Archive for March, 2009

Greed.

March 17th, 2009 Categories: Real Estate Chatter

I’m so tired of the greed. Everyone needs to make a living. But charging fees to a client that isn’t your own because your client is not paying it, is WRONG.

I have a buyer who’s been looking at foreclosures. Today we found one he’d like to make an offer on. When I saw who the listing agent is, I cringed. I’ve dealt with them before. They’re the kind that stipulate in the Broker’s Remarks : DO NOT CALL OUR OFFICE TO FIND OUT IF YOUR OFFER WAS RECEIVED. Gee, I thought that’s what offices, phones and staff were for; to provide customer service.

Anyway, that’s not my beef with them today. When I looked further in the remarks it states that the buyer “must pay a $325 compliance fee for maintaining records and files.” The only reason they are charging my buyer this is because their seller won’t pay it to them!

My buyer is already agreeing to pay my brokerage firm our administrative charge. Why should he get hit with a double whammy and have to pay the seller’s side of the listing office fee because the seller refuses to pay it?

By the way, we’ve been on the other side of this as well and we do NOT charge buyers of our REO listings our administrative fee even though the seller (bank) is not paying us. We waive it because it’s the right thing to do. The seller is sending many listings our way, and we are going to show them our appreciation for those listings by charging our administrative fee to the buyer?! No. That would be wrong.

Spoken by Maggie Dokic | Discussion: 1 Comment »

Coral Gables’ Carnaval on the Mile

March 4th, 2009 Categories: Coral Gables, Entertainment

The city of Coral Gables is hosting it’s 9th annual “jazztronomical arts festival” this weekend. If you’ve never experienced it, you’re missing out!

The Carnaval on the Mile is well regarded as a fun time for all and a premiere showcase of Latin Jazz. The event takes place on the famed Miracle Mile in Coral Gables the first weekend in March. Miracle Mile is the mile from LeJeune Road to Douglas Road on what would otherwise be Coral Way. It’s a mile long walk of exclusive shops, restaurants, cafes, the Miracle Mile Theater and more.

There’s plenty for the family to do starting Friday, March 6th and the activities continue on Saturday and Sunday. Art displays, sculptures, crafts, lots of food and drinks and lots of live performances all weekend long.

The event is free as are all the performances.

Wear comfy shoes and get ready to shake el eskeleto!

Spoken by Maggie Dokic | Discussion: No Comments »