Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Kurzner Group was officially established in 1994. Greg Kurzner has been a licensed real estate agent since 1989, and became a real estate broker in 1991.
Kurzner Groups has agents who represents buyers and agents who represent sellers.
A real estate broker represents real estate buyers or real estate sellers during the purchase or sale of a property. They oversee and negotiate sales agreements and manage real estate transactions and their associated documents. They normally show properties to prospective buyers a facilitate other aspects of a sales.
Brokers are licensed by the State of Georgia, and must take specific classes and meet testing requirements as well as have actual experience as an agent before they can become a broker. Ongoing classes are required for a broker to maintain their license.
Brokers supervise other agents, if any, in their organization.
Brokers are real estate agents, who can supervise themselves.
Like a real estate broker, a real estate agent represents real estate buyers or real estate sellers during the purchase or sale of a property. They oversee and negotiate sales agreements and manage real estate transactions and their associated documents. They normally show properties to prospective buyers and facilitate other aspects of a sales.
Agents are licensed by the State of Georgia, and must take specific classes and meet testing requirements. Ongoing classes are required to maintain the license.
Agents must be supervised by a real estate broker.
Most clients never need to visit our office as we generally meet at your home or other locations.
But if you need to come to our office, Kurzner Group is located at:
105 Nobel Court
Alpharetta, GA 30005
We are on the second floor.
Questions about selling
One of the most important duties we have to you is to fairly and accurately estimate the value of your home or other real estate so that you can list it for sale at or near fair market value.
We will use our experience and current market data to create a market analysis and price for your property. You will have the opportunity to discuss and approve this price before we put your property on the market.
While not necessary in most cases, you can always get an appraisal from a certified and licensed appraiser. There will be a fee for this, but it may give you peace of mind that you are asking a fair price for your home or other property.
Ultimately, the market itself will dictate the true value of a property. If you list a property for more than it is worth, you won’t receive any offers. If you do get offers, they will come in lower than your asking price.
If you list a property for less than it is worth, you’ll end up with multiple offers that typically create a bidding war as buyers make above-asking-price offers. This is especially true during a “sellers market” when the supply of properties is lower than the demand.
For most homeowners, the answer is “No, don’t remodel your house before you sell.” There are many reasons, but the most obvious is that the remodeling choices that you make may not be what the next owner wants. You could spend $30,000 renovating your kitchen, then the next owner immediately changes it to their taste, undoing everything you did.
Potential homebuyers will be evaluating your home based on how it looks now, but also based on how much they think they would need to spend to update it to the way they want it if they move in. If they estimate the kitchen would need $15,000 worth of work to make it the way they want it, their offer to you would silently include a calculation that reduces their offer by as much as $15,000 or more depending on the situation.
The vast majority of remodeling projects do NOT return 100% of the cost. In other words, if you spend, for example, $10,000 to remodel a room, you may be lucky to receive 60% or $6,000 back when you sell.
What you do want to spend money on are repairs that bring a house up to par. In other words, if you have a toilet that leaked and damaged the floor and celling, repairing that would be a good use of your money. The reason is that many potential buyers will decline a property immediately if they see certain types of damage or deferred maintenance in a home.
Fix things like holes in walls, damaged surfaces, foundation problems, mold, bad wiring, drainage problems, sinkholes, plumbing problems, roof damage and roof leaks (but not necessarily roof replacement), damaged carpet, peeling paint, dirty surfaces and HVAC problems. This is not a comprehensive list but this covers most of the obvious deal-breakers that can prevent your home from selling.
The answer to this question depends on numerous factors, so there isn’t a simple, blanket answer.
During upturns in the real estate market, houses may receive multiple offers on the first day they hit the market. During slower times, it may take several days or weeks to get a qualified offer.
The location, price and condition of your home all impact the demand and the time it will take to sell it.
We can give you general information about home sales in your area. Contact us today to discuss the specifics of your home.
Most buyers require some period of time for due diligence. This gives them the chance to have a professional home inspection done, plus time to get financing approved. Typical times for due diligence range from just a few days to a month or more.
If the inspection reveals defects that need to be corrected before closing, expect delays.
Everything is negotiable. If you need a quick close, you may need to be willing to take less money. If you have multiple offers, you might be able to pick among different options that include faster closing times.
The commission rate will be based on a specific agreement. Contact us to discuss representing you.
Yes, absolutely!
We love to answer seller questions! There are no dumb questions and we want you to feel comfortable asking anything. Real estate can be complicated.
Contact us to ask your questions about selling real estate in Atlanta.
Questions about Buying
Buying a new home versus a resale or “used” home comes with a number of upsides and a number of downsides.
A new home is, of course, new. This means that, like a new car, nobody else has used it. There probably aren’t any surprises lurking “under the hood.” On the other hand, a resale home has had time to mature, and some of the kinks may have been worked out by the previous owner. For example, water leaks that existed because the builder didn’t properly seal the roof have likely been fixed by the time you have a chance to buy it.
But, as a home ages, it inevitably needs ongoing maintenance. Roofs wear out, plumbing and other fixtures need replacing. Foundations settle. This is why you always want a home inspection before buying a resale. You’ll uncover problems that may cost you thousands of dollars to fix down the road.
Resale homes are typically available now, while new homes may not been finished. If you need a place now, a resale home may be the only option. If you can wait, a new construction home can be a wonderful option, especially since you may be able to have some customization done before it is completed.
Yes. If you engage Kurzner Group to help you purchase a property, we will serve as your buyers agent. This means that we represent you, legally. We don’t represent the seller.
No. In the vast majority of sales, the seller (property owner) pays the commission to their broker, who then compensates the buyer’s broker.
If you engage us as your official buyers broker, our agreement will spell this out. And any agreement you sign for a specific purchase will also discuss commissions.
Contact us and we will make arrangements to tour the property. In most cases, we can get access to property within a day or two.
Most buyers will have, at a minimum, pre-qualified for financing before they start looking at homes. You need a general idea how much home you can afford and how much a lender will be willing to lend you.
Pre-qualification is a very simple process that a lender will go through to give a buyer a quick idea of how much they can borrow. It isn’t a commitment to lend, and the buyer ultimately may not be able to secure a loan. You can usually get a “pre-qual letter” in 1 to 3 days.
On the other hand, a financing pre-approval is a much more thorough process that essentially requires the buyer to submit a mortgage application and other documents, plus they may have to pay application fees. Credit will be checked and the lender will give the buyer a specific amount they will lend. Pre-approval may take one week to one month or more, depending on your circumstances, as well as the current mortgage industry “load.”
To get started, contact the lender of your choice and ask for a pre-qualification. If you need recommendations for a lender, contact us.
Getting pre-approved for a loan is good to do before you make any offers since many sellers won’t consider offers from buyers who aren’t already pre-approved. The sooner you do this, the better.
Once you make an offer that is accepted by the seller, you will have time to get final loan approval. This may take two to three weeks.
Any offers to purchase a home are always contingent upon getting final approval for financing. So if for some reason you can’t get approved for the loan, you will not be “on the hook” or liable to purchase the property.
Yes, absolutely!
We love to answer buyer questions! There are no dumb questions and we want you to feel comfortable asking anything. Real estate can be complicated.
Contact us to ask your questions about buying real estate in Atlanta.