8:30am - do tell more re your prospect hts pad...

Posted by: looker at January 31, 2008 9:39 AM in response to what if i really NEED a buyer's broker?

thanks (esp for the link).
9:21, you can reach me at dmt2102@gmail.com.

I've been going to open houses & educating myself in my -very limited- free time, but can't help but think it would be beneficial to work w someone who really knows the lay of the land...

Posted by: looker at January 23, 2008 9:39 PM in response to has anyone worked w a buyer's agent?

'there is no such thing as a buyer's broker in NYC. You are never truly represented'

what do you mean by this?

Posted by: looker at January 22, 2008 9:10 PM in response to has anyone worked w a buyer's agent?

and also where to find comps??

Posted by: looker at January 20, 2008 8:03 PM in response to where to go to find out selling price?

Acris - Just look it up on google - Will give you recorded deeds, mortgages, etc.

Posted by: guest at January 21, 2008 8:49 AM in response to where to go to find out selling price?

Streeteasy will tell you broker-listed asking prices (but not FSBOs etc.) and then you can go to ACRIS (nyc.gov/html/dof/html/jump/acris.shtml) to look up actual sales

Posted by: guest at January 21, 2008 10:59 AM in response to where to go to find out selling price?

Doesn't ACRIS just tell you how big the mortgage is?

Posted by: guest at January 22, 2008 1:37 PM in response to where to go to find out selling price?

exactly as written. There are almost no true buyers brokers. At best you make friends with a sellers broker and she/he shows you listings belonging to other brokers and other firms and you listen to her/his advice but they make it totally clear they are not legally working with your interests at heart - they make you sign a ny state document saying you understand this. No suing "your broker" in nyc for giving bad advice or steering you to a property they have talked up or get a bigger slice of your money from!

so basically give up the idea of finding one, instead rely on your lawyer and mortgage guy to protect you.

Posted by: guest at January 22, 2008 10:22 PM in response to has anyone worked w a buyer's agent?

OP, check out this previous thread:

http://www.brownstoner.com/forum/archives/2007/12/did_you_use_a_b.php

Posted by: guest at January 22, 2008 11:06 PM in response to has anyone worked w a buyer's agent?

You're not the one paying your broker's commission if you are a buyer, so why on earth would you turn away extra help?? Sure, do your own homework on some things and stay strong on your own opinion, and do forcefully push for the offer you want to make, don't let any broker yours or another make you bid more than you want. But if you were on your own you'd be doing all that anyway. We used our broker when we were buying to coordinate everything and talk to the sellers broker for us, and that alone was SO worth it for me. We have jobs, we're busy. If the seller is going to pay for someone to help me and cut my time investment in half on all this, fine by me.

Posted by: guest at January 22, 2008 11:56 PM in response to has anyone worked w a buyer's agent?

I am using a buyer's broker right now. I like him a lot and won't be paying him anything (as mentioned above he gets his commission from the sale of the property). I feel that he has represented me well so far. If you post an email address to contact you I can give you his information and tell you more about how we have worked together.

Posted by: guest at January 23, 2008 9:21 AM in response to has anyone worked w a buyer's agent?

Try www.domania.com

Posted by: guest at January 23, 2008 1:49 PM in response to where to go to find out selling price?

thanks (esp for the link).
9:21, you can reach me at dmt2102@gmail.com.

I've been going to open houses & educating myself in my -very limited- free time, but can't help but think it would be beneficial to work w someone who really knows the lay of the land...

Posted by: looker at January 23, 2008 9:39 PM in response to has anyone worked w a buyer's agent?

You refer to yourself as "we". Is that a couple or are there kids? I think one or all of you need to move into a rental here now and get down to the time intensive task of finding your next home. You cannot hire someone to do this for you for a couple of reasons. There are too many of us here looking who will do our own legwork so the brokers who do work with buyers are not inclined to be anything like the one your sister found. Also, if you don't do it yourself and you get something on a brokers recommendation, every time you find something wrong with it you will be kicking your self. This is a major investment. You have to put in the effort to get it right.

Posted by: guest at January 31, 2008 10:34 AM in response to what if i really NEED a buyer's broker?