Chris Hardy's Blog

FAQ X:  Is a Home Warranty a Good Idea? If you’ve been to a personal electronics or appliance store in the last several years, you’ve more than likely been asked at the cash register something like this, “Would you like to protect your purchase with a Genuine Best Buy Extended Warranty?”  For nea...

FAQ VIII:  What Do You Mean the House is Already Under Contract?  Oh, if I had a hundred dollars for every time I’ve heard this question – from clients AND REALTORS!    Let me set the stage:  You are a buyer.  You have searches running at every web-site that lets you set up automatic notification...

FAQ IX:  Will You Tell Me if This House is Haunted?  This may not qualify as a frequently asked question but it does come up from time to time.  As a Buyer’s Agent (and I do mean acting in a full agency/fiduciary capacity), I am obligated to share with you any and all information that is pertinen...

FAQ VII: Can I Get a Better Deal if I Go Direct to the Listing Broker?  Short answer:  Maybe  Long answer:  Maybe Not.  Here’s why:  A Seller hires a broker to market her home.  They pre-agree on what that marketing/brokerage fee will be.  Together, the seller and the broker determine a list pric...

FAQ VI:  Why Isn’t There a Penalty When the Lender Can’t Deliver? At any given moment across this country, hundreds and thousands of potential home owners are anxiously awaiting word from their Lender that the underwriting gods have given their final blessing and the wiring instructions have been...

FAQ V:  Why do I need a broker when the builder has its own sales team? You are interested in buying a home – but not just any home.  You want to buy THE home; your dream home, as the phrase goes.  You’ve been doing research on line until your retinas detach.  You’ve dreamed about the features yo...

FAQ IV:  Why is the Zillow Zestimate So Much Different Than The Asking Price? As alchemists struggled to find ways of turning lead into gold, real estate professionals and the industries that support them have tried to find an automated way to determine property value.  The biggest challenge to t...

 FAQ III:  Why are there cow pies in my yard? Not long after we purchased our first home, we received a newsletter published for the region that explained why it may be neither uncommon nor illegal to find livestock grazing in our yard and on our property.  For those living in rural or ‘unincorpo...

FAQ II:  Which Season of the Year Do Deer Turn Into Elk? Yes, I’ve actually been asked this question.  Prior to becoming a real estate broker I did a short stint as an on-call tour guide for local day trips up to the nearby Rocky Mountains.  On one occasion, I was taking a group of International ...

FAQ:  Should I Talk To A Lender First?  Answer:  Absolutely NOT!! If you’re truly dreaming of owning your own home, dream often and dream BIG!  Talking to a lender will do one thing and one thing only – squash your dreams!  Here’s some advice:  First, set up an account at Pinterest, then visit HG...