1. The Buyer Counseling Session

3. Relocation Division Realty3 CT is an elite member of the largest International Relocation Network Whether you are moving in town, in the state, across the country or around the globe our professionals have the power to move you!

4. Our Legal Duties Obedience to your lawful instructions Loyalty to your interests above our own Disclosure for material and pertinent facts Confidentiality for any info you provide us regarding your motivation, urgency, financial position or personal situation Accounting for your $$, paperwork, dates Reasonable Skill and Care according to license laws We are not in sales – We are service providers

5. Representation I represent your interests when the seller is a ‘FSBO’, represented by an agent from another firm or the listing agent is from our Firm If you want to make an offer on a property that I have listed, I will have two clients in the same transaction and have a higher form of legal responsibility I maintain the confidentiality of all clients, provide equal treatment to all parties and disclose all material defects required by law If this occurs, you will know in advance

6. Many Clients I represent many clients at the same time Since I also represent other buyer clients, there are times when they may be interested in viewing some of the same properties that you are targeting All client information is confidential and I will not betray that trust If you are interested in making an offer on a property I will not share that with any of my other buyer or seller clients

7. I Can’t Make any decisions for you Guarantee to help you buy property for less than market value Misrepresent material facts or defects about a property Discriminate or violate Federal Fair Housing Laws Collect any undisclosed money from any service provider Tell you if an area is “safe” or which schools are “best” Guarantee what planning or zoning will do I provide you with sources that will provide you with information so you can make your own decisions

8. Impacted Properties I respect the fact that many factors are important to your buying decision If a property has had a murder, suicide, felony, is haunted or psychologically stigmatized, state law will dictate my disclosure responsibilities You have the right to ask the seller in writing if any issues have occurred. The seller must respond in writing. You can also contact the police or ask the neighbors3

9. Other Concerns I can research any material issues that might impact the property but you need to research other non-material issues like Sexual Offenders and off-site considerations like noise, traffic, surrounding property conditions and more that might affect the value of the property There are many websites that will provide you with detailed information

10. Written Authorization Section 20-328-6a of the CT License Law states that if you want confidentiality, I am required to secure your written authorization to represent your interests prior to viewing any property Some agents in other firms may elect to delay or circumvent this requirement which should concern you and we want to apologize for their unprofessional and illegal behavior If an agent would be willing to avoid providing you with mutual promises in writing shouldn’t you wonder what else they might not do correctly later?

11. Written Agreement You will have a thorough explanation of the terms to an agreement so that you will completely understand it I am happy to provide you with a blank agreement so that you or any of your advisors may review it in advance If my firm charges for representation, signing, retainer fees you will know in advance When I receive your written authorization I will begin to work for you

12. How We Are Paid I receive a ‘success fee’ from the proceeds of a sale – if you do not buy I am not paid I don’t care what or when you purchase since that is completely your decision to make My main concern is that I provide excellent service so that you will recommend me to your family and friends Whether the property is listed with my Firm, another firm or a ‘FSBO’ – I will represent your interests so that you are protected

13. Professional Fees The seller does not pay the fee – you do! Your offer funds the entire transaction and all fees – my firm’s fee, listing agent’s fee and other transactional fees The seller deducts all service fees, settles all outstanding debts and then keeps the rest My firm expects a professional service fee of 3% to represent you in your purchase You instruct me to collect this fee from the seller, the buyer broker fee offered in the MLS or from the proceeds of the sale If the amount offered does not cover the amount in our agreement, the difference will be wrapped into your offer

14. Optional Services Home Warranty for your protection Loan Pre-Approval Peripheral Service Providers –1031 Tax Exchange Intermediaries –Service oriented Real Estate Attorneys –Licensed Home Inspectors –Home repair professionals including roofers, electricians, plumbers, heating contractors, handymen, junk haulers, housekeepers, painters, landscapers, etc.

