Who thinks home prices will fall? (New York, Deer Park: insurance, attorney, townhomes)

[house-hunter]

Originally Posted by OvertaxedOnLI

ihateny, I first have to say that I'm impressed by the quality of your last post. To be honest, the way you wrote your "Why LI Sucks" post and several other replies, definitely gave the impression that you're some whiney 20-something college student with a serious attitude problem and only a fair grasp of how to express yourself in writing. But in this last post you come across as an entirely different type of person and have made some very valid points, so my hat's off to you for the change!

The only point I'd question is whether by "profiting from" the ignorance of the public (i.e., clients), you meant "make a living by" or "take deliberate advantage of". I don't question the first interpretation but I do have doubts about the assertion that most realtors, lawyers, and yes doctors too, take advantage of the ignorance of the public. The ironic thing is that I've dealt with more attorneys and realtors during my working life than 90% of the population, and as a result I'll agree that the unethical/incompetent/slimeballs (choose any or all terms from that list!) make up at least 75% of the total. IMHO the "marginally incompetent" are the largest segment. The worst are those who (as you pointed out) have no respect for the people who they're supposed to protect the interests of, or even for their own peers in the profession.

There are realtors, attorneys, doctors, etc. who are highly skilled, financially successful, and straight-up honest and ethical at all times even when all the other people around them aren't. I consider myself lucky and privileged to know several of them in each category. Yes, overall they are in the minority but they do exist.

I would not put Realtors up on a pedestal with DOCTORS or believe it or not even LAWYERS.

AND....... if you don't mind please send me a private message of who those good/honest Realtors are. I would love to finally meet one. I would also classify myself as one who "dealt with more attorneys and Realtors during my working life than 90% of the population"... The difference is that I have yet to meet a decent honest hard working Realtor. I'm not saying that one does not exist... However, I have yet to find one.

I think IhateNY proves my point. He is honest at least

[JoshNHR]

By the way it should be noted that I struggled to make it in real estate for two years and was discriminated against by numerous offices where they wouldn't let me work there. One office manager even told me that they would allow me to work there but I'd have to work in the back because they didn't want someone like me working in the front where the clients are. I know discrimination and I know the worst of this business but I still made it and am on my way to even more success. If you want to succeed you will and if you want to fail miserably you will. Your choice.

[house-hunter]

Originally Posted by JoshNHR

IHateNY has a chip on their shoulder about real estate because they jumped into it and the industry spit them back out without creating a superstar.The ignorance you speak of would be blanketing realtors as evil people with the sole desire in life to strip you of all of your hard earned cash and run away to live in their posh penthouses, drive their Ferraris and step on the doorman. Oops, I think I just described much of wall street<-- That's an ignorant statement by the way. You two are peas in a pod of half empty,death over life,darkness over light dwellers who refuse to see the positive in things. I *AM* an ethical agent & I have more buyers looking for homes right now than I know what to do with. I've been a multi-million dollar producer as an exclusive buyer's agent for the past two years & will continue to increase my production numbers this year too. You have to run real estate like a business and follow up with people.You have to understand people,deal with hissy fits and see the light at the end of the tunnel when you are dealing with ridiculous builders, buyers and sellers. There is a way to
become a more educated agent & one who produces more at that, education.There are at least a dozen different designations offered that will teach you more about selling homes,working with clients,negotiating effectively & lead generation. Honestly IHateNY, judging from your attitude on this board if I were a top producer that you had met with then I wouldn't bother telling you anything that works for me or give you the time of day either.You are ridiculously negative and your disdain for the industry as a whole is disgraceful.You will fall by the wayside with the other 80% who come and go within their first two years because they just can't hack it as a realtor.It IS hard work,requires patience and time. Keep telling yourself you can't do it so that when you fail in the end you'll be right.It's a lot easier than putting in! effort,dealing with the heartache and eventually finding you! r right?
House-Hunter, if you feel the industry is so disappointing then why not become a real estate agent and try on the shoes you are complaining about.Who knows,maybe you'll become a top producer.You might also gain a new respect for the industry.Or you might become IHateNY.

JoshNHR
I don't blame you for removing your last post.I would be embarrassed of it also.However to answer you.Yes, I do feel that the industry is disappointing & I do feel that realtors do have something to do with that.I don't blame it all on realtors though.However, I could not do what realtors do.That is to say that I could not lie to someone with a straight face & sleep well at night. That’s just me though.Are you going to tell me that some realtors don't lie? Because that is really going to make me laugh.I have extensive construction knowledge and even after the realtor knows this they swear that the home is fit for resale.Meanwhile the home is slipping off of its foundation.Hey, I don't expect realtors to know construction and design.However, at the same time don't act like you do when you don't.Another example is when I say I am looking for a contemporary & the Realtor sends me a link for a colonial.shows me thier Competence.You don't need to be an architectural historian but you do need to know basic stylistic differences.Give me a break!

