The best brokers are a combination of Freud, Bob Vila, the Yellow Pages and your best-ever teacher.  Along with that, he or she should have some talents as an interpreter of your wishes and hopes, a facilitator and a good researcher.  Both information and support should be available to you through your broker.  Only a broker can speak to all parties involved in a deal and sometimes that ability is all that can break an impasse or keep a deal moving.

With a good broker working for you, your deal will go smoother and faster.  Any licensed real estate agent can sell an apartment.  Almost all NYC brokers share the same listings, exclusive or not.  So why not find someone who makes you feel comfortable, informed and well taken-care of.  Buying or selling a home is a major emotional and financial experience; it doesn’t have to be a major trauma.  You’ll be spending a lot of time with your broker; why not enjoy it?

At The McIntosh Company, these are the minimum job requirements.

Click here for a checklist to work from: BUYER  -  SELLER
 
 
 
 
 

What to look for
When you’re the buyer:

Your agent should have:

• immediate access to all current listings
• knowledge of the neighborhood where you’re looking
• familiarity with co-op boards and particular building requirements
• problem-solving ability and be a source of referrals for lawyers, mortgage brokers, contractors, etc.
• knowledge of recent sales 
• ability and willingness to act immediately on new properties or offers
• loyalty to you; a broker should call you every few days with any new properties that come on the market, or simply to let you know there’s no action
• ability to interpret your “wish list” and show you the listings that really suit your tastes
• ability to counsel you on how to compete in this currently “hot” market and make successful bids

• provide a co-op’s financial statement and offering plan to your attorney
• refer you to contractors for estimates when needed
• work with your mortgage broker to make sure all the information a bank will need is made available
• give your attorney information needed for the contract of sale and for him to complete his due diligence
• help you prepare a co-op board application
• advise you on coordinating closing times; pre-closing inspections, etc.

One of the biggest advantages to you of working with an exclusive agent is that he or she is your representative and you can refer all questions or problems to him.  Your phone calls will all be with your exclusive agent; all appointments, negotiations and requests will come to you from her.  As your representative, the broker will

• provide information on sales of comparable properties to help set an asking price
• counsel you on how to present your property to bring in the best offer
• co-operate with other brokers and their buyers to show the property
• make appointments with you for all showings
• check the qualifications of any potential buyer
• counsel you on the best way to handle the negotiations, multiple bids, etc. and choose a buyer who will satisfy the bank and the co-op board
• provide information to your attorney which he needs to prepare the contract
• see that the buyer’s attorney has the financial and co-op information he needs to do “due diligence”
• cooperate with the buyer’s broker and mortgage broker to see that necessary information is provided
• supervise the co-op board application so all information is provided completely and understandably and the application goes through smoothly
• advise you on coordinating closing times; pre-closing inspections, etc.

Do you like answering the phone 40 times a day? 
Are you available at all hours to show someone your apartment?
How often can you bear questions on how negotiable your price is? 
Have you had a lot of experience assembling and vetting board packages?  Can you prepare someone for a board interview?  Recommend a lawyer or mortgage broker who’s a deal-maker, not a stumbling block?
Have you seen enough apartments that compare with yours in size, condition, view and location to be confident about an asking price?
What do you advise when your buyer’s mortgage application runs into a problem?
Can you market the property to hundreds of Manhattan real estate firms and make it available on an international website?

These are just a few of the things we will handle for you as your exclusive agent.
 

• As a member of WestSide Brokers Group and the Real Estate Board of New York's multiple listing service, we have access to an extensive, state-of-the-art computerized database which is updated daily. Our database is one of the best in the city and provides information on thousands of apartments and homes, including building information and sales history.  This allows us to give you the information you need to set a selling price with full confidence.
• We personally notify hundreds of Manhattan real estate firms of a property’s availability within 24 hours of signing an exclusive.  This gets your property to the people who have customers educated about the market and ready to buy. 
• Our agents are neighbors.  We all live in the City and are able from personal experience to sell your neighborhood as part of selling your apartment.  We make ourselves available to show your apartment at almost any time.  We feel you will get the best price by showing the apartment as often and as easily as possible.
• We pride ourselves on the personal care we give every client and his or her property. 
• We advertise your apartment constantly on our website, the multiple listing website and in the New York Times.   We prepare “set-ups” with floor plans and building information for buyers.
• We are a small company that can give you everything a larger broker can, plus the individual personal attention that we believe every seller and buyer should have.  Your listing will not be lost in someone’s database. 
• We will guide your buyer through the process, keeping the deal moving steadily from contract to board package to pre-closing inspection.
• We will keep you informed at all stages of the negotiations, contract, mortgage and board process.  We are your problem solvers.

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