Accredited Buyer Representative

Certified Internet Specialist

Accredited Seller Representative 

Accredited Home-Staging Specialist 

Benefits of using an ASR® - Accredited Seller Representative

• Accredited Seller Representative - is a designation given to Realtors upon the completion of course work and a certain number of transactions in which they have successfully represented the seller. The designation denotes a Realtor's proficiency in representing the seller’s interests in a transaction.
• There are many benefits to you, the seller to use an ASR® (Accredited Seller Representative®).Unlike other sellers’ agents, ASR® Designees have a proven industry track record. Each designee (Seller Agent) must hold and exemplify a strong commitment to exceed seller expectations throughout all aspects of the real estate transaction.  
• ASR® Seller Agents are trained and committed to deliver to today's seller true "value added services." This has a major impact on the quality of representation to you, the seller, as well as potential possibilities to the financial bottom line.
• Remember, whenever possible, ASR® Seller Agents are committed to providing exclusive representation to you, which simply means placing your interests above that of others in the real estate transaction.  Committed to adhering to a stringent standard of ethics, ASR® Seller Agents are to demonstrate complete honesty in pricing as well as thorough research and preparation in completing and presenting the property market analysis.
• A further and most important commitment of ASR® Seller Agents is to demonstrate ethical conduct and integrity in every aspect of their real estate career.  

• To successfully sell your home and receive the maximum market value requires many skills of a realtor.   Strong people skills and communicating with either the seller’s or the buyer’s agent are important when a contract is presented.   Often there are multiple counter offers going back and forth.   I have learned you don’t get what you deserve with regards to real estate,  you get what you negotiate and that is why it is important to have someone represent you who can effectively negotiate and close your transaction.

• Next time you sell your house, remember to ask for an ASR® Seller Agent. 

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Benefits of using an AHS® - Accredited Home-Staging Specialist

• Successful real estate agents all agree….Staged Homes Sell Faster! 
• When you show a house that has been properly staged, you have 100% confidence that the first impression a buyer gets is a good and lasting one. Proper staging showcases the benefits of the house in the best possible light. 
• Home-Staging can make the house look like a model home allowing potential buyers to easily visualize themselves living there. Each and every home presents a staging opportunity.  Curb appeal is generally only the initial view, but there is so much more needed to create the “wow” factor. 
• In the future, every real estate professional will need to know about staging as it becomes the industry standard homeowners expect from the agent they choose to hire. Every real estate agent should be equipped with all the necessary skills and tools to educate the seller on how to present their home for a fast sale. 
• Very few buyers will make an offer on a house that doesn’t get them excited. 
• Staging is the crucial step needed to help a buyer connect with a listing and visualize themselves living in the home.  Staging showcases the house in the best possible light.  After all, we never get a second chance to create a great first impression so it is imperative that the house is “dressed to impress.”
• I have experienced Homes selling in days or a few short weeks versus months, that have been effectively Staged.  This professional marketing tool is part of my Realtor services that I offer Free to all of my clients. The next time you sell your house, be sure to ask for an AHS® Home-Staging Specialist. 

 What is an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR®) Realtor? 

What does ABR® mean? 

The Accredited Buyer Representative - ABR® professional designation is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. This coveted ABR® designation is awarded to real estate practitioners (realtors) by the Real Estate BUYER'S AGENT Council (REBAC®) of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR®) who meets the specified educational and practical experience criteria. 

Today's real estate brokers and agents want to provide a full menu of services for their clients, whether they are buyers or sellers. The ABR® designation is the benchmark of excellence in buyer agency service. This demonstrates to clients that the agent has taken certain steps to continue their education in the field of buyer representation. Anita has the proven experience and training to deliver ethical and professional service to real estate buyers.

The ABR® designation sets Anita apart and indicates to the consumer that she practices buyer's representation proudly.  As an ABR® designee Anita will fully represent YOU, and safeguard YOUR rights in the purchase of your home.The Accredited Buyer Representative - ABR® designation is awarded to those members who have completed a prescribed four module course, passed a written examination and a review board has examined and approved documentation of history of buyer representation experience.

Only one-half of one percent (0.5%) of real estate practitioners nationwide, have earned the coveted ABR® designation. These few have spent the time and money to learn more about what buyers need from them. Although more than 1,000,000 people in the United States are licensed to sell real estate, less than 1 in 500 have the higher skills necessary to earn the ABR® designation.

This designation, conferred by the Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council, confirms an agent's mastery of buyer representation. Agents who have earned the ABR® designation have demonstrated experience in buyer representation. Two key areas emphasized in ABR® training are how to identify potential problem with a property and how to negotiate the best price on behalf of the buyer.

An annual education conference helps keep Accredited Buyer Representatives up to date on ways to better represent our clients.

