|
Successful marketing means that buyers need to be
able to imagine the house as their future home.
Nothing puts a damper on that more than having the
current owners hanging around.
That is one reason why the lockbox is such a key
tool for real estate agents.
A lockbox is a hollow metal box that attaches to
the front doorknob or some secure place nearby.
Inside the hollow area is another matchbox sized box
that contains the key to the house. When an agent
opens the lockbox, that smaller container slides out and
the agent has access to the house key.
The lockbox gets its name because it is a locked
box. A stranger cannot come by, open
the
box, get the key and gain entry to the
house. |
Most modern lockboxes have a tiny microprocessor
inside. You need an electronic key to open it and
the only way to get a key is to be a member of the local
Multiple Listing Service. All of the keys have a
unique identifier so when someone opens the box, the
microprocessor inside “registers” the agent who opens
it. Agents are forbidden to let another agent use
their electronic key.
Since the box is “reset” just before being placed
on the door, any agent who opens the box can be
identified — as well as the date and time they ente
the house.
When necessary, the lockbox data an be downloaded
to determine who ente the house. This is a
security measure to protect the
homeowner.
|
|
After the buyer's
home inspection, some major and minor flaws were
discove. I don't want to fix them all.
Who pays?
Answer:
Unlike most
contracts, a real estate purchase contract has certain
items that are generally negotiated during the course of
the contract.
With home
inspections, most contracts provide a certain number of
days for the inspection to be performed, then a certain
amount of days for the |
If the seller
offers a carpet allowance, are they supposed to add it
to the loan amount? That means we are paying for
the carpet.
Answer:
Sort of.
Suppose the carpet
costs $4000. If you had not asked for the carpet
allowance, then you could have probably bought the house
for $4000 less.
But there is a
bigger issue. Most lenders nowadays don't allow
carpet allowances. |
