Using a Realtor When You Buy

You often hear that sellers should be very picky when choosing an agent to market a listing, but little advice is given to buyers on how to find a real estate professional.  In fact, most offices require their agents to work “floor time” or an “opportunity schedule” so that a licensed professional is always available if a customer calls looking for an agent.  This results in many clients simply letting their fingers do the walking to find someone who will help with one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives.

However, when you choose a Realtor to work with when you purchase a home, that agent needs to be just as professional, informed, and experienced as one you’d get to list your house.  My friend Kathy listed some questions on her site this week for buyers to ask Realtors when choosing who to work with.  There are some great questions to ask a buyers agent when you’re considering a home purchase.  For example,

• What percent of your business is by referral?
• What is the absorption rate of this market?
• Do you hold the ABR designation?
• Can I call your last buyers or sellers and ask their opinion of your work? Or ask to see copies of letters or thank you cards given to you from buyers or sellers.

I encourage you to read the entire post and I reiterate what Kathy said in that any knowledgeable real estate agent should be able to answer these questions intelligently.

American Lifestyle Magazine

My colleague Kathy Tyson and I have partnered together to bring our clients a new magazine called American Lifestyle.  It’s a very nice product that features a travel section, city profiles, home decor, international places of interest, and much more.  The magazine also provides a recipe card each month featuring some delish-dish (actually two cards – one for you, one for a friend).  We’ve both received a lot of calls about the Chicken Valenciano, so as a service to you because I’m so awesome*, here’s the recipe!

Chicken Valenciano

Ingredients
For the Salsa

• 3 navel or Valencia oranges, peeled and segmented
• 1/2 red onion, minced and soaked in 1 cup water, then drained
• 2 scallions, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced

For the chicken

• 6 boneless chicken breasts, lightly pounded, or 6 (7-ouncee) airline chicken breasts**
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cracked pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 12 small red potatoes

 Cooking Intructions

1. Make the salsa: In a medium-size bowl, toss together the orange segments, onion, scallion, cilantro, oil, and garlic. Aloow to marinate for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
2. Make the chicken: Preheat the oven to 400 (degrees) fahrenheit
3. Brush the chicken breasts with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt, pepper, and cumin.  Place the batches in a large, heavy ovenproof skillet over medium heat.
4. Cook until well-browned on both sides.  Place in the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes for boneless breasts, about 20 minutes for airline breasts**.  Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside, keeping warm.
5. Place the red potatoes and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same skillet, and roast in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden and tender.
6. Slice the boneless chicken breasts and arrange on a serving platter, family style; serve the airline chicken breasts on individual serving plates. Either way, top with the salsa, and garnish with roasted red potatoes.

Special note:  An airline breast is a boneless chicken breast with the first wing bone attached.

*Modesty is one of my best qualities.  Ha.
** I am not a cook so have no earthly idea what an airline chicken breast is.  Hooray! They wrote a special note just for me!