16. Loan Process Prior to showings, you must be either pre-approved or committed for a loan. If you are paying cash you will need to provide proof of those assets Not all loan originators are good All are in ‘sales’ and owe no fiduciary duties to you My firm has extensive experience with many loan originators and I make recommendations when our past clients have had a great experience You will authorize the lender to discuss your fiances with me so that I can provide you with more options

17. Loan Verifications I need two letters of financial qualification from your Lender The first letter is the ‘blueprint’ to structure your offer detailing the loan type, rate, terms, points, loan to value, seller concessions, mortgage amount and maximum monthly (PITI) principle, interest, taxes and insurance The second is a generic statement from the lender stating that “Your tri-merged credit report, financials have been reviewed and you are deemed worthy for the amount sought” No amount or property address is stated and the letter is attached to any offer you may make

18. Loan Terms Pre-Qualification –Basic credit report pulled –General Income and debts discussed –Lender gives you a ‘ball-park’ Pre-Approval –Loan application made –Tri-Merged credit report pulled –Income and Debt statements collected/reviewed –Lender submits details in automatic underwriting Loan Commitment –All pre-approval steps taken, application paid for –Financial details and employment have been verified –You are now ready to close on the property

19. We’re Ready Once your financing is in order, we are ready to go shopping for a property! Since I am not in sales, I respect your budget choices rather than push you to spend more than your want Your needs, wants and wishes are programmed into the MLS and calibrated so that you will receive automatic updates based on your criteria You determine the info delivery – email, pick up, fax or snail mail

20. Selection Process You may be receiving property updates from a variety of other general websites – the info you receive from our MLS system is far more detailed and tailored to your specific criteria Select the properties you wish to view and contact us so that I can book your viewing appointments If you do not see anything you like within your budget range, you may need to re-assess that price range

21. Showings Once you have selected the property you wish to view, contact me to schedule appointments Most sellers require advance notice so I need time to book showings and get confirmations Reserve my time in advance since I want to provide you the attention that you deserve If you have a last minute need and I have already been committed to assist another client, I will attempt to secure another agent within my firm to assist you in showings

22. Open Houses Realtor® Code of Ethics and state law requires agents to ask if you are currently, contractually represented You should Inform the agent that you are represented and sign my name to register No agent may interfere with another agent’s client level relationship, prevent you from entering the property, nor can they say that if you do enter, they must represent you or write your offer if interested Please collect their business card and call me immediately if you have any issues since this is a serious legal breach

23. New Construction The same process applies if the builder is an agent or represented by a listing agent but there is no process if they aren’t represented by an agent Some Builders may lead you to believe that you can deal direct and save. Our experience with past clients demonstrates that this is not even remotely true A builder can’t prevent you from having an agent, nor can they interfere with the relationship Requesting information from their website does not prevent you from being represented

24. For Sale by Owner A seller may choose to represent themselves but they can’t make any choices for you FSBOs can be overpriced, have heavy financial debt, possess some type of material defect that they prefer not to disclose or don’t want to pay an agent to protect them We can still view the property, determine if you want to make an offer and if you do, I do not need the seller to pay my fee since your offer includes it anyway

25. Feedback After a seller’s property has been shown, some listing agents will call for ‘feedback’ Since feedback can divulge your confidential impressions or intentions, I will thank the agent for the opportunity to show but won’t provide any additional comments Any information we receive regarding the property or seller - positive or negative – will be immediately told to you

26. Market Analysis When you have made a final choice, I will provide you with a general market and property analysis identifying the comparable sold property, feature for feature in similar neighborhoods The price you pay will depend on many variables – market conditions, amount of available inventory, seller’s personal and financial situation, etc. If you really want the property, bid seriously

27. Legal Representation You are entitled to consult with a legal representative at any time during the process Please remember that a timely response is important and I cannot accept responsibility if the seller accepts another offer before your attorney responds It is important to select an attorney that specializes in real estate to minimize the occurrence of potential problems within your transaction

28. Offer Process When you are ready I will write an offer to include terms that protect your interests All components and contingencies of the offer, along with the process will be explained providing you with options, alternatives and ramifications to choices Remember that all decisions are yours to make and I can’t be responsible if things don’t work the way you had hoped they would Your attorney can provide you with advice and additional protective clauses if desired

29. Customary Contingencies Initial and additional deposits Mortgage Contingency Insurance Contingency Inspection Contingency Hubbard Clauses Closing Dates Hold-over or Rent-back Contingencies Seller-funded rebates for points, repairs, closing costs, additional buyer agent fees