BTW, I am a multi million dollar producer just like you are.Not in selling real estate but rather designing it.However, I do not glorify in it or have a plaque on my wall above my desk as some realtors do.Instead the glory comes from designing habitable space that comes in at budget for my client.I am happy to say that I have worked for billionaires, millionaires the middle class & also the poor and I have helped every one of those folks live a more meaningful life.If realtors understood that concept instead of achieving a status as a top producer, than most folks would not feel the same way.Hey it should not be about the last sale but rather finding and relocating someone in the home of their dreams.If you work to that standard than your profession WILL be looked upto.My hat is off to you if you do this & distinguish yourself this way.If so, than I would like you to be my realtor.However, my budget is not high, are you up for that?

One more thing.If I'm made to feel like I am just a "pea in a pod of half empty, death over life, darkness over light dwellers who refuse to see the positive in things” than no thanks I would rather stick with the realtor that I am with currently.With them at least I feel I'm a pumpkin in a patch...

BTW, top producing realtors are a dime a dozen in this area after the seven year run that we just came out of.Yes it is hard work but come on how difficult is it to be a top producer when every home flew off of the market with STUPID buyers outbiding eachother and paying way too much for the home?

[house-hunter]

Originally Posted by JoshNHR

By the way it should be noted that I struggled to make it in real estate for two years and was discriminated against by numerous offices where they wouldn't let me work there. One office manager even told me that they would allow me to work there but I'd have to work in the back because they didn't want someone like me working in the front where the clients are. I know discrimination and I know the worst of this business but I still made it and am on my way to even more success. If you want to succeed you will and if you want to fail miserably you will. Your choice.

Are you just upset that the market has changed to a buyers market and things are slowing down??? You voted that prices will not drop or fall but rather stabilize... Is this what you really see or is it just wishful thinking. Perhaps you can tell me what area of NY you sell in?

[ihateny]

to JoshHNR you know nothing about me, and I never got into this to get rich so take your assumptions elsewhere instead of making an ass out of yourself like you did. Call me negative, but if anything I'm a realist about everything in life including real estate. Saying that I jumped in trying to get rich and got spit out and at the same time, saying that I am negative about the industry is pretty much an oxymoron within itself, because if someone jumps into an industry thinking they are going to get rich, let alone even succeed, that makes them first of all very unrealistic, and second, very optimistic to say the least. Compared to the time and effort I have put into this side job, I have profited greatly so mind your own business and get a life. Even if I was making a HUGE amount of money, that would not change my view on realtors.

[JoshNHR]

JoshNHR
I don't blame you for removing your last post.I would be embarrassed of it also.However to answer you.Yes, I do feel that the industry is disappointing & I do feel that realtors do have something to do with that.I don't blame it all on realtors though.However, I could not do what realtors do.That is to say that I could not lie to someone with a straight face & sleep well at night. That’s just me though.Are you going to tell me that some realtors don't lie? Because that is really going to make me laugh.

Are you just upset that the market has changed to a buyers market and things are slowing down??? You voted that prices will not drop or fall but rather stabilize... Is this what you really see or is it just wishful thinking. Perhaps you can tell me what area of NY you sell in?

I didn't remove it because I wanted to and I still have no regrets about what I wrote to you or IHateNY. I removed it because the moderator erased everything I wrote so that it was more "user friendly". Apparently it's wrong to disagree with others here? Sorry to burst your "I'm clever because I copied and pasted" bubble. The prices are stabilizing and many of the builders aren't offering incentives although some of the slower selling subdivisions are. Also, why would I, an exclusive buyer's agent, be upset that the market has become a buyer's market? Quite the opposite really... You seem smart enough... Do your due diligence to answer your own questions about where I work. I'll address the rest of your post however if only to entertain myself.

[JoshNHR]

You can read through my posts on this forum and note that I've discussed my dislike for some real estate agents and even some Realtors who behave unethically or illegally. In fact I remember saying they "disgust" me and it's true. I've fought with Realtors who acted unethically and struggled to keep deals together because the listing agents lied about things. I also get to have the pleasure of dealing with listing agents who offer next to nothing for the buyer's agent's commission because they want to take more of the commission. I'm not and never have denied that this industry has it's bad seeds and it's always the bad ones who are the loudest in any field. Look at all the bad CEOs of the world who steal pensions and healthcare from workers and sell their millions in stocks before the stock plunges. Global Crossing, ImClone and Enron to name a few. Does that make all CEOs everywhere bad? Yet you continue to deny the possibility that there are good agents out there because it doesn't support your argument. So bad, bad agents everywhere it is!

I have extensive construction knowledge and even after the realtor knows this they swear that the home is fit for resale.Meanwhile the home is slipping off of its foundation.Hey, I don't expect realtors to know construction and design.However, at the same time don't act like you do when you don't.Another example is when I say I am looking for a contemporary & the Realtor sends me a link for a colonial.shows me thier Competence.You don't need to be an architectural historian but you do need to know basic stylistic differences.Give me a break!

