even help you with For Sale By Owners! Through the MLS service we can show you any home that is listed for sale, even through another Realtor. It will not make the home any cheaper by going directly to that listing agent. And, by not having a Realtor working solely for you, you may not get the best deal possible. We can show you any residential or commercial property including business opportunities for sale or rent in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. Looking elsewhere in Florida? We will help refer you to the best agent in that area.

3 I drove by a house I liked from the outside. What should I do next?

Call us right away. Make a note of the address. In this market, it may already be under contract, but if it’s not, it could sell very quickly. We’ll get all the information you need on the property by computer in a matter of minutes, and can set up an appointment to see it right away.

4 How long does it take to buy a home?

Once we’ve helped you find your home and your offer has been accepted by the seller, it normally takes
from 4-6 weeks to close. In the South Florida market, you’ll need to allow yourself 2-3 months for the whole process. Once you decide to buy a house, call us. We’ll make sure you’re ready with everything you need to find the perfect place for you.

5 I want to buy an investment property. Can you help?

Our team is extremely knowledgeable and can help you with your real estate investment goals. Want to buy to rent out? Looking to buy a “fixer-upper†and flip? We will be able to assist you in every step of the way. Not sure of the rental market? Not sure if your payments will exceed your monthly income? We’ll run the reports and do the research so you know if you have a sound investment. We also do rentals and property management! As 1031 Exchange Tax Deferred Specialists we can also help you trade up to increase your assets. We make every penny count for you!

6 I like attending Open Houses on the weekends. Can you still help me?

Yes. Ask us to go with you! If not, let us call and introduce you to the Realtor before you go. If neither
is possible, let the “Open House†Realtor know that you are working with us and give him/her one of
our business cards, or sign in with our name as your agent. It is crucial to let them know you have an agent representing YOU!

7 Can you help me find the right financing for my new home?

Part of our responsibility is to guide you in the purchase of an affordable home. We will show you the various alternatives and recommend mortgage sources. We can pre-qualify you immediately and also help with complete mortgage sources. We have an in-house mortgage banking service to speed up the process and issue a pre-qualification certificate for you to go and buy immediately.

8 Is the information we share with our Realtor confidential?

Absolutely! On a daily basis we get very personal details from many buyers and sellers. This information always remains confidential unless you give permission to disclose. For example, we will need to know your income to qualify you for your new home. This information may be discussed with a mortgage company if the contract is contingent on financing. But, under normal circumstances this would not be disclosed. Our business is based on having your trust.

9 Can you help to rent and manage my home if we decide to use it as an investment?

Yes! Please request our free brochure or see our website for more details at www.HarrietMartin.com. We have a full service rental and management department operating for more than 25 years!

10 How can I find out about tax breaks on my purchase of real estate?

Many expenses may be deducted. We will be happy to assist you with your questions or refer you to a tax accountant. Just request our brochure with valuable information which will save you thousands of dollars!

THE HARRIET MARTIN TEAM
305-385-1203 * 305-528-5558