30. Cautions In most cases the property you select will provide a property condition form which is neither a warranty nor guarantee but a statement of ‘actual’ knowledge If any seller does not provide the form prior to the contract being signed by all parties, you are entitled to $500 at closing In a FSBO transaction, I will ask you if you want us to secure a property condition form or prefer to have the $500 credit at closing

31. Confidentiality of Offers Once your offer is written and delivered to the listing agent, there is no implied guarantee that the terms of your offer will remain confidential You can have the seller and listing agent sign a confidentiality statement prior to presenting your offer In a seller’s market when multiple offers may arrive or exist – there may be little that you can do without potentially losing out In a buyer’s market you may have more time but there is still no guarantee that other offers may come in before you get your statement returned. This is your decision to make and you will hold us harmless from that decision

32. Presentation of Offers There are a variety of ways to reassure you that your offer was presented. When permitted by the seller I can personally present; I can hand deliver the offer to the listing agent; I can email the offer to the agent; I can attach a verification of presentation form for the seller to sign If there are no other offers, the process is usually straightforward but if there are multiple offers exist, I will discuss the process and your options

33. Negotiations Sometimes things don’t work out – no matter how much you were willing to bend Each scenario has a personal backdrop that can often interfere with you getting the property you want Take the time you need and start again If negotiations are successful, I will secure all necessary initials and signatures All parties and others authorized by you, will receive complete documents

34. Contract Extensions All performance dates require evidence of written satisfactory completion If I have not received notification, a written extension may be requested by either party The objective is to insure that it is signed by all parties prior to the expiration of the date If not, it may result in someone incurring a financial penalty or loss of rights

35. Inspection Process The inspection phase is a mutually agreed timeframe that allows the buyer a third party assessment of the structure and mechanical components even if the property is “As Is” You may select any inspector you choose but if any of my clients have had a bad experience I am obligated to disclose that to you and require you to hold us harmless from that decision If the listing agent or seller remain, they may not interfere

36. Repair Requests Inspectors will submit a written report and it may be necessary to secure experts to validate and quote the repairs identified Any requested repairs will be made in writing with that page of the inspector’s report and/or the expert’s quote I will then formulate a written response based on your instructions and attempt to arrive at a mutually agreeable solution in re-negotiating with the seller’s agent

37. Finalizing Repair Phase Once agreed, repair items will be addressed after receipt of the written mortgage commitment and prior to closing Sometimes a lender will send an inspector to the property to verify that repairs have been made or we will provide paid written receipts from licensed professionals at closing to verify that work was done

38. Mortgage Contingency Within a predetermined timeframe, a written commitment can be expected from the buyer’s lender If extra time is required, a written extension may be requested The seller can decide whether to grant the additional time or not depending on your current circumstance I will advise you of your options

39. Closing Count-Down Odds and Ends Verify all required repairs Organize packing & movers Contact utility companies for final readings Transfer utility services into the buyer’s names Agent will schedule a pre-closing inspection Insure that contractually requested items are left Occupy on the day of closing Unless advance contractual arrangements have been made

40. Closing The closing date is a ‘ball-park’ date that is determined by the closing attorneys and their respective clients Most closings proceed without incident since all details have been handled and agreed upon prior to this event One of our professionals or our transaction coordinator will be present to insure that everything that was agreed upon stays that way!

41. Post-Closing I am always here to help if I can However, if you need general information or assistance – please contact me! I appreciated the opportunity to represent you and please keep me in mind when your friends, family and co-workers want to buy or sell property Thank you ! Thank you !

42. Realty3’s Mission Realty3 currently has four offices in Essex, Berlin, Stonington and Southington, CT We are a local business with a national and international presence through our elite affiliation with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World and Luxury Home Division Our mission is to provide superior representational services, legally and ethically, to consumers who are interested in the buying and/or selling of real property

43. Realty3’s Vision Our vision is to continue to offer our clients a distinct competitive advantage in the marketplace when buying and/or selling real property Our professional service consultants are dedicated to delivering superior results for our clients by achieving specialized professional designations Clients view the quality of our work as second to none and continuously recommend our representational services to people they care about