East Bay Real Estate Consulting
As an hourly real estate consultant, I have helped people in the East Bay. In one recent case, the client was a senior citizen who had a number of questions relating to her property. She was neither buying nor selling, but required information for planning purposes.
Several days ago, I helped another individual with a purchase contract and other documents. She is in the process of buying a home from a FSBO (For Sale By Owner) and needed someone on her side to help her through the process.
Real estate is a business that, in many ways, is slow to change. The dearth of qualified professionals doing consulting on an hourly basis is a prime example. Although quite a few agents have the word "consultant" on their business card, they use the term simply as a variation on the word "salesperson." It is the rare licensee who understands the factors that differentiate a consultant from an agent, and the difference it makes for you, the client.
In our current, tight-money economy, paying a Realtor by-the-hour for specific functions makes sense. Those I assist in this way love the service.
To understand more about the benefits of hourly consultations, and what to look for in a consultant, read my past articles: Consultant or Agent?, Consulting Helps Couple Avoid "Money Pit", and Consulting Saves Buyer’s Bacon.