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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It's no secret that the market is beginning to shift. After the 2007 crash and the subsequent slow, painful crawl out of the Real Estate black hole, we're glad to see a much healthier market in the past few years. However, the strength of the sellers' market is weakening ever-so-slightly. While we areno where near where we were before the last nose dive, we're seeing trends that suggest inventory is on the uptick. With more houses available, buyers have more to choose from. Multiple offer situations on a single property are happening less and less because buyers aren't as panicked about getting their hands onproperty - there's more where that came from.

 

That's not to say that property is abundant and we're in a buyers' market - we're not.…

"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

 

We see it happen more than we'd like - beautiful homes sitting on the market because an agent didn't do their job or a homeowner is afraid to take their agent's advice.…

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…

You've heard it. "It's a sellers' market." Homeowners everywhere across the country have been taking advantage of home values climbing to almost 9% above asking price in some markets. (And rightly so.) But for months, Round Table Realty broker Howard Flaschen has been saying the market could begin to shift.  Howard doesn't mean that a repeat of 2007/2008 is headed our way, with home values plummeting and millions having to foreclose; not even close. But according to Inman reporter Lew Sichelman, the  number of homes selling above asking price is diminishing with more and more actually selling below asking price. This doesn't mean anything is wrong, necessarily. Market prices have been running way ahead of earnings for several years, and it…

The home buying process starts well before an offer makes it to the table; most people know that. But when a buyer is ready to begin the home search, what do they do first? "Zillow," the agents at Round Table Realty chuckle and say.  Zillow and the other website we digitally peel through looking for houses for sale are great resources for getting started: choosing a neighborhood, a home style, a price range... It's amazing that you and I can see inside of a house the day it goes on the market. It also creates a sense of excitement, and let's face it - urgency. Buyers want to be the first to get into these newly-listed homes because they don't want to lose the chance to put in an offer. Buyers then call their local, friendly Realtor. The…

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;

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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

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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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From Jody Caputo, Round Table Realty Realtor: Three years ago, I had a beautiful two-story home listing, complete with a pool on an acre of land. I received a call from an older gentleman named George who wanted to see it. I met him at the house one morning and after walking through it, I felt prompted to ask him why. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but why would you want to buy this particular house? This is going to be a lot of maintenance for you." He smiled and asked me if I had time to sit and talk to him, so we pulled up chairs. This is where our friendship began. "I debated for 3 solid days before calling the number on your sign. I really dislike Realtors because of past experiences with them. But my wife Judy, is the love of my…