Mayer Dallal is a residential real estate expert and commentator. He recently took the time to answer some questions about his services and various trends in his industry. Mayer can be reached directly at 1-800-871-9326, or mayer@mayerdallal.com.

1. Why should homeowners contact you for a short sale?
MD: With nearly two decades of experience in the real estate industry, I offer homeowners the kind of perspective that is the result of wisdom. Not theory. Not intelligence alone. Rather, wisdom is the product of success and adversity, the ability to withstand difficult challenges and better prepare for opportunities others will miss. While the economy is in turmoil – and that upheaval continues to strike individuals and families nationwide – I also know that the real estate industry will weather this storm. My outlook is not a form of naive optimism, nor a refusal to acknowledge current difficulties. On the contrary, I know that the residential real estate market will recover, because my exposure to past crises teaches me that homeowners still have many tools at their disposal that can lessen the impact of potential foreclosures or rapidly dropping prices.
Short sales are a prime example of this point: an effective tactic to leave an otherwise seemingly untenable situation. I have a lot of experience advising homeowners concerning the use of short sales. To answer the question more directly: homeowners should contact me about short sales, because – unlike many other people in this industry – I know how to accurately and effectively handle these transactions. Qualifications matter — period. To benefit from a short sale, a homeowner must qualify for this opportunity. Other individuals may offer empty promises, but I have the ability to quickly determine which homeowner can use a short sale.
2. What benefits or expertise do you offer, compared to your competitors?
MD: I personalize my services for each client I advise. Bigger companies do not take the time to learn the needs of the clients they service. In fact, bigger is often synonymous with bureaucratic; the failure to achieve quick results without any hassle or additional costs. Some of my competitors may have more staff or resources at their immediate disposal, but I execute my transactions with absolute precision and respect for my clients. To repeat: I structure solutions for each person I help. Forget all the jargon about statistics and marketing presentations; I listen to the needs of my clients. Some of their stories are inspiring, while others are, unfortunately, tragic tales of people victimized by uncertainty and sudden economic hardship. As a human being, I want to do the right thing. I expect the same from someone who counsels me: honesty, integrity and compassion. Those traits are not fads; they're standards of personal decency.
3. For first-time home buyers, why are your services the best to use?
MD: The residential real estate business can be very complex, even for industry veterans like myself. For first-time home buyers, the sheer number of choices can overwhelm most people. For example: first-time buyers are not all alike; they have different needs and different expectations, which is why I customize a program for each client I advise. I help first-time buyers navigate this process, giving them options so they can educate themselves about the benefits (and restrictions) of the various tools available to them. Other firms merely shuffle documents, and reduce prospective buyers to a series of numbers. That approach is cold and simply wrong, a disrespectful attitude to the very clients we have a duty to counsel. The lesson here is simple: give clients a variety of choices, and work with them so they find the solution that best fits their individual circumstances.
4. You handle a lot of real estate business. Please give an overview of the scope of services you offer?
MD: I offer a full array of services, from FHA loans to short sales to conventional mortgages to general real estate advice. With nearly two decades of experience as a real estate professional, I know what first-time or repeat homebuyers need. In fact, my flagship website – MayerDallal.com – contains a wealth of information about these services, along with helpful videos to guide people through the respective topics I address. Also, I work with a federally chartered bank, which enables me to close deals in approximately three weeks or less. These strengths separate me from the majority of other businesses in the residential real estate industry. Think of my services within this context: I anticipate the needs of my clients, and also have appreciation for trends that will influence my services, thereby creating an ideal business environment.
5. What are some key trends or statistics people should educate themselves about, when dealing with residential real estate?
MD: The biggest trend, right now, in the residential real estate market is short sales. Rather than succumb to foreclosure, which can have severe emotional and financial consequences, homeowners have a better option. And yet, confusion abounds concerning the use of short sales. For those who qualify – and know they qualify – short sales are an excellent way to preserve credit and get back on the road to owning a home. But a far greater number of people who qualify for short sales are unaware this tool even exists. I counsel clients about short sales all the time, fielding calls and emails about how to use this option and the broader implications involved with this tactic. I remind current and prospective clients that short sales only make sense for those who qualify. Let me underscore this point further: some unscrupulous individuals in the real estate industry continue to mislead homeowners about short sales, creating false hope and unreasonable expectations. I would rather act like a doctor than a charlatan. Which is to say, I have a responsibility to be frank but compassionate, to deliver, when necessary, bad news. If someone's financial prognosis is not good, the worst thing I can do is speak in generalities or mistruths. On the other hand, if I can help someone take advantage of a short sale then I will do everything in my power to make that happen.
6. Your sites have a lot of content. Please explain the benefits your sites provide, especially in comparison to your competitors?
MD: MayerDallal.com is my flagship website, a destination for buyers, sellers, media and people with an interest in the residential real estate industry. The site has a lot of content, segmented by specific topics and complemented by educational videos for each area of discussion. MayerDallal.com is about transparency, too; I want readers to have the same information I use, so there is no ambiguity about the services I provide. I treat my clients as my equals, which means I do not withhold information or position myself as someone who has exclusive access to proprietary intelligence. Instead, I make it clear that MayerDallal.com contains all the key facts and statistics that influence the decisions I make. The site exists for an important reason: to demystify a needlessly arcane process that gives my colleagues leverage over buyers and sellers. Forget that. MayerDallal.com is an easy-to-use site that is educational and relevant — the site is my expression of thanks to the people I serve.
7. Describe some of the audiences you help? In other words: who are your clients?
MD: My clients range from first-time homebuyers to veterans of the residential real estate market. These clients often become friends, since I invest the time getting to know these people so I can help them achieve their goals. Many times, I help clients who, quite frankly, need sound advice. Think of the situation from the perspective of, say, a first-time homebuyer: the process marks a major life change, filled with joy and apprehension, punctuated by anxiety about financing, legal costs and realtor fees. My job is to simplify this situation – and I do my best to achieve that result – so clients can focus on what really matters: a pleasant conclusion.
8. What are some your biggest successes, in terms of helping clients?
MD: As the testimonials on MayerDallal.com prove, I help people who need the guidance and wisdom of a proven real estate professional. The unsolicited testimonials on my site are both heartfelt and inspiring. These friends can attest to my ability to make a short sale happen, or my skill at finding customized financing. The point is: my successes are not about the size of a given transaction; my achievements are about restoring peace of mind for individuals who find themselves overwhelmed by economic uncertainty and needless complexity.
9. Please offer some predictions or thoughts about some notable developments you think will happen, in the short-term, for the residential real estate market.
MD: In the near future, I expect short sales to increase. As foreclosures continue to rise – the residential real estate market may experience another steep decline – short sales are, for many homeowners, the only alternative to financial disaster. There will be more news reports about short sales, more queries from potential clients about this option and more commentary about this issue in general. In such a situation, expertise will be a sought-after commodity, so people will need a trusted expert who has a lot of intelligence about the proper use of short sales. Without being too self-promotional, I think prospective clients will be happy to find me, because I already have a successful track record with short sales and other parts of the residential real estate market.