On more than one occasion I have heard or have had customers exclaim to me that the best real estate buys are bought by not only Florida Realtors but Realtors in general long before the properties hit the market. This comment always makes me think of that cartoon character with the handle bar moustache tying some innocent damsel to a train track in hopes of forcing her to sell her property quick and cheap. Yes, there are Realtors that purchase real estate for their own investment reasons, and equally true is the fact that some Realtors are among the best negotiators in the business world BUT most non Realtor investors can rest easy that their Realtor is in fact providing them with the current up to date "deal" available on the market and are not keeping the good stuff for themselves. Nor, as I am about to explain, are they misleading sellers into selling their homes and property for a "steal".

In the state of Florida, like all states, Realtors are bound by a code of ethics that guide them in how to do business. When we encounter a property that the seller wants to "give away" or price below Florida market value, either because of limited knowledge or even if done with a purpose, we are obligated to explain to them that they can, in fact, receive more money for the Florida property by placing it on the open market. Many times in this current market, sellers are surprised at how high above their expected selling price a Realtor suggests pricing their property.

Yes it is not a perfect world and I am sure there are those in my industry that do not care about ethics, but with nearly 20 years of full time experience, I am happy to say that I have never witnessed this happening. I am also pleased to report that my industry has done an exceptional job of policing itself and is quick to eliminate from our organization those who would seek to take advantage of the less informed.

Another point to keep in mind is that Florida Realtors, by and large, are not multi-millionaire types that can afford to purchase every stick of real estate that comes along. While you may see Florida Realtors bragging about being million dollar producers or multi-million dollar producers, the reality, when translated to real income, is that most make a modest honest living. I, like some of my other Realtor friends, have bought property over the years, some we have done well with, others we have done not so well.

All in all I know of many individuals who do not sell real estate for a living who have fared much better in the investment real estate market than I, or other Florida Realtors, have.

So, if you are looking for a nice home or property for investment or otherwise in Central Florida, give me or a Realtor of your choice a call, We will let you know what is available, even the good stuff.

Greg Staker is a Broker Associate and Assistant Manager with Watson Realty Corp. of Central Florida