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Old 02-10-2010, 12:11 PM
 
169 posts, read 699,058 times
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For example, if you want to buy a house in Whitney Ranch, will it be better for you not to have a real estate agent and deal directly with the builder? As the builder doesn't need to pay a commission to an agent, I wonder whether we can negotiate for a better price. Any thoughts?
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Old 02-10-2010, 01:17 PM
 
Location: Sacramento, Placerville
2,511 posts, read 6,308,244 times
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Why does anyone want to live in a master community?

Lifestyle management, maybe?
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Old 02-10-2010, 05:11 PM
 
39 posts, read 119,150 times
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No you don't. The builder usually has inhouse agents that work for them.
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Old 02-10-2010, 05:13 PM
 
2,963 posts, read 6,270,813 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KC6ZLV View Post
Why does anyone want to live in a master community?

Lifestyle management, maybe?
I wish I knew. The term "Master Community" sends me running in the opposite direction.

The people like the OP annoy me, see my respone to her other thread.
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Old 02-10-2010, 08:18 PM
 
169 posts, read 699,058 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Majin View Post
I wish I knew. The term "Master Community" sends me running in the opposite direction.

The people like the OP annoy me, see my response to her other thread.
If you don't have anything nice or positive things to say, it is better to keep it to yourself.

I really appreciate other people on this message board to give me wonderful info and very helpful. Majin, I recalled you posting a fake pic and give me wrong info on one of my post. It's not nice. I am not from the area and seriously try to find the right place for my family to move to.
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Old 02-10-2010, 11:49 PM
 
Location: So California
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As long as you can negotiate a good price...the builder would be saving a commission if you are not with a realtor. Sometimes you can ask for that 3% savings.
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Old 02-11-2010, 12:01 AM
 
3,250 posts, read 6,313,786 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by moonsky View Post
For example, if you want to buy a house in Whitney Ranch, will it be better for you not to have a real estate agent and deal directly with the builder? As the builder doesn't need to pay a commission to an agent, I wonder whether we can negotiate for a better price. Any thoughts?
I would interview some agents and find the best buyer's agent to represent my interests.

Hire a Buyer's Agent when Buying a New Home

Why Buyers Need a Buyer's Agent for New Construction
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Old 02-11-2010, 02:28 PM
 
Location: Rocklin
14 posts, read 31,720 times
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No you don't have to have an agent. I know this is an agents perspective but having someone help research recent sold comps and negotiate is a great tool. Plus the builder pays the Realtor..
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Old 02-14-2010, 10:16 PM
 
Location: Sacramento CA area
133 posts, read 585,239 times
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Funny you ask this question. We are just in the process of purchasing a new home in Whitney Ranch. For the past 10 months, we've worked with a realtor who spent countless hours researching resale properties, going out to view at least 15 homes on his own, not to mention about 30 more when we came into town over 4-5 separate 'weekend trips' (we do not live in the area). He also helped us put in several offers on REO's and Short Sale properties, one of which we had decided would be THE perfect home for us. Through all of these transactions, he did everything to help us out and without a doubt, earning his commission if/when the end of the rainbow came to fruition.

As it turned out, we discovered enough negatives about the specific schools in that short sale home we were waiting on for 6 months, and ended up cancelling the deal before the short sale bank came back with an acceptance or counter-offer. We were also enamored by Whitney Ranch's schools and the community...and switched gears to pursuing a NEW home. So what do you do with the gentleman who hung with us for 10 long months, working his butt off to help us? In our case, we wanted to make sure that he continue working for us as our agent, even though the builder does have honest and forthcoming agents to work with new homebuyers. But, they still work for the builder (seller), and I feel infinitely better having our guy still working on our behalf. Truthfully, there's not too many tangible things he can help with, but having his watchful, trained eye on the process and having a guy you can just call or email for advice is invaluable. If we hadn't worked with an agent during our initial home search, I would probably say it's not necessary to have an agent, but there's a lot of comfort in having someone looking out for your back who's known your concerns and priorities for almost a year.

Same thing applies for the lender, too, but these planned communities do make it harder for an outside lender or mortgage broker to beat the incentives they offer for working through their designated lender. And in fact, the lender probably hasn't spent as much of his/her time helping me out directly over the past year, so I will most likely go with the builder's lender, though I feel bad cutting my other guy out. After the loan process develops, though, I'll give him a chance to beat the direct lender's deal...and hope he might come through.

Another concern I had was the possible loss of bargaining power with the builder, since without an agent on my side, I *think* the builders save on the 4% referral fee they pay realtors. I may never know the answer to this question, but it may be possible that I could've negotiated a price about 3-4% lower if there was no agent on my side. I don't know...and I'm happy with the price I got, so I'm not going out of my way to obsess over this.

I haven't given you any definitive answer, but your topic just struck close to home for my current situation!

Good luck -- maybe we're neighbors-to-be in Whitney Ranch??
M

Quote:
Originally Posted by moonsky View Post
For example, if you want to buy a house in Whitney Ranch, will it be better for you not to have a real estate agent and deal directly with the builder? As the builder doesn't need to pay a commission to an agent, I wonder whether we can negotiate for a better price. Any thoughts?
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Old 02-15-2010, 04:25 PM
 
169 posts, read 699,058 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marsh511 View Post
As it turned out, we discovered enough negatives about the specific schools in that short sale home we were waiting on for 6 months,
Thanks, Marsh 511. May I know the area you have some concern about schools? We are also looking at old homes in Granite Bay because my husband is worried about the commute. I think it will shorten 15 mins drive from/to downtown Sac. Is Granite Bay you have problems with the schools? I am honestly very confused with their school boundary map.

We like Rocklin but my husband think it may be too far for him to commute.
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