In a case filed this year against one of New York's most prestigious Real Estate companies, Houlihan Lawrence, plaintiffs are arguing that the brokerage duped them into signing dual agency forms. Dual agency is when a Real Estate agent can represent both the buyer and the seller in a single transaction, which means that neither party has the benefit of full-disclosure, loyalty, or confidentiality. The agent is working for the deal, not for the people involved. The law in New York states that both the buyer and seller must be fully informed if a Real Estate agent is acting as a dual agent. While the case is still pending and it's possible the plaintiffs did sign documentation that their agent was acting a dual agent, it doesn't mean they understood the
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If the market is shifting, will your home's value go down?

That's not to say that property is abundant and we're in a buyers' market - we're not.…
If You Want Your Home To Sell...
"Just up the street from me there is a beautiful, 5 bedroom/4 bathroom home with lots of space and a beautiful layout. But I was shocked when I actually walked through the home. There were so many thing I would have changed to help the home show better. Sometimes a listing agent doesn't explain the importance of a few basic upgrades and house-cleaning issues to the homeowner prior to listing a home, and sometimes a homeowner just doesn't listen because they believe they know better than the agent. At this point that home has been on the market over 100 days..."
-An RTR Agent
The Independent Brokerage - Episode 10
What's the first thing buyers look for when they're searching for a new home?
Home prices.
It's the most obvious answer because most of us have a budget we must keep our monthly expenses under. While buyers are typically accurate with what they can afford, they miss the mark when it comes to understanding how much a home actually costs. They leave out figures like taxes, which are often applied to their monthly payments. They leave out home owners' insurance and home owners' association fees, also billed monthly. And they don't take into consideration the ongoing maintenance costs that come with owning a home (often because they were previously renting and weren't responsible for those fees!).
When you begin your home search, get in touch with a…What a Shifting Market Could Mean for Buyers, Sellers, Homeowners, and Renters!
BEFORE You Start Your Home Search
"Can I take a day to think about it?" Not in this market!
Several times every week, one of the Round Table Realty agents shares a story in the office about a buyer who waited to make an offer. It’s a nearly identical story every time. A Round Table Realty agent shows their client a hoe in the Jacksonville or St. Johns real estate market, the client loves the home but decides to wait a day or two to “think about it,” and the home ends up under contract before the client can make an offer. The client is disappointed. The agent is sad for the client. The entire experience stalls or stops altogether.
If you’re in the Jacksonville or St. Johns market for a home, there are a few things you should know:
1. According to Trulia, homes are on the market an average of 64 days. That’s not listing-to-offer time;
…Home Inspections - Don't freak out! (Yet!)
Home inspections are one of the scariest parts of the real estate transaction for both sides of the sale. Why? Because we've all heard the horror stories of an entire deal falling apart because of the dreaded home inspection report!
Recently we chatted with BJ Johnson, owner of Inside & Out Property Inspectors, because his is a company our Realtors know well and use often. His thorough inspections, including the use of an infrared camera, keep many invisible issues from hiding. We asked him what a home inspection report is, what details of a report could indicate major problems, and what BJ considers "fixable" issues that he sees in many of the homes he inspects.
While Inside & Out's inspections (like all inspections) are only visual in
…Can I afford to build a new home?
Whether you’re changing jobs, starting a family, or looking to retire, Northeast Florida real estate has been steadily growing and improving over the past 10 years. New construction is everywhere, and it’s far more affordable than you might think. Our clients are often surprised when they find out a brand new home is in their budget!
Jacksonville New Construction Real Estate
Jacksonville proper is filled with beautiful home developments, condominiums and apartments lining the St. Johns River, and a cultural explosion has left residents clamoring over local theatre, concerts, and art. A centralized Town Center means shopping, entertainment, and pleasure all in one place. Don’t forget Jacksonville is home to the NFL football team the Jaguars, the
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