Need a Real Estate agent NOW (home, college, deductible)

[mjmom]

Businessperson:
I happen to be a forecably retired who's "Who of Who of American Businesses" regarding Slumerval's request is not unreasonable for two reasons one as a Christain businessman this should not be an issue at all, in fact you should have jumped on it to prove your faith. I would have responded "no problem" I firmly believe in Luke 6:38. If they were not of a christain faith what better witness, than to live what you should believe. Secondly every smart businessman knows that you propotinately get back what you give away. NO, yours seems to be one of ego where no one has a right to tell me what to do. One more thing it is a tremondous marketing testimonal, which can be powerfully used for web promotions. There is an old saying "me thinketh thou prosteth a little too much" You claim to have given so much to your clients. There is a definete difference between giving wih a giving heart and bartering, sacrificing, letting go, or other sacrifices to get a deal done. For one to give so much out of a grateful heart, one prosteth a little too much. By the way I know first hand this turned out to be well worth the sacrifices and service to this customer. Perhaps you will learn next time the importance of T.N.T. Time spent Never equals Total loss

[businessperson]

Originally Posted by RBadstibner

Businessperson:
I happen to be a forecably retired who's "Who of Who of American Businesses" regarding Slumerval's request is not unreasonable for two reasons one as a Christain businessman this should not be an issue at all, in fact you should have jumped on it to prove your faith. I would have responded "no problem" I firmly believe in Luke 6:38. If they were not of a christain faith what better witness, than to live what you should believe. Secondly every smart businessman knows that you propotinately get back what you give away. NO, yours seems to be one of ego where no one has a right to tell me what to do. One more thing it is a tremondous marketing testimonal, which can be powerfully used for web promotions. There is an old saying "me thinketh thou prosteth a little too much" You claim to have given so much to your clients. There is a definete difference between giving wih a giving heart and bartering, sacrificing, letting go, or other sacrifices to get a deal done. For one to give so much out of a grateful heart, one prosteth a little too much. By the way I know first hand this turned out to be well worth the sacrifices and service to this customer. Perhaps you will learn next time the importance of T.N.T. Time spent Never equals Total loss

I would happily give a donation to a Christian organization, but they didn't ask for that. They said "the charity of their own choice". That could be the Taliban for all I know. And, no you're wrong, it ' s not an ego thing. It's a matter of freedom to do what you choose with your own income. Which, by the way is I'm sure what they do. So, you have your opinion and I have mine. I would not do it.

[Brandon Hoffman]

Originally Posted by slumberval

Looking for a real estate agent with the following qualifications:

Been in business 5 years (or have been a super star agent in the few years you have been doing business- primary goal is that you are EXPERIENCED).

Willing to have clients that will make you look EVERY WHERE (we are looking from Pickens to Greer to Greenville to Landrum)

Willing to have clients that know just enough to be dangerous

Willing to donate 5% of your commission to the charity of our choice (the Lord loves a happy giver!)

Will stay in touch with us (yes, we are high maintence)

Someone who is HONEST and has INTEGRITY and isn't looking just to sell a house

Someone who has a website
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In exchange:
We will be purchasing something in the next month- we are homeless- just relocated here from Colorado.

We are reasonable, we just want to be treated with respect and understanding

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We are driving into Greenville today and want to start looking this weekend. Please call and leave a message and we'll get back to you (not sure where we will have reception on the drive in). I will not have consistent internet access (remember, we're homeless) so please call.

Thanks!

Valerie Murphy
303.285.9030

I am not a Greenville agent but you have announced that you will be difficult to the world and asked for salary to be donated. Someone is going to spend a lot of time and gas driving you around it sounds like, I don't think the agent should have to give up any of the commission, charity or not. You don't ask the cashier at Wal-Mart to give up 5% of her salary to ring you up, or the waitress at Outback to give back 5% of her tip to charity, or the doctor to give up 5% of his fee to charity, why should you expect this of Realtors (real question, not rhetorical)?

Lastly, there is no excuse for agents to not return phone calls and I hope your move turns out to be a pleasant one. I know returned calls/emails is a big problem in real estate with part time agents but across the board I sometimes have to call various professionals in other fields to until I get an answer because I know they don't call back. It's not just a real estate problem, I see it across the board. I encourage all buyers and sellers to be choosy about their agent because for most it's the most expensive transaction they'll make.

[thumper720]

Originally Posted by slumberval

Wow, ya'll are stuck in the SOUTHERN frame of thinking!! Where I come from it is VERY common for agents to do this.

I have been in the real estate industry for over 12 years in Colorado and the agents that offer this to their clients do MORE business than many of their counterparts. It's a win win situation. It's business that they wouldn't have had otherwise. Besides, I could have just put myself through Coldwell Banker's referral system and a 25% referral fee would have gone to me instead of just 5% to a VERY good program designed to help struggling single moms, not just a little but A LOT- check it out SPARCAS - Main Page for more information. Not a "church" as some of you have assumed.

Seems to me a lot of Southern business people don't understand the simple business ethic of sometimes you have to give a little to get a lot. Since when can't a customer request what they want from a provider?

