Bob Jacobs is a Real Estate Broker and owner of a brokerage with over 70 realtors in the San Antonio area. Jacobs reveals a disturbing trend he is seeing where consumers are not fully aware of the documentation they’re signing. He also addresses how to avoid the unpleasant consequences to which this lack of knowledge may lead.
The name Bob Jacobs is synonymous with success in and around the San Antonio real estate market. Bob is currently the Secretary/Treasurer of the San Antonio Board of Realtors (SABOR) and the Chairman Elect of that organization to serve in 2016. SABOR is the largest Professional and Trade Organization in San Antonio with over 8000 members. Jacobs was voted SABOR Broker of the year in 2012 and the RE/MAX of Texas Broker of the Year in 2012. When not selling homes, Bob Jacobs also manages a staff that develops professional Realtors to achieve their goals of customer satisfaction.
Like many Realtors, Jacobs initially became involved in Real Estate as a hobby. Jacobs recalls, “This was meant to be a ‘supplemental income’ portion of my life, but I quickly realized that I loved the industry and it could only be served properly by full time participation.”
Jacobs realized a career change was in order back then in 1990 and enthusiastically exclaims, “And here I am almost 25 years later and the industry is still challenging and rewarding!”
One thing that Jacobs has been noticing as of late is a rather disturbing trend. He sees that consumers are not fully educated when it comes to the significant amount of paperwork involved in a transaction and as such, they may be putting themselves in a rather precarious position. “The real estate industry, specifically being a Realtor, is an industry that co-exists with the legal profession,” explains Jacobs. “We are able to use contracts, prepared by the Texas Real Estate Commission, to help our customers and clients buy and sell property. The amount of paperwork can be overwhelming to the consumer.”
When asked to expand upon this, Jacobs says adamantly, “Make sure you ask questions! These forms can be legally binding. You have the right to get legal advice.” He also adds more softly, “Luckily, in Texas, we do operate using standardized forms.”
Fortunately, Bob Jacobs is both experienced and helpful and he doesn’t stop there. “During the real estate process, each consumer has interaction with several industry professionals.” Jacobs continues, “Beginning with a trusted Realtor, there is a Mortgage Loan Officer, Title Company representative, Insurance Agent, Licensed Inspector, Builders, Contractors and various personal trusted advisors and family.”
No wonder consumers can be overwhelmed with information coming at them from so many different directions. For good measure, Jacobs adds, “Make sure the communication goes both ways! Ask questions and get answers.” And he concludes with this little nugget, “Do not depend on internet answers. Local and state laws can be very different than the internet! In the end, remember that you can always hire legal representation if needed.”
That last piece of advice is one that consumers should heed whether buying a home, contracting services or making any other significant investment. Information is everywhere on the Internet, but not all of it is accurate. Many dollars might be saved and problems avoided if one were simply to consult with a professional Realtor.
Anyone wishing to learn more about Bob Jacobs or his services may contact Bob at bjacobs@rmasanantonio.com , http://www.bobjacobs.com or call (210) 340-3000.