"Show me the money."

-- Cuba Gooding Jr. as Rod Tidwell, "Jerry Maguire" (1996)

Real estate agents should never talk clients into buying a property. But every so often, they talk their folks out of buying one.

Perhaps the would-be buyers don't realize the place is in a tough neighborhood. Maybe the price is just too high for the area. Or possibly the client isn't giving enough thought to the resale value several years down the road.

Whatever the reason, it's not always about the money.

"It's not about the sale to me," says Joan Patterson of Keller Williams Realty in Rancho Cucamonga, California. "It's about integrity. I want my clients happy so I can sleep at night."

Cindy Jones of the CJ Realty Group in Woodbridge, Virginia, recently talked a couple out of buying a lot in Fairfax County outside Washington, D.C., where they wanted to build a house. "Many folks would say that's crazy," says Jones. "However, my role as a realtor isn't about what might put a few bucks in my pocket but about doing what is right."

In this case, the buyer wanted to move forward, even though there were some soil issues. "The listing agents assured us the lot was buildable, but I had some doubts," the Virginia agent says. So she researched the lot's history and eventually secured a letter from the health department stating that not only did the property not "perc," but that it also wasn't suitable for an alternative septic system.

This didn't deter her buyers, either, so Jones suggested speaking once more with the county to make sure what it said was correct. After "sleeping on it" and meeting with a county engineer in person, they finally decided the lot was too big a gamble.

"My clients thanked me for continuing to dig and for keeping them from making a very expensive mistake," the agent says. "We will keep looking to find the right property for them to build their dream home, and I'll sleep well knowing their money is still safe in their bank account."

Buyers don't always heed their agents' warnings. That's their choice, of course. But often, the results are ruinous. "Sometimes," says Patricia Baker of Leslie Wells Realty in Parrish, Florida, "the client can be his own worst enemy."

A few years back, Michael Pagliccia of Premiere Plus Realty in Naples, Florida, represented two buyers who wanted to spend big bucks -- $3.3 million in one case, $1.6 million in the other -- in a brand-new community by a well-known major builder. But Pagliccia balked.

"My advice was not to spend that kind of money in a community that was not more than 10 percent developed because of the level of uncertainty of how the development would do," he recalls. "In my eyes, waterfront will always hold its value much more so than a golf course community home. My advice was to put the money in something else, either on the water or closer to the water."

Long story short, the buyers went ahead anyway, the developer eventually went belly-up, the community remains largely unbuilt and the homes they bought are now worth $2.2 million and $1 million, respectively.

Despite his misgivings, Pagliccia decided to assist these buyers because if he didn't, there were plenty of other agents who would. But another Florida agent, Mary Diaz of RE/MAX Action First in Tampa, took a hike once when her clients, a couple with two young children, wanted to buy a house with defective Chinese drywall.

"The price was so exciting that nothing else mattered," according to Diaz.

After talking about the ramifications of buying a house with this kind of issue -- the inability to obtain insurance or financing, resale problems and the possible health questions -- Diaz demurred. "I told them I would not be part of a transaction that was so dangerous for their family," she says. "I walked away from the transaction and never saw them again."

When buyers -- or sellers, for that matter -- listen to their agents, the outcome is often favorable. Take the time Dava Behrens of Coldwell Banker Valley Brokers in Corvallis, Oregon, represented would-be buyers who fell in love with a house, even though high-tension power lines ran over a corner of the property.

Otherwise, the place was "perfect." So, although they were concerned about the possible health issues and the wide easement that allowed for expansion of the lines, the buyers started envisioning living there anyway. They had nearly convinced themselves it was something they could live with when Behrens spoke up.

"Every time you wake up with a headache, every time you are not feeling up to par, are you going to question if it's a side effect of the power lines?" the Oregon broker asked. "And if so, what is your quality of life going to be in this house?"

Behrens realizes that views differ on how power lines affect people's health. But the only opinion that is important, the agent says, is the client's.

Even though Behrens walked away from a big commission, she made a loyal customer who has since done several transactions with her and referred numerous friends and acquaintances.

On "multiple occasions," Valerie Torelli of Torelli Realty in Costa Mesa, California, has advised owners against selling and buyers against buying. And she wishes more brokerages would allow their agents to discourage buyers from purchasing the wrong house, instead of teaching them to show three houses and then ask the buyer to make an offer on one of them.

