San Jose Real Estate * REALTOR ® * Richard Gonzalez

Real Estate Relationships are Key in a Hot Market

Buyers experiencing a HOT market in our area continue to deal with one frustration after another as they wage a bidding war on the low inventory we are currently experiencing.

Within all of this chaos I have developed a relationship building approach both as a listing agent and with other listing agents. I have to know that the other REALTOR is willing to work as hard as I am prior to reviewing or submitting an offer.

For example; say you want to make an offer and there are multiple offers involved. The strategy I tend to take is to make sure I package the offer in such a way that the listing agent can see that I understand the way a Bank Asset manager or a Short Sale Negotiator prefers to see an offer.

The key is to understand the inner workings of the submission process to a Bank and as such covey to the decision maker that I am well versed in this process. Its not surprising to have a listing agent pass on a offer because of the way it was presented.

I have had more success by focusing on how I have package an offer and communicated with the other agent.

Newlywed Couple's Journey to Home Ownership

I recently posted a story of the challenges some of our first time home buyers are experiencing and wanted to give you an update on a young newlywed couples journey to home ownership.

“19 offers and counting” was the comment one of my agents made as her client rushed in to our office, signed several documents and ran out all in less than 5 minutes.

Normally we take the time to cover the terms of the contract but no need at this juncture in the process because the terms haven’t changed, only the names of the sellers and the property address.

The general criteria is the same,

• Homes listed between $250,000 and $300,000
• FHA loan product with 3.5% down payment
• 3 bedroom 2 bath in good condition
• Anything in San Jose

The challenge is the lack of available loan products and as such FHA, USDA, and Conventional loans are the name of the game. With that comes the bottle neck of underwriting guidelines choking the loan approval system to the point that it can take anywhere from 45 to 60 days in most cases to close a transaction.

Far too long of a wait for some sellers and riskier for some bank owned properties (REO) who have sustained multiple levels of losses in the process of recovering their investment and who can blame them?

Perseverance, expectation, and faith are the driving forces that will eventually get this couple into their home. A dream of homeownership that will be rewarded to those willing to keep their feet grounded and emotions in check in an ever changing market environment such as the one we are experiencing now.

To complicate the situation investor buyers are dropping cash as a means of wiping out the competition and further complicating the process of finding a home.

More to come in future posts about this newlywed couple’s journey to home ownership.