GENERAL REAL ESTATE BROKER/OWNER ROWENA GENERAL has over thirty years experience in government and management, thirty years in the business of new home sales and construction, twenty-two years as a licensed Realtor, with twenty years as a licensed Broker/Owner. Her strong employment and business background, professional education and training, real estate designations, experience and work ethic are the benchmarks of a highly skilled real estate professional.

Do you know that very few Real Estate Brokers or Agents have earned the REALTOR, ABR, CBR, SFR and GRI designations? This is one more reason why GENERAL REAL ESTATE is ahead of their competition and why it is recognized by all of the national, state and county professional real estate organizations.

What is a Realtor? Not all brokers or agents are Realtors. Only active members of the National Association of Realtors who subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics and the highest standard of professionalism are Realtors.

What is an ABR? These three letters after a Realtors name tell you that you will be working with a buyer representative who is committed to your best interests. The Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) designation is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. This coveted designation is awarded by the Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council (REBAC), an affiliate of the National Association of Realtors, to Realtors who meet the specific educational and experiential criteria needed to provide the highest level quality service required by REBAC.

What is a CBR? A Certified Buyer Representative (CBR) is trained to professionally represent the Buyer in a real estate transaction. The CBR trademark allows consumers to identify a buyer agent who has been trained and who possesses the skills necessary to represent purchasers in a legal, ethic and non-adversarial fashion.

What is a GRI? The Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI) symbol is the mark of a real estate professional who has made the commitment to provide a high level of professional services by securing a strong educational foundation. Realtors with the GRI designation are highly trained in many areas of real estate to better serve and protect their clients.

What is a SFR? For many real estate professionals, short sales and foreclosures are the new “traditional” real estate transaction. Knowing how to help sellers maneuver the complexities of short sales as well as help buyers pursue short sale and foreclosure opportunities are not merely good skills to have in today’s market — they are critical.

Rowena E. General is a member of the National Association of Realtors, the New York State Association of Realtors, the St. Lawrence County Board of Realtors, the Northern Adirondack Board of Realtors, the Greater Rochester Association of Realtors, the Graduate Realtor Institute, the Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council and the Women's Council of Realtors.

Rowena E. General has listed and sold a diverse range of properties (residential, commercial, turn-key businesses, farms, waterfront, vacant lots and acreage) throughout New York State in several counties. She specializes in professional buyer representation, and in providing the highest quality of professional and personalized real estate services to every client.

SELLER'S AGENT
 
Simply put, a Seller's Agent represents the Seller.

Before you enter into a discussion with any real estate agent regarding a real estate transaction, you should understand what type of agency relationship you will have with that agent. 

New York State law requires real estate licensees who are acting as agents of buyers or sellers of property to advise the potential buyers or sellers with whom they work of the nature of their agency relationship and the rights and obligations it creates.

GENERAL REAL ESTATE will make sure you are provided with proper information and you will be asked to sign a New York State Agency Disclosure regarding real estate agency relationships.

If you are interested in selling or leasing real property, you can engage a real estate agent as a seller's agent.  A seller's agent, including a listing agent under a listing agreement with the seller, acts solely on behalf of the seller.  You can authorize a seller's agent to do other things including hire subagents, broker's agents or work with other agents on a cooperative basis. A sub-agent is one who has agreed to work with the seller's agent often through a Multiple Listing Service.  A sub agent may work in a different real estate office.

A seller's agent has, without limitation, the following fiduciary duties to the seller:  reasonable care, undivided loyalty, confidentiality, full disclosure, obedience and a duty to account.

The obligations of a seller's agent are also subject to any specific provisions set forth in an agreement between the agent and the seller.  In dealings with the buyer, a seller's agent should (a) exercise reasonable skill and care in performance of the agent's duties; (b) deal honestly, fairly and in good faith; and (c) disclose all facts known to the agent materially affecting the value or desirability of property, except as otherwise provided by law. 

GENERAL REAL ESTATE can create a customized marketing plan for the sale of your property.
 
 
BUYER'S AGENT

Simply put, a Buyer's Agent represents the Buyer.

Before you enter into a discussion with a real estate agent regarding a real estate transaction, you should understand what type of agency relationship you will have with that agent.  Unfortunately, most Buyers contact a real estate office, meet an agent, visit properties, purchase a property and never know that the real estate agent actually represents the seller, and not you, the buyer.  Unfortunately, many agents do not explain or require signatures on agency disclosure forms as required by law.  

New York State law requires real estate licensees who are acting as agents of buyers or sellers of property to advise the potential buyers or sellers with whom they work of the nature of their agency relationship and the rights and obligations it creates.

GENERAL REAL ESTATE will make sure that you have been provided with proper information and you will be asked to sign a New York State Agency Disclosure regarding real estate agency relationships.
 
A real estate Buyer's Representative represents the buyer who is purchasing property in a real estate transaction.  The Buyer's Representative works for and owes fiduciary responsibilities to the real estate buyer and has the buyer's interests in mind throughout the entire real estate process.

If you are interested in buying or leasing real property, you can engage a real estate agent as a buyer's or tenant's agent.  A buyer's agent acts solely on behalf of the buyer.  You can authorize a buyer's agent to do other things including hire subagents, broker's agents or work with other agents such as seller's agents on a cooperative basis. 

A buyer's agent has, without limitation, the following fiduciary duties to the buyer:  reasonable care, undivided loyalty, confidentiality, full disclosure, obedience and a duty to account. 

The obligations of a buyer's agent are also subject to any specific provisions set forth in an agreement between the agent and the buyer.

In dealings with the seller, a buyer's agent should (a) exercise reasonable skill and care in performance of the agent's duties; (b) deal honestly, fairly and in good faith; and (c) disclose all facts known to the agent materially affecting the buyer's ability and/or willingness to perform a contract to acquire seller's property that are not consistent with the agent's fiduciary duties to the buyer.