"It would help elevate our profession in the eyes of the consumer," says Torelli.

It also would lead to more happy endings, like the time a few years back when Deb Agliano of ERA Andrew Realty in Medford, Massachussetts, instinctively knew her clients were settling for a place they weren't really crazy about.

"I told them ... this wasn't the right house for them and we should keep looking," Agliano remembers. "The next week, we found their dream home."

New homes may be new, but they are rarely perfect.

Houses are giant puzzles with hundreds of parts, all manufactured at different locations and carried to the building site. And try as they might to put together a flawless product, builders and their numerous subcontractors don't always get things right.

Luckily, buyers are more likely to have to deal with cosmetic defects than out-and-out structural failures. Scratched refrigerators, broken bathroom tiles and faulty electrical outlets are far more prevalent than badly cracked foundations or sagging roofs.

But structural defects do occur. According to data from 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty, owners of new homes are as likely to experience major structural damage -- big cracks in the walls, windows and doors jammed shut, buckled floors -- as they are a major fire.

This isn't to warn buyers off new construction. Previous research has found that just one in 20 houses will experience a major structural hit over its lifetime. But one in every four will experience "some" structural distress.

Based on his review of more than 10,000 structural claims over a 32-year period, Walt Keaveny, chief risk manager of the Denver-based warranty company, says structural problems can occur from day 1. But most claims are reported between four and seven years after initial occupancy.

Total losses are not common, but claims can be expensive. According to Keaveny's analysis, it costs $42,000 on average to investigate and repair a structural claim.

With this in mind, here's how this warranty company's chief management expert says homebuyers can best protect themselves from such catastrophes:

-- Deal only with builders who offer an insurance-backed new-home warranty from a reputable company. That may sound self-serving. After all, 2-10 HBW is the country's oldest and largest new-home warranty company. But it is wise advice. A 10-year warranty against structural defects is a must, especially in areas of expansive soil -- roughly half the country.

Most warranty companies underwrite builders to make sure they are qualified, which is another reason to have a warranty over and above the homeowners' insurance protection. And with an insured warranty, if your builder should refuse to repair your house or go out of business, you still will be covered.

-- Coverage should start from the day you close on the house, and it should not exclude damage caused by soil movement. Researchers have found that active soils cause more property damage than floods, earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes combined.

The two main causes of structural damage are active soils that settle, heave or move laterally, and fill material that is not compacted to code requirements. Only 20 percent of structural claims have to do with framing; the rest concern foundations.

-- Ask if geotechnical engineers have been involved in your home's design. If so, says Keaveny, you are only half as likely to have a structural issue.

In a geotechnical investigation, subsurface conditions and geologic hazards are explored by drilling holes and pulling samples. These tests determine if the soil is expansive and if fill dirt has been properly compacted. Findings are given to the structural engineer so he or she is not working blindly when designing foundations to fit the conditions.

-- Consider hiring your own independent home inspector. Government inspectors might inspect the home, but they are making sure only that construction meets minimum code requirements.

An independent inspector should examine the house as it is constructed -- once just before concrete for the foundation is poured, again when the walls go up but before the drywall and insulation are installed, and finally when the place is completed.

Keaveny says his company requires its builders to have at least these three inspections. "If you wait," he says, "it's too late."

-- Check the grade around the house. It should fall at least 6 inches in the first 10 feet from the foundation. If it does not, water will flow back toward the foundation instead of away from it.

In areas with expansive soils, or if your house has a basement, it's best to use gutters and downspouts to carry rainwater at least 5 feet from the foundation.

If your property is graded properly, don't change it. One of the biggest mistakes owners make is to change the grade with flowerbeds and shrubs against the house.

-- Make sure you receive a copy of the warranty company's performance standards booklet. Controversies have arisen over the years about home warranty coverage. The booklet will spell out exactly what is considered a structural defect under your policy, so you will know exactly where you stand.

Absent this, purchase a copy of the National Association of Home Builders' "Residential Construction Performance Guidelines."

Individual sellers can learn a great deal from mass-market homebuilders.

Take curb appeal, for example. There's a good reason builders skip every other lot when putting up model homes. Or leave out lawn-gobbling driveways. Or build models uphill from the street, never downhill. All these tricks of the trade are designed to make their homes loom as large as possible.