I have called agents, e-mailed agents and called again in the Greenville area for quite some time before moving out here. Do you know how many returned calls I'd receive for inquiring about THEIR listings? About 1 for every 5 and never any follow up (even if they said they were going to find information for me). Don't tell me that's the Southern way- that's just flat out lazy. If home sellers in Greenville KNEW how LITTLE their agents are actually working for them-it's pathetic. It's no wonder there are so many For Sale By Owner's here, in my opinion, most of the agents don't deserve the fee they are charging because they aren't even willing to work to SELL the houses they have listed.

And for the record, I did get a call from a FANTASTIC agent. She has been extremely attentive to all our needs, understanding and has been MORE than willing to go the extra mile in researching properties for us and everything we ask for. Better yet, she does it with a joyful heart. What more can a customer ask for?


Liz, thank you SO much for asking what we were looking for- very sweet. We were torn between Pickens/Easley and Greer. When we got here we did our duty (instead of wasting our agent's time) and drove the areas. We LOVED Greer as it is similar to where we use to live. Surprisingly, though, we found a home in Powdersville- great price, great area. It's not hard to see why people are relocating to the Greenville area. Finding a FABULOUS home with less than $100 per square foot (and land to boot!) has been so much fun!

To all the boo-hooer's... just remember, the race goes to the one who's willing to train for it. If you're an agent reading this, just take a look at all the threads of ALL the relocating people coming here. Don't be surprised if their expectations are more than what you are use to giving (or not giving for that matter). And remember, it's just business. If someone doesn't like the service you're offering, or not offering, then trust me, they WILL go somewhere else.

I don't agree with what you said. First of all, the realitor does not get the whole 5%. Some goes to the broker of the company they are working for. Not to mention, that is someone's paycheck. You don't mess with someone's paycheck. They have to go to school, and continue to go to school just to keep competitive. It is not just a one time schooling. If they want to give money to any charity, it is solely up to them. You never know what is going on in people's lives. Just because they make good money as a realitor, does not mean they are barely making it by. It is wrong of you to assume that they make good money, and therefore they should donate there commission. You are going to have a very hard time finding someone who does that, and if where you come from that is common, then just go back.

[Whippet]

You can demand the 5% donation, but personally I think it takes a GREAT deal of nerve to do so. First off the agent may only receive 3% (50% of the total 6% commission) ... secondly as was already pointed out, the agent (if not the broker in charge) may not get the whole 3%. Thirdly, it's the seller who has to pay the commission. Fourthly, she's demanding the charity of THEIR choice --- which to be blunt, could involve them personally (I've seen that scam before, people that run scam charities and draw salaries from them). I think if they had requested a small portion going to a mutually agreed to LOCAL charity, it wouldn't have sounded half as bad.

[TeddyG]

If a realtor selling a $300,000 home at 5% commission and received
2.5% to the brokerage co.
The Brokerage will take up to 1/2 of that leaving $3250. Now take 30% for tax leaving $2100. Thats before car insurance, gas , ads realtor fees e/o...
lets say $500 for that. Leaving $1600. A person takes 2 or 3 months to find a home , and another month to close . Now take $1600 by 4 months
Thats $400 a month for phone calls day and night and possible law suites

Being a realtor . It's the hardest easy money you will ever make.

By the way if you left a massage with all the realtors , the same way
you posted no wonder only 1 in 5 called back.

I do agree with you that all realtors should call you back that day and at least say they can or can not help.

Good luck , I beleive someone will help you as the people are very nice in the Greenville area

[bruthamutt]

While I admire wanting to donate the 5% commission to a charity of your choice, why don't you let them keep their 5% for their hard work and just give 5% of whatever their commission would be to the charity of your choice? That way both of you are happy...the realtor who worked so hard to placate a high-maintenance client get's their full commission to do with whatever they want, and the charity of your choice prospers as well.

[rrufast]

Just checking back in on this post..

There are some pretty broad opinions here... Very interesting.

To the original poster...
I'm glad you found what you were looking for, both in a home and in an agent who was willing to tailor themselves to meet your needs/desires/demands, what ever one would like to call it.

I must say though that your note of agents not returning phone calls is simply inexcusable. Unfortunately, for the dedicated and diligent agents out there, this makes us ALL look bad. There is a significant amount of time and money one must spend in order to become a GOOD agent. One who can meet most, if not all, of a clients needs and wants.

I shake my head at times knowing that there are so many folks who are 'fly by's in the real estate industry.

[SuzyQzy]

Look into Upromise.com. You will receive part of the Realtor's commission (a referral fee) to invest into a 529 plan. I have already purchased 4 houses using a upromise referral.

[roadpony]

Originally Posted by slumberval

Willing to donate 5% of your commission to the charity of our choice (the Lord loves a happy giver!)

I know this is way late, but I believe a lot of people misconstrued what the OP was asking (or demanding). She was NOT asking the realtor to donate the entire commission... only 5% of the commission received by the realtor. That's not even a tithing level of 10%.

That said, I'm not sure that such a demand is necessarily reasonable. However, it's a free marketplace, and if someone wants to take a client with those demands, at least they're going in with their eyes open.