Question RE Realtor (sale, new house, buying)

[Postal68]

We signed a contract with an agent to list our home. We are a little aggravated with him because he did basically nothing to sell our home except put a sign on the lawn and list it online with photos. Not once did he or an agent from his office(he owns the brokerage) show our property.

Fortunately for us, we did get 2 offers and agreed on 1 within 3 weeks from other agents bringing people through the house.

Now our agent took us out once looking for a new home and we didn't like anything he showed us, not even close.

We were driving around coming home from a relatives house and we found a new development that we liked the homes and the development. We had told him that we found it and he got all in a huff about us going there without him, and asking us if we told them we were working with an agent. Obviously he wants a cut of the sale, but are we obligated to bring him in on this if we decide to buy ? We found the house.development, he did nothing to find it for us, and we probably would be able to make a better deal on our own for upgrades if the agent wasn't involved getting his percentage for doing nothing.

[HelgaB]

Your case is fundamentally different from what we were discussing here:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/new-j...-re-agent.html

Since your realtor was not involved with your new property at all, he is not entitled to anything. Congratulations on your sale and good luck with your new house!

[jen404]

The agreement you signed was for the realtor to sell your home and that is where the obligation ends especially since you found the new property to buy on your own. Our realtor was helping us look for homes in a town about 30 min. away from where we currently live. She asked us if she could also help sell our home. We flat out told her thanks but no...there is a better agent in our area that would be more convenient. Don't have to use the same agent for buying and selling at all. Good luck :-)

[Roselvr]

Originally Posted by Postal68

We signed a contract with an agent to list our home. We are a little aggravated with him because he did basically nothing to sell our home except put a sign on the lawn and list it online with photos. Not once did he or an agent from his office(he owns the brokerage) show our property.

Fortunately for us, we did get 2 offers and agreed on 1 within 3 weeks from other agents bringing people through the house.

Now our agent took us out once looking for a new home and we didn't like anything he showed us, not even close.

We were driving around coming home from a relatives house and we found a new development that we liked the homes and the development. We had told him that we found it and he got all in a huff about us going there without him, and asking us if we told them we were working with an agent. Obviously he wants a cut of the sale, but are we obligated to bring him in on this if we decide to buy ? We found the house.development, he did nothing to find it for us, and we probably would be able to make a better deal on our own for upgrades if the agent wasn't involved getting his percentage for doing nothing.

I agree. No.

You signed a listing for them to sell your house. Some actually tell you that commission will be smaller if you also buy a house through them and from what I am told, them showing you houses is a courtesy when listing with them. They usually don't have you sign a buyers agreement.

If you did sign a buyers agreement, look to see if it specifies what county / town they are helping you buy in.

Enjoy your new house. We actually had the same scenario where I worked with the agent that listed my house but we ended up finding the new one on our own.

[Postal68]

Thanks for the replies.
No, I didn't sign a buyers agreement, just a seller agreement.
So most of your answers were what I assumed and was looking for confirmation.

[andreaspercheron]

There you go then! I'm an agent and everyone is correct, if you didn't sign a buyers agreement, then your obligation to your agent ended at selling your home. I find that a lot of agents when it comes to showing homes really do not listen to their buyers - it drives me nuts! Congrats on the sale, good luck with the purchase - you are doing the right thing.

[Postal68]

Originally Posted by andreaspercheron

I find that a lot of agents when it comes to showing homes really do not listen to their buyers - it drives me nuts!

You're telling me.

We have told him more than once what our limit is that we want to spend but he insists on continually showing us houses above that price. I don't have a problem with him showing houses that are a little above the price because you can offer less and negotiate, but he is showing us properties $20-30,000 above what we want to spend. No one in their right mind will take an offer that much under asking unless they are really stuck.

[Irish Eyes]

One realtor I spoke to immediately said I could just borrow more "for the write off". Next!