But while you can't rip out your driveway or make the house next door disappear, there are steps you can take to make a good first impression. If you don't try at least a few, you may not get a second chance to wow buyers with the inside of your palace. In other words, all the emphasis on interior home staging -- prepping a home's interior for maximum appeal -- could be for naught if you ignore the exterior. You have only a few key moments to spark someone's drive-up interest, so it pays to put your best facade forward.

Not many buyers will make up their minds from the curb alone. But many have found the outside of a house so unappealing that they didn't bother to go inside.

Fortunately, you can beef up your home's exterior for less than $500 and a weekend's worth of time. Power washing a stained walk or driveway is labor-intensive, but not that expensive. Ditto for trimming the shrubs, mulching the garden and planting colorful flowers.

If you have the time and money to go all out -- say, by replacing discolored siding, replacing worn-out windows or adding shutters -- you should be able to recoup most of your out-of-pocket cost.

According to the latest "Cost vs. Value Report" from Remodeling trade magazine, the projects offering the greatest return on investment involve what could be called "curbscaping." Seven of the 10 top-ranked projects are siding, window or door replacement jobs, with cost-value ratios above the average 71.6 percent.

"The high value of replacements is due partly to their relatively low costs," editor Sal Alfano said, commenting that most "immediately improve curb appeal."

But again, you don't have to go to that much trouble to make your home's exterior more inviting. All it takes is a critical eye toward detail and the desire to create attractive finishing touches that stand out from the street.

For starters, take a step back. Walk across the street and look at your place the way first-time visitors will see it. Give it a wide view, searching for positive features that can be highlighted and negative elements that can be hidden or even eliminated.

If it will help, take a photograph of your house to use as a basis for the improvements you want to make. Since color can affect your perception of problem areas, try looking at the picture in black and white, which shows the greatest contrast -- or the lack thereof.

The most obvious exterior improvement is a fresh coat of paint. Nothing creates impact more than color. Since different people have different tastes, keep it neutral, with earth tones as the main hue and stronger shades to accent the windows and doors. Keep in mind that two or three colors are enough to make a statement.

If painting the entire exterior isn't an option, consider painting at least the doors, shutters or window frames to give your place a little pop. If your front door is made of wood that has been painted, consider stripping off the paint and staining the wood, which is much more inviting.

Your front door should be visible from the street. If it isn't, add an arbor or other landscape element to point visitors in the right direction.

Potential purchasers are just as likely to show up after dark as in the daytime, so replace your front-door light fixture with a brighter, shiny one. Also, think about laying down landscape lighting. And remember to keep the lights burning in the evening. You never know when a buyer might be on the prowl.

If you have a front porch or stoop, clean or replace any furniture out there and add new, colorful throw pillows. The idea is to give visitors a place to stop and enjoy the front door.

For a little extra spark, add a polished door-knocker. Replacing an old, tarnished lockset and accenting the doorway with decorative pots or planters also are good ways to add vitality.

If you have a garage, especially one that faces the street, treat those doors the same way. If they are in bad shape, replace them. In some houses, garage doors take up half the front or more, so they contribute -- or subtract -- from curb appeal like any other element.

Remember to keep the doors closed at all times so visitors will feel the impact. You want people to see your smile, not be able to peer into your mouth.

Don't neglect the walk and driveway. They need to be clean and free of cracks. Put the kids' toys, the hose and other gardening tools out of sight.

Fresh grass or sod is another cost-effective way to dress up your property. Seeding, of course, is the least expensive way to go, but it takes time for the seed to germinate. Sod is faster but far more costly, especially if you have to hire someone to do the work. But it might be best for curing those bald spots in the lawn.

Either way, make sure you start the process long before the house goes on the market. The last thing you want visitors to see is a bunch of stakes and ropes that cordon off freshly planted areas and signs that warn folks to "Keep off the grass."

Chances are you already have shrubs and trees, so you probably won't have to invest in these key design elements. But make sure they are trimmed and tidy. Remove dead leaves, branches and debris, and add fresh mulch to dress up planting beds.

If your place is going on the market in the growing season, adding flowers is a minimal investment with a maximum payout. Fences and gates are far more expensive, but they are an excellent way to frame your entire yard and set it apart from your neighbors'.