Realtors should not be making construction suggestions or decisions. That's why we have home inspectors. I also don't write contracts or negotiate with the seller's attorney because the buyer has an attorney for that as well. These are all specialists in their fields so I have my clients use the people they choose (whether it's my recommendation or not) to help complete the transaction. As for Realtors who send you a Colonial in a Contemporary home search it's most likely because the listing agent, as obnoxious as it might be, added a variety of home styles to the home style section of the listing. For example, I frequently receive bi-levels in the automated emails because they are also listed as Contemporary homes. Blame bad listing agents. There are GOOD listing agents out there who wouldn't do this.

BTW, I am a multi million dollar producer just like you are.Not in selling real estate but rather designing it.However, I do not glorify in it or have a plaque on my wall above my desk as some realtors do.Instead the glory comes from designing habitable space that comes in at budget for my client.I am happy to say that I have worked for billionaires, millionaires the middle class & also the poor and I have helped every one of those folks live a more meaningful life.If realtors understood that concept instead of achieving a status as a top producer, than most folks would not feel the same way.Hey it should not be about the last sale but rather finding and relocating someone in the home of their dreams.If you work to that standard than your profession WILL be looked upto.My hat is off to you if you do this & distinguish yourself this way.If so, than I would like you to be my realtor.However, my budget is not high, are you up for that?

I do work to this standard but let's talk for a second about how we get screwed by buyers. I had a relocating client that I had a great relationship with and I don't use exclusive buyer agreements specifically because I feel that if my client and I don't have a cohesive relationship then we shouldn't be working together. Well I made the appointment with my client and toured 16, yes, SIXTEEN, homes with them in one day because they didn't have more time so I wanted to show them as many homes as possible while they were here. I even re-assigned an appointment for later that day so I could spend more time with them given their circumstances. The next day I found out that they had gone behind my back and bought a home with a different agent who only showed them FIVE homes that lacked some of the "needed" amenities they had asked for. I tried to accommodate them and I got screwed anyway. It happens and it's happened more than once. People as a whole, buyers and sellers included, can be just as sketchy as some of the bad real estate agents out there! My first home sale was in the mid-200s, my average home sale is in the mid-400s and I'm meeting with a client next week who is looking in the 200s to the low 300s. I help clients who want to buy home and do it the right way. If people give me crap or try to bring me down I fire them. That's right, I fire my clients. I've done it before and I will do it again. I do only my best work and if that's not happening then it's not going to work.

[JoshNHR]

One more thing.If I'm made to feel like I am just a "pea in a pod of half empty, death over life, darkness over light dwellers who refuse to see the positive in things” than no thanks I would rather stick with the realtor that I am with currently.With them at least I feel I'm a pumpkin in a patch...

Okay? I don't think we'd have a great working relationship anyway because I only work with clients that make me want to do my best and not those who try to bring my profession down and insult what I do. If you want a punching bag you can go find one of those bad realtors you like so much.

BTW, top producing realtors are a dime a dozen in this area after the seven year run that we just came out of.Yes it is hard work but come on how difficult is it to be a top producer when every home flew off of the market with STUPID buyers outbiding eachother and paying way too much for the home?

I've been doing real estate for only five years (perhaps too short of a time to scream F*** the world from the rooftops) but throughout my career I've consistently done the best I could for all of my clients.

Listed for $659K, I negotiated a home down to $625,000. The home seller chose to use a service that cost a few hundred dollars to throw the home into the MLS and fend for themselves. I used my negotiating experience to gain substaintial savings for a client.

Listed for $625K, I negotiated the home down to $600,000. Another home was listed for $439K and I negotiated down to $420K. All of these were done while it was being called a seller's market!

I don't need to convince you or the self-hating real estate agents out there that there are good people in this business. I know this because I work with them every day and I also know who the "sharks" of the business are that are ruthless and will do anything to get the sale. The only reason I even mentioned my production numbers was to show IHateNY that you can do well in this business and still be ethical and uphold quality standards.

[momix5]

I worked with 4 realtors in my life 3 to buy a home because one was more dishonest than the other and 1 to try and sell my home she was the absolute worst. Showed the house once in 4 months said she had noone who could afford my price on long island (345,000) and the house is completely redone from the cesspools to the baths and kitchen. She lied right to my face and so did the 3 I used to buy my house in 2000. She insulted me right to my face. i would never in a million years use a real estate to buy or sell I will do it on my own and laugh at me if you want but I had 4 bad experiences and if i decide to sell again maybe i will fail but at least I won't have to listen to lie after lie after lie.

[JoshNHR]

mom,

I'm sorry to hear of your bad experiences (it seems to be pretty bad out there in Long Island eh?) but the best way to find a quality real estate agent is to interview various ones for the position of serving your needs. There are numerous checklists out there on the internet on what to ask an agent and how to choose your agent. Also, the National Association of Realtors released a new book that is their official Guide to Selling a Home. You can also purchase one for buying a home. Either book can be found at Amazon.com for about $15 each.