Why use Carrie? What services does she provide for her buyers and sellers?

I serve my clients with integrity and do my very best to meet their needs. For sellers, I will first perform a comparative market analysis (CMA), a study of sales prices of comparable homes in the area. Next I will discuss this information with you so that a listing (asking) price can be determined. I will also advise you how to best “stage” your home (to present it in a way appealing to buyers) and will even pay to bring in a professional stager for an initial consultation if necessary. After staging, I take high quality photographs of your home and will include up to ten of them in the MLS listings available to real estate professionals. Your home will then be visible there as well as on several Internet websites, including Realtor.com. Typically, only one picture is visible on Realtor.com, though I've paid extra to allow six pictures to be uploaded for each of my clients' homes. Also, I will create professional color flyers for potential buyers visiting your home. As stated below, I'm not paid until your house sells.

For buyers, I will perform research and send you listings of homes based on your requirements. In addition, I will arrange to show you the homes in person. As a Realtor, I have excellent searching tools at my disposal to help you find the perfect home. As described below, I do not charge a fee to assist buyers.

I keep my client list small so that I can provide consistent personalized service. Unlike some real estate professionals who tout their high volume, I will actually answer my phone and return calls and emails as promptly as possible. I’ll be with you through the entire process.

Why don’t you list properties on your website?

I’ve found that the most effective way to sell a home is through creatively and professionally describing the home in the MLS, the service used by most real estate professionals when searching for a home. As stated above, a home listed by me will appear in the MLS and in various websites, the main one being Realtor.com.

Why not go with a larger brokerage company?

First, smaller brokerages such as NorthStar Realty Group have the same basic tools available (including the MLS ) for their member Realtors and clients as the big firms. Buyers don’t buy homes based on the seller’s brokerage firm; they buy the home that they like. I’ve been with larger firms and I find that I have much more flexibility to serve my clients with a smaller brokerage like NorthStar Realty Group, where the clients’ needs come first.

What is involved in a "typical" real estate transaction?

A person wishing to sell a house signs an agreement with a real estate agent (the "seller's agent") to list the home. The seller's agent prepares and files all necessary documents to make the home visible to other real estate agents representing buyers. A person wishing to buy a home likewise signs a "buyer's rep agreement" with a Realtor (the "buyer's agent"), who researches available homes based on the buyer's specifications and presents information about those homes to the buyer. The buyer tells the agent which homes he/she is interested in, and the Realtor arranges with a third party service to gain access to that property. If interested, the buyer and buyer's agent make a monetary offer on the home to the seller's agent. This is done by the buyer's agent filling out contract documentation and submitting it to the seller's agent. The seller's agent takes this offer to the sellers and perhaps makes a counter-offer. The seller and buyer typically do not come into contact -- only the two agents. If the parties can come to an agreement, the buyer's and seller's agents complete the paperwork and the house is considered "under contract". Unfortunately, even if these steps proceed smoothly, problems can and do occur after this point. This is why a qualified Realtor can be invaluable to both the seller and buyer.

Why use a Realtor™?

Realtors have the contacts and experience to list a property as available for sellers or find appropriate properties for buyers. Having a Realtor makes the entire home selling/buying process much smoother, and in many cases they can save their clients money through negotiation with other parties and by warning of pitfalls inherent in such a complicated process. Home buying and selling is typically the biggest transaction that people will ever do, so it makes sense to have a professional guide them along the way.

How are Realtors paid?

Realtors are typically paid by the seller when the house sells. Most of the time, buyers pay no Realtor fees. In many cases, the seller pays 3% of the home value as a fee to the agent listing their house and an additional 3% to the agent of the buyers. These fees are assessed when the house closes (is sold) and is handled by the title company doing the paperwork. The TAR (Texas Association of Realtors) forbids fixed fees, and although the above figures are typical, they are negotiable. I can and have represented both buyers and sellers.

What is the MLS?

MLS is short for the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), the service used by real estate professionals nationwide to list and find properties. The MLS is the main clearinghouse for residential real estate and is used by both large and small firms. It contains the price and other relevant information about the home, such as number of rooms, room dimensions, and the like.

What is a buyer's rep agreement?

A buyer's representation agreement (aka a “buyer’s rep”) basically says that that the buyers agree to have the Realtor represent them for their real estate purchases for a given period of time. It doesn't force a buyer to purchase a house within that time period or make any other requirements on the buyer. As mentioned above, the sellers pay nothing to the agent, despite the fact that the agent representing a buyer invests a large amount of time researching and showing buyers potential properties. A buyer's rep allows the agent to be confident that the seller will use them for negotiation of real estate transactions during that time period, and it allows the buyer to know that the agent is now contractually obligated to assist in these transactions.

Why use a Realtor when buying a home from a builder?

First, the builder’s representative represents the builder and negotiates on their behalf, not that of the buyer. You need a professional to represent your interests. As mentioned above, there is no charge to the buyer. In addition, frequently Realtors have relationships with builders and may know what types of things are negotiable. Also, a builder is more likely to deal with a Realtor because a Realtor could bring them more clients in the future.

What's the difference between a Realtor and a real estate agent?

A Realtor is a real estate agent who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).