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Sold properties are public knowledge in almost every very state. All you need to do is Google an address and you can find sold homes nearby and the information.
Sold properties are public knowledge in almost every very state. All you need to do is Google an address and you can find sold homes nearby and the information.
General information, yes.
You may not find:
1. Seller concessions to buyers, such as paid closing costs, home warranty, repair allowances, conveyance of personal property, rent-backs, probably will not be in county records.
most of the agents that post even semi-regularly here don't seem to have any issues with consumers that post with honest intent. You certainly seem to be one of those. I don't think any qualified agent has a problem with this, rather we would encourage it:
Quote:
Consumers have become more knowledgeable, technology has helped that. I for one research and do my due diligence, I'd be a fool not to.
I know that when I ask questions of consumers it is usually to clarify a situation, but sadly there seem to be times when non-agents have a different agenda or intent altogether.
Conversely, I would hope you could understand our frustration when a consumer posts things like you did here:
Quote:
Originally Posted by photogal9
KWW,
backdoor agent remarks
...show me that in fact, real estate is a game.
We seem to take quite a bit of crap for doing so. Why? Because we are not blindly seeking guidance, are tired of "the game" and see it for what it is.
I do feel the way real estate has been conducted can at times be shady, and /or lack ethics.
Listing agents now a days use their go to "we'll market your property on X,Y and Z sites," then sit back and wait for a buyer's agent to bring them an offer. They're lazy and have over inflated egos.
Sold properties are public knowledge in almost every very state. All you need to do is Google an address and you can find sold homes nearby and the information.
If only it were that easy.
It's easy to find sales or transfers in the area. Much harder to find comps. There have been times when my local MLS has been down, and I had to resort to online information. What a mess. No one site has all the information necessary to truly compare homes. Several have inaccurate/wrong/missing information.
Unfortunately, with all the online resources, the general public thinks it has it all. However, what typically happens, is someone does a quick search, finds the information that supports what he wants and stops.
"Back Door Agent Remarks?"
Never forget: MLSs are owned by private enterprise, not a public utility.
You misunderstand. There is no "Back Door" thing. That is over-dramatizing. "Agent Only Remarks" are for members of that private enterprise to share with clientele as needed. They often include contact information, personal information for sellers or agents.
Rules "At least where I am," prohibit me from putting my contact information in public areas that other agents may feed to their clients.
Every now and then, there is disclosure of a pertinent fact that a buyer and their agent need to know for the transaction. My clients receive that, and listing agents disclose any material information to buyers who come to them without an agent.
Very often, Agent Remarks contain additional, or duplicate marketing, blather that may not fit into the limited character field of the public remarks.
I don't like to see consumers who come here harangued. Now, relentless Trolls/Bots/Pathological Liars who will toy with you merely to get digs in on agents? We get plenty, and I have absolutely no sympathy, empathy, or concern for them.
But, if you come here to contribute, learn, share, help, etc, you shouldn't be harangued.
That doesn't mean that I believe contributing agents must scrape and bow to misguided "wisdom," either. It is a discussion forum.
Commission?
Almost no one anywhere pays 6% without choosing to do so. It is a choice. The choice mystifies me, and particularly in my local sellers' market where the most common (90% of listings) buyer's agent commission is 2.4%. 6% listing agents are taking 3.6% for selling a house in hours.
But I respect consumer's right to make choices from among existing alternatives.
Much commission conversation here comes from consumers who want to decide unilaterally what another party will accept as compensation, without the other party having a voice. I don't accept that posture.
"Game" has many connotations, and the choice of connotation colors the conversation.
Games have rules. Games have predictable outcomes for various actions.
Rules and predictable outcomes are not really bad things, are they?
Cheating at a game is generally a bad thing, but that is implicit in any game with rules, I believe. That includes cheating at real estate brokerage.
As an agent, I truly couldn't care less (C'mon, give me a little love for proper use of that phrase. ) if you do FSBO, use an agent to buy or don't; have representation or don't etc.