Do I Need An Accredited Buyer Representative?
Buying a home is probably the most important purchase you'll ever make. Traditionally, all residential real estate agents represented the home seller. That was true of the "listing agent" who marketed the home for sale, as well as the agent who found the buyer. That agent - who helped the buyer find the right home - actually worked for the seller as a "subagent" of the listing agent. Under that traditional system, all agents were legally bound to represent the seller and the buyer had NO representation!

Buyers Now Have A Choice.
Buyers no longer need to represent themselves during the home search and purchase while all agents legally represent the seller. Smart home buyers today can receive undivided confidential representation by choosing an Accredited Buyer Representative. In fact, 71% of home buyers surveyed in a recent Gallop Poll for the National Association of Realtors said they would use a buyer's agent next time they purchased. Now you, like the seller, can have someone on your side looking after your best interests.

How Can An Accredited Buyer Representative Help Me?
A buyer's agent owes the following duties to their home buyer: - Loyalty - Disclosure - Diligence - Accounting - Confidentiality - Reasonable Care – Obedience.  These responsibilities are defined by state law, the Realtors Code of Ethics, and general principles of agency law.

Who Needs An Accredited Buyer Representative?
To ensure you're buying smartly, you need a buyer's agent. If you're a first-time buyer, relocating or unfamiliar with the local real estate market, or buying for investment and need negotiating help you'll be best served by a buyer's agent who puts your interests first.

Can A Seller's Agent Or Subagent Truly Help Me Buy?
Without a buyer's agent, you're legally on your own. The seller's agent or subagent is, in fact, working for the seller and is the seller's legal representative. True, a seller's agent or subagent can offer buyers some services, including an explanation of available financing, calculation of costs, and presentation of your offer.

However, what a seller's agent cannot do is disclose to the buyer information not in the best interest of the seller, e.g., an opinion of the home's real value or what price and terms the seller would accept.

By effect of law, the seller's agent or subagent must negotiate on the seller's behalf and may not withhold information that could strengthen the seller's bargaining position. That means you, as a buyer, must not disclose to the seller's agent or subagent any information, financial or personal, that could possibly be used against you.

What Will An Accredited Buyer Representative Cost Me?
The right question may be, "What will it cost me if I don't use an Accredited Buyer Representative?" Purchasing a home without representation is possibly the biggest financial risk one can make.

A buyer's agent can guide you step by step in the process to avoid mistakes. Of course, failure to discover the actual value of the property or defects in the property can be very costly mistakes. With a buyer's agent you can freely ask for advice, and I act proactively to discover foreseeable problems.

Who Pays the Buyer's Agent Fee?
I do NOT charge a fee to my buying clients for my services as an Accredited Buyer Representative. My fee is paid from the seller’s commission. Now, even though my fee is paid by the seller, the seller is informed in writing that I represent, exclusively, the interests of my buying client. That, I, in no way owe any duties to the seller. As a result of my ABR® status, my buying clients enjoy the security of knowing that they have highly qualified, professional representation working for them, instead of the seller.

What is an e-Pro®……. and why should you use one?

e-Pro® is the official technology certification program of the National Association of REALTORS® recognizing quality Web Services.  The nationally recognized e-Pro® certification is currently held by less than 1% of Real Estate Professionals nationwide. 

The Internet has added a new dimension to the real estate world, and the Internet Empowered Consumer is rapidly changing how the business of real estate is done.  The e-Pro® Certification program is specifically designed to keep REALTORS® on top of changes and help you thrive in the exiting world of online real estate. 

With an e-Pro® agent, you’ll know that the REALTOR® you have chosen will have the knowledge and skills to put the power of the Internet behind your Real Estate transaction.  e-Pro’s take the connected Consumer seriously and have the Internet savvy to meet their online needs.  Using the information resources of the World Wide Web, an e-Pro® provides both Buyers and Sellers with high quality, timely information.  Whether you are buying or selling property, an e-Pro® can maximize your ability to leverage the enormous power of the Internet.

e-Pro’s respect your privacy.  Are you reluctant to give out contact information online for fear of being pestered or spammed?  You need information from someone you can trust to protect your personnel information and to not send you unwanted information. 

Make life a little easier….save money….save time….maximize the tremendous marketing potential of the Internet. 

Choose a Real Estate professional with today’s technology skill’s committed to using the Internet with skill and integrity.  Choose an e-Pro® agent. 

Real estate agents that are members of the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), that have completed NAR’s Internet professional certification program and that have demonstrated their professional knowledge and abilities involving the internet have earned the distinction and are identified as e-Pro® certified Real Estate agents. 

If you need a Realtor® that is a TOP Producer and proficient with communicating by email, or telephone, and has a content rich website that offers Visual Tours, and operates via Internet, you need to contact me with your Real Estate needs.