All Forum Posts by: Rick Santasiere

@Mike Abramowitz, yes. Check with your MA broker. A smaller CT broker, like myself would be a great start to discuss hanging your license in CT.

@Account Closed, feel free to give me a shout.  Cap Rates vary based on the use, but Granby is not a huge market, so pinpointing it (when there are such limited supply) is tough. Call me or email me any time.

@Taylor Shapiro, nice work my friend. I love your story. I loved how we crossed paths as "adversaries" for a walk through of a property we were both competing for in Windsor Locks last year. Stay connected, and we need to get coffee again soon. Its always great to see other like-minded people in similar areas grow in their experience.  

@Joe Kato. Get an agent to go on MLS and pull ALL land sales over the past 5 years. Have them search for the listing agents name as well as the buyers agent name. Call the top 3 land sellers (agents/brokers) and ask for help. You will find that local expertise will gain you far greater potential than going it alone. They tell us often: "It's better to get half of something, then none of nothing." This thread seems to be screaming this cliche term pretty loudly!! I am a broker, but admittedly, am not an expert in this area, so I urge you to find a guy or gal like me who can help you in the area.

@Don DeChello. We have agents all over the state. Check with @Christopher Reid or @Brendan Griffin to see if they can help!  Awesome agents, and we strive to create a much more unique and personal experience for our clients. If you need any assistance, do not hesitate to reach out to me as well!

Certainly. I am always willing.  Time is my biggest challenge, but we can squeeze in a chat somewhere Brian.  Sometimes you can get lucky and get me in the car!

Get pre-approved. Step 1. You don't need to "prove' anything. They will run your credit, yes. This is a GOOD thing. You will provide them with your income, and they will assist you in determining what your options are depending on the loan type you are looking at. For instance, if you are going FHA, you can push your DTI (debt to income) all the way to 55%. This means that For every $100 you earn, you could use $55 of that for housing expense (this would assume there is no current debt payment) If you are going conventional, USDA, or some of the other programs, your DTI limits are in the 41-45%.

Do NOT take the advice of someone telling to NOT to get pre-approved. It just isn't smart and will waste valuable time. Find out what you can afford first. Then determine how much you really want to spend (because you may not feel comfortable with a payment EVEN though a lender says they will lend you that amount).

Then, grab a good agent, realtor, broker, etc. Lean on them. Vet them and check their references to ensure they have worked with people who have had similar needs to yours. This is really easy to do. A good agent will share his past clients with you who may have needed similar services in the past 6-12 months. 

Lastly, choose who you listen to carefully. There is often information I see out here, that is not always correct, or the best course of action for the person who is asking for help. Good luck to you!

I would LOVE to have a guy like @Tom Parris doing work for me  and getting a "free education" in the process... I am slammed, and would give anything to have someone who was so driven that they would help me, and themselves at the same time..

And.....  The consumer is starting to "prefer" real people.. Showing up in my three piece suit working for a large brokerage can be intimidating to some people who are just looking for someone to not be SALESY, and just be real.  I am finding that my clients love when I show up in flip flops to a showing on an 85 degree day.  I feel we can be professional (in experience and knowledge), and not necessarily out on a front or show off a glamorous wardrobe to gain trust, and ultimately, a friend..

@Brian Connelly, I am a small local broker, and have several agents all over the state of CT and soon to MA.  Speaking from the brokerage side, I 100% agree with your desire for a small brokerage and feel the pro's far outweigh the cons.  As long as  you are not looking for hand holding, and are a great self starter and quicker learner, a small broker will take you on. Like Mike states, we little guys don't charge fees and don't demand "time commitments." We do, however, have a small expectation in a Return on Investment.  Reach out any time Brian, I would be happy to chat with you over phone or meet for a coffee some  time.