I also reserve the right to engage or not. As you have choices in commission, I have a choice of whether to play your game. As it should be, right?
How many homes have you purchased in dual agency situations? I dislike working in dual agency, and it is a disservice to most consumers, IMO.
35 years ago, Buyers agents did not exist. Everyone worked for the sellers. It stunk.
Solicitation?
Personally, I am in a service profession, too. I advertise, but never solicit. Referrals from happy customers are the lifeblood of any successful real estate broker.
But, when it comes to pricing real estate, who would you designate to price a property so that negotiation was removed from the transaction?
We see "Game" friction when people and entities want to take what MLSs have for free, rather than to actually invest in building something themselves.
Why don't people who decry current rules make investment in their own solution with their own framework of engagement?
I think it is presumed to be easier and cheaper to steal what someone else has built.
Credit to Redfin for investing in a proper platform.
ZTR? Not so much.
Sorry, but I have to spread the love before I can rep you.
But, here's your kudos for proper use of "couldn't care less".
FWIW, I agree with sentiments above... I don't think any of the regular posters here resent or give anyone "crap" for posting real questions or even ethical dilemmas for discussion... as long as we don't have to dig ourselves out of vague allegations about our industry, ethics or honesty before even getting to the question.
It's hard to smile and have good will when the question is buried in insults. But I really try.
Of course agent remarks are not on any public MLS, as you well know and stated. On my last sale, agent remarks were nothing more than "lock box located at such location" ....."some furniture may be sold with property" , hardly advantageous in regards to strategizing a "game plan" for listing purposes. I don't recall any agent remarks on that last purchase either.
Recently I had a home on the rental market. The house came without a washer/dryer or refrigerator. My property manager at the time told me applicants cited a lack of washer/dryer/refrigerator as a concern. I asked why leasing agents were showing the property when they weren't included. He told me the listing mentioned such appliances weren't included but applicants still wanted to see the home. Unfortunately the home didn't "wow" them enough to overcome the fact there was no washer/dryer or refrigerator.
I changed PM companies while the home was still on the rental market. When the new PM company showed me the MLS listing the previous PM posted and there was no mention of washer/dryer/refrigerator not included in the notes section.
most of the agents that post even semi-regularly here don't seem to have any issues with consumers that post with honest intent. You certainly seem to be one of those. I don't think any qualified agent has a problem with this, rather we would encourage it:
Quote:
Consumers have become more knowledgeable, technology has helped that. I for one research and do my due diligence, I'd be a fool not to.
I know that when I ask questions of consumers it is usually to clarify a situation, but sadly there seem to be times when non-agents have a different agenda or intent altogether.
Conversely, I would hope you could understand our frustration when a consumer posts things like you did here:
Quote:
Originally Posted by photogal9 View Post
KWW,
backdoor agent remarks
...show me that in fact, real estate is a game.
We seem to take quite a bit of crap for doing so. Why? Because we are not blindly seeking guidance, are tired of "the game" and see it for what it is.
I do feel the way real estate has been conducted can at times be shady, and /or lack ethics.
Listing agents now a days use their go to "we'll market your property on X,Y and Z sites," then sit back and wait for a buyer's agent to bring them an offer. They're lazy and have over inflated egos.
Bo, apologies for not stating "in my experience" that has been the case and for generalizing in such a way that it lumped "all" as opposed to "some."
It's easy to find sales or transfers in the area. Much harder to find comps. There have been times when my local MLS has been down, and I had to resort to online information. What a mess. No one site has all the information necessary to truly compare homes. Several have inaccurate/wrong/missing information.
Unfortunately, with all the online resources, the general public thinks it has it all. However, what typically happens, is someone does a quick search, finds the information that supports what he wants and stops.
I've found the information I've researched to be accurate and fairly easy to locate either through MLS information or county recorder of deeds. YMMV.
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) if you do FSBO, use an agent to buy or don't; have representation or don't etc.
