I’m not against using a broker. I’m actually working with one, though I have NOT signed any exclusive. I just find the situation with needing a broker bizarre. If the cost of doing business is that you need to deal with another middleperson, then it is what it is.

But considering that my offer on my current home was a short e-mail outlining price, pre-approval situation, down payment, and stating “AS IS”, I’m entitled to find it all a little odd.

The other thing that I find weird is how financial information on condos is given. Where I bought, if you ask the selling broker nicely, they’ll e-mail you a PDF or fax it to you (for free) within a day or two.

In CA, it seems like condo financials are a big secret. Need an accepted offer, blah, blah, blah, need to pay a fee for copying, yadda, yadda. How can you possibly make a sane offer if you don’t know the financial health of the condo board?

Yes, you can gather quite a bit from maintenance fees, FHA/VA approvals, the condition of the complex, and just from talking to people. But why not put that info out front to make everyone’s life a bit easier?