No. You don’t. There is no rule or regulation that says you must have a real estate agent when buying. But there really isn’t much of a downside to having an agent, assuming that person is honest, knowledgeable, has your best interests in mind, and is way cool.

Like, say, me.

The truth is, a real estate agent, and a Realtor® (what’s the diff?) particularly, should help you make what is essentially a gratifying/thrilling/terrifying experience as smooth as possible. Kind of like having a doctor help with childbirth. You could do it yourself, but then you’d have clean up after yourself, and those meds sure can be nice.

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Loads.

A real estate agent is a person who is licensed by their state to sell real estate. The requirements vary from state to state. In my state of North Carolina the requirements for getting and maintaining a real estate license are specific and are becoming ever more stringent. There are courses to take, exams to pass, fees to pay, and yearly continuing education requirements. Once licensed, the professional practices of licensees is regulated.

At one time or another it seems that everyone has had a real estate license. Frankly, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a former or current real estate licensee.

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If I am true and honest with myself, which I try to be at least a couple of times year, I have to say that thinking about my weight has been the most constant and overriding thing in my life. Boyfriends came and went, fashions changed, goals shifted - and so did my flesh.

I was pudgy enough as an adolescent that when the extra padding went from where it shouldn’t have been to where it looked pretty good I couldn’t even enjoy it. I was a size 5 through high school but remained the “plumpest girl in the room” in my mind.

Sheesh! Why do we do this to ourselves?

At any rate, college, more boyfriends, way different fashions, interesting classes and friends - and still I focused on being fat (in my mind).

Over the years, though, I managed to make my perception the reality. Fat, fatter, fattest. I grew, and kept growing. I ended up looking like the Violet Beauregard in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - only a bit less purple. I was HUGE.

Uncool.

One December day, for no reason I can figure out, I dragged my lardy self to the local YMCA, went into the workout room, and strolled on the treadmill for about 10 minutes. Showered. Went home, exhausted but triumphant.

Thus began the incredibly slow process of losing some weight - about 52 pounds to date. There are many, many more to go. But every morning I wake and am better off than I was that morning in December.

Of course, I just heard that Krispy Kreme is going to start serving their doughnuts with ice-cream. ARGHHH!

There is more and more news nationwide about the “sub-prime” mortgage market and how it has had a real impact on the economic climate. For something that most people never heard of before a few weeks ago, there sure is a lot of talk about it. Kind of like Paris Hilton - came out of nowhere and now we can’t escape!

The short answer is that “sub-prime” means very much what it sounds like. Some borrowers credit is not so great. Most lenders go by FICO scores, income, employment history and a few other variables to determine what interest rate a borrower can qualify for. When the lender determines the numbers don’t add to good news, a borrower may turn to a lender who specializes in making riskier loans - sub-prime loans. These loans will generally be at higher interest rates, may have rates can vary from month to month or both.

Keep reading. There’s more!

Alas, the commission I make on real estate transactions is a far cry from 6%. As a matter of fact, very, VERY rarely does any one real estate agent make anywhere near that amount.

A little clarification: The commission for real estate sales is not set and cannot be. It is a negotiated fee. That having been said, many companies have a commission they’ve determined is what they need to run their business effectively.

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If you’ve been hearing or reading the news about real estate from the national media lately, you may think that your opportunity at catching the American Dream of homeownership has just passed you by. It sounds like home prices are falling through the floor, lenders are going belly up and anyone with an idea of buying would be better off sticking their money in a coffee can buried in the backyard. (Of course, if you’re still renting, you’ve just sunk even MORE money in someone else’s property if you do that..)

Keep reading…there’s more!

This question is a common one, and often the buyer puts enthusiasm for house-hunting before the reality of financing. Let’s face it - there’s no upside to falling in love with a house, only to find the monthly payments would require you to sell your plasma on a regular basis. Also, we sometimes underestimate what we can afford and therefore short change our housing options.

Keep reading…There’s more!