I got my Realtor license first and for years my I had to stand by helplessly and watch my sellers get killed by the buyers home inspection report. I decided a Realtor license simply wasn’t enough to represent my clients as best I could. So, I decided to take action and studied and trained to earn my HI license. Why?

Why Hire Me?? Why am I Different? Why are you going to be financially better off with me representing you instead of a limited Realtor?

Every Realtor will tell you “I can sell your home fast for the highest price”!!

You’ll want an experienced Realtor. 85% of licensees quit before 5 years for many reasons: no business acumen,  can’t negotiate when it gets emotional, too stressful, etc. Representing clients is a business-not just a license to open doors for people.

Why am I more valuable to you than the other 15% of experienced agents?

This is what happens after you negotiated a price (always a fight) and accept the offer.

They get a Home Inspection

And todays' home inspectors are armed with equipment that is so far advanced they can detect, for example, the moisture where you sneezed last week!

Plus, they will stack the report with ridiculously minor items. And then the report will have a summary which can double the size of the report. The problem here is that, especially for first time homebuyers, the mere size of the report will have them run away from the contract.

When the buyer gets the report, 3 thing could happen and 2 are bad for you, the seller.

1. Your buyer will cite the report and ask that you either fix/repair/buy new most or all of the items in the report.

2. Demand you drop the already agreed upon price, which is commonly an emotional negotiation to begin with.

3. The buyer cancels the contract and you just lost 7, 10 days on the market. There’s no way of knowing if that perfect buyer made an offer on your neighbors house because yours was under contract. Plus, your listing gets 10 days more stale.

The report is basically prosecuting your home and the buyers become nervous, wary, and worried they are buying the wrong house.

If they haven’t cancelled the contract at this point, here comes the SECOND negotiation they learned about from those videos I just showed you. They were expecting this and are prepared to use the report to renegotiate the terms. They’ll ask for a price reduction or demand you fix / repair / or buy new items cited in the report.

Here is answer to why I’m valuable to you:

We all know how a criminal court works. The prosecutor lays out his case before the Jury. At this point the defendant is obviously guilty in the eyes of the jury, right? Then the defense attorney responds with his side. He lays out his side and plants doubt in the minds of the jury. Now the jury is prepared to hear the facts.

If the jury was only allowed to hear from the prosecutors’ side, what verdict do you think they would have? Guilty, right?

This is what happens to you during the SECOND negotiation. You get the prosecutors (home inspectors) report and you are on the defensive. Your buyer just grabbed a strong negotiating position. How do you defend it? Do you make the expensive repairs or drop the price.

This is where things get emotional and deals die. You feel you already compromised on the price during the FIRST negotiation and now they want HOW MUCH MORE??  $10,000, $20,000, $50,000??

The report will be filled with terms like “nearing the end of its useful life expectancy” – which is often used for major components like the roof or HVAC systems – “should be looked at by a licensed electrician / plumber / HVAC guy”, Possible hazard, inefficient, components appear worn,  Again, how do you defend it?

Here is why my clients hire me:

First,  I go through your house with you and identify those issues which may show up on the report. We’ll do when I list your house, which greatly minimizes the report before your buyers inspector ever shows up.

Next, I meet the buyers HI when he arrives. I introduce myself as your agent and ALSO your HI. I pull out my license and tell him I already did my inspection report for you and, as a colleague of yours, I’m curious to see how your report compares. The HI’s posture instantly changes from the only authority on site to, uh oh, Ernie knows how this works. I’ve found my presence and my license reduces the eventual report and by extent, the buyers fears and demands.

I now use my license again and become your homes defense attorney.

I will look at every item and mitigate the report that effectively puts a doubt in the mind of the jury, your buyer.

This is why it’s important to have me represent you. Any Realtor, or even you, can defend the report. But in that scenario, here’s the conversation between the buyer and their inspector: Buyer: “This is what their Realtor said”. Inspector: “Of course they’re going to say that, but they’re not a professional, licensed HI, are they? What do they know?”. And the buyer stiffens and doesn’t change their demands.

I write your response in the language the inspector not only understands, but knows it’s true.

Here’s that conversation between your buyer and their inspector after my rebuttal: Buyer: “This is what their Realtor said”. The Inspector, who now knows me: “Well, that’s true. He’s not wrong. My scope of work is to just report what I observe”.

You, or another Realtor, may defend the report well, but it’s my license that makes all the difference.

With the authoritative weight of my license, you took back the negotiating position that the buyers thought they had.

Call me now to secure this kind of representation. Ernie 773-671-6857

Looking for a trusted realtor in Chicago, IL?

Chicago is known for many things. The food, tall skyscrapers, passionate sports team, and job opportunities. Most of all, lots of affordable homes in Jefferson Park, Edison Park and Portage Park!

If you’re planning to sell or move in soon, please do not hesitate to reach out to Realistic Realty, LLC. To speak with a team member, just give us a call at 773-671-6857 or contact us online.