So far, Real-a-Save has been providing services in the Denver and Boulder real estate markets, with the occasional deal in Colorado Springs, Summit County, and Fort Collins. But we have received some interest from agents in other states who would like to bring this concept to consumers in their area.
It seems inevitable that the real estate industry will undergo some serious changes over the coming years. I believe that the economic crisis will have a lasting effect on consumers in this country. People seem much more focused on saving money wherever possible. From groceries to gasoline to real estate fees. Our business seems poised to grow in this new economy.
When consumers are given the choice of two relatively similar products where one of those products offers significant savings, which one will they choose? There really is no difference between the services offered by a traditional Realtor and the services offered by Real-a-Save. Sure, we don’t hold open houses for our sellers. And yes, we ask our buyers to do some of the initial searching on their own. But that’s it. We offer an incredible level of service while simultaneously saving consumers thousands of dollars.
Let us know if you’d like to see Real-a-Save in your city or state. Email bob@realasave.com with requests or questions.
So far our business at Real-a-Save is available in Colorado only. Specifically, the Denver and Boulder real estate markets. But we do get a few calls a month from Brokers and investors who are interested in franchising and/or licensing our business model. So why haven’t we offered franchises yet? Well, we’re considering it, but are really taking our time and doing the research. The most important thing is to make sure that our current clients remain satisfied. Every franchise owner I’ve spoken with thus far has advised that it’s extremely important to prove your business model before franchising. It’s also VERY expensive and time consuming to franchise a business. If you or someone you know is interested in bringing Real-a-Save to your market, then shoot me an email at bob@realasave.com and I’ll keep you updated as to our time frame for franchising.
Traditional advertising and marketing methods are dead. Gone. As consumers, we’re getting so good at filtering out all the “noise” which gets thrown our way. Noise like the paid Google results on the top and right nav sections of your Google results page. Or noise like those wonderful “Just Listed” or “Just Sold” postcards which your local Realtor mails to you. Or what about newspaper advertising? Do I really need to address this? Magazines? Come on.
We’re lucky enough at Real-a-Save to have a really loyal base of fans. These are former clients and current users of our websites who act as advocates for our company by telling their friends. We get so many calls where a buyer/seller says something to the effect, “my buddy told me I just had to check out your site and I did. I love your business model…”. People seem to be sold on the concept before we ever have to discuss our model with them. It seems that saving people money AND providing great service is actually appealing!
Search for Boulder homes for sale on our incredible website and I’m sure you’ll agree that our savings, website, and incredible service are worth talking about.
Should you consider having the sellers pay for your closing costs? Will the Denver/Boulder real estate market support such a request? Buyers should remember that money is not free and as long as they’re negotiating over purchase price, closing date, and inspection issues, then why not ask for some seller-paid costs as well? It certainly appears to be a confirmed buyers market in many areas of the Denver Metro region, so sellers are often open to paying for some costs. Email bob@realasave.com if you have any questions.
Our company rebates 50% of our paycheck back to our buyers. How do we do that? Why do we do that? Our buyers take a more active role in searching for their homes by driving/walking/biking by their favorite properties on their own time before setting a showing with us. That’s it. You save us some time by going by going by properties you like, we’ll save you money by giving you part of our paycheck at closing. Click on the “Buyer” tab on our homepage to see all the program details. Email bob@realasave.com if you have any questions. And just look at our testimonials if you want to see how impressed our clients have been with Real-a-Save.
Does it make sense for a real estate brokerage to refer their clients to a title or mortgage company which they share part ownership of? An Affiliated Business Arrangement is when a real estate company owns part of a related business- like a title or mortgage company. Perfectly legal as long as the real estate broker discloses this ABA to the buyer or seller in writing. But does it serve the best interest of a Denver or Boulder real estate consumer to work with a title or mortgage company if their real estate agent/agency will benefit financially from this arrangement? In essence, the agent is referring business to him/herself. Is it possible that this type of referral “dumbs down” the level of service given by an ABA title or mortgage company? Some could argue that a title company in this type of situation could continue to get lots of business even though their level of service is unimpressive or completely lacking. Be sure to ask your agent if they have any affiliated business relationships and discuss if it makes sense for you to give that company your business. Email bob@realasave.com if you have any questions about Dever or Boulder real estate.
Is the amount of earnest money that a buyer sends to a seller written in stone? Who determines this number and must a buyer always stick to it when submitting an offer on a home?
Maybe it’s more accurate to think of the earnest money amount the same way you think about closing date, inspection objection deadline, price, and the response deadline. Maybe it’s just one more detail to hammer out in the negotiations. Did your agent make you aware of this option?
I think the answer to this question is that everything is negotiable. Ask your agent if that $300,000 property really requires an earnest money check of $7,500.00 to be submitted along with the offer. Can’t you send over less?
Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or a seasoned pro, your home inspection is of critical importance. It’s your main chance to verify the condition of the home, and to insure that you’re not buying a complete money-pit. While the Denver and Boulder real estate market has its share of qualified home inspectors, many buyers simply take a friend’s recommendation, or their Realtor’s recommendation. Check out ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) for a list of ASHI certified home inspectors in your area. And if you are taking a referral from your agent then you might want to ask if this inspector has ever located an issue for a previous client which has killed the deal. It’s important to know that you’re getting an inspector with your best interests in mind. Ask the hard questions up front before you hire your next home inspector. And it might be a good idea to ask to see a sample inspection report. There’s nothing worse than paying $350.00 for a 3-page handwritten piece of junk report. Email me at bob@realasave.com if you have any Denver/Boulder real estate questions.
Real-a-Save is the greenest real estate company in Metro Denver and Boulder. Starting in Summer 2009 we’re planting a tree in each of our client’s names through the Arbor Day Foundation. We’re aware that the decisions we make as a business have a direct impact on our planet. And our efficiencies as a company not only allow us to pass along significant savings to our Denver and Boulder real estate clients, but they also have a very real impact on our environment. Everything from paperless transactions, to our little hybrid car, to our recycling, and cloud-hosting are decisions made with our clients and our planent in mind. Check out all the details on our Green Page. And feel free to email me at bob@realasave.com if you have any questions about our buyer or seller programs, our green company, or real estate in general.
There’s a debate going on right now in the real estate community regarding “junk fees”. What’s a junk fee? Many large brokerages charge an “administrative fee” of around $200 or so. This fee sometimes goes by other names, but what exactly a buyer is “getting” for this fee remains debateable. Be sure to ask your Realtor about any fees (administrative or otherwise) that his company may charge. These fees are often picked up by your agent…meaning that the big company your agent works for not only makes up to 50% of the commission, but they also end up collecting “junk fees” as well. Many, including me, view these fees as totally unnecissary. Feel free to email me at bob@realasave.com if you have questions. Remember that Real-a-Save rebates a portion of our commission to our buyers…so we SAVE you money as opposed to nickle and diming you to death!
