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My family was visiting a town we will move to this summer, and on impulse wanted to see a house I liked.
We didn’t have an agent so I called the agent listed with the house and asked if she’d show it to us. She did. It was pretty informal, though I did give her my email.
It’s been a month and we’re considering visiting again and putting in an offer on that house or another one we’re looking at.
We found an agent through our bank, interviewed him on the phone and asked him to show us a bunch of houses his weekend when we visit.
We will likely make an offer on one of those using him.
I called the original listing agent of the first house, and let her know we may put an offer in on that house. I thanked her for showing it and explained we just aren’t comfortable using the same person to represent both us and the seller, and that we have another agent. It just seems like a bad idea, especially since the seller is paying her. She seemed offended. Was I really rude?? What’s the etiquette here?
My family was visiting a town we will move to this summer, and on impulse wanted to see a house I liked.
We didn’t have an agent so I called the agent listed with the house and asked if she’d show it to us. She did. It was pretty informal, though I did give her my email.
It’s been a month and we’re considering visiting again and putting in an offer on that house or another one we’re looking at.
We found an agent through our bank, interviewed him on the phone and asked him to show us a bunch of houses his weekend when we visit.
We will likely make an offer on one of those using him.
I called the original listing agent of the first house, and let her know we may put an offer in on that house. I thanked her for showing it and explained we just aren’t comfortable using the same person to represent both us and the seller, and that we have another agent. It just seems like a bad idea, especially since the seller is paying her. She seemed offended. Was I really rude?? What’s the etiquette here?
The etiquette is that you hire a buyer agent and have them show you the properties that you are interested in and write offers through them. In second home markets, this kind of stuff happens all the time because of impulse home buyers, which it sounds like you might be.
So what you should have done was let your buyer agent know that you interviewed on the phone that you might want to put an offer in on that house and let him talk to the listing agent. It is kind of weird that you called the listing agent to tell them you might be writing an offer when you decided to hire a buyer agent. Let the buyer agent represent you, and don't worry about the rest.
No, you were not wrong. The listing agent is just disappointed that she will not get both commissions. As a buyer you are better off having your own agent. The listing agent should be happy to know that you might be making an offer.
Yes, there are some agents that seem to think once they show you a property, they are (or will be) "Your" agent for the rest of your life. Or for the rest of their life, whichever ends first.
So, yes, that agent quite likely considers you to be rude and unethical.
Personally, I would not let it worry me.
Please let the agent you plan to use know about all of this. There is a thing called procuring cause which that first agent has so the agent you want to choose should know what has happened before. And like Silver fall has already said, letting the two agents work it out is the best thing to do.
While I don't think what you did is wrong I don't think you should have to be in the middle of this trying to work it out if you have no buyers agreement signed with the first agent.
I called the original listing agent of the first house, and let her know we may put an offer in on that house. I thanked her for showing it and explained we just aren’t comfortable using the same person to represent both us and the seller, and that we have another agent. It just seems like a bad idea, especially since the seller is paying her. She seemed offended. Was I really rude?? What’s the etiquette here?
I think she took it as an insult that you would think she wouldn't handle both sides fairly. Maybe she is just greedy and wanted the whole 6%. Perhaps it would have been better to say that you have an agent and is that a problem with her.
You didn't sign a contract with her, so I don't see why she's upset unless she's just greedy or petty and non professional. What makes her think showing you a home entitles her to double commission?
My family was visiting a town we will move to this summer, and on impulse wanted to see a house I liked.<>She seemed offended. Was I really rude?? What’s the etiquette here?
The only etiquette here is if someone buys she gets paid. "It's not personal, it's business"
I think she took it as an insult that you would think she wouldn't handle both sides fairly.
Exactly.
OP, while it was a nice idea to call her, it was poorly executed.
You didn't really owe her a "courtesy call," and it was a little much to go into the whole "double dipping implication" explanation.
Most agents know why people hire buyer's agents. You basically insinuated that you thought she wouldn't be honest with you. You should have left all that out and just said something like, "I wanted to thank you again for showing us the house last month and let you know we've hired a buyer's agent and will be putting in an offer."
My family was visiting a town we will move to this summer, and on impulse wanted to see a house I liked.
We didn’t have an agent so I called the agent listed with the house and asked if she’d show it to us. She did. It was pretty informal, though I did give her my email.
It’s been a month and we’re considering visiting again and putting in an offer on that house or another one we’re looking at.
We found an agent through our bank, interviewed him on the phone and asked him to show us a bunch of houses his weekend when we visit.
We will likely make an offer on one of those using him.
I called the original listing agent of the first house, and let her know we may put an offer in on that house. I thanked her for showing it and explained we just aren’t comfortable using the same person to represent both us and the seller, and that we have another agent. It just seems like a bad idea, especially since the seller is paying her. She seemed offended. Was I really rude?? What’s the etiquette here?
You didn't do anything wrong, except you might have had your agent make the call to the listing agent.
Yeah, it is better if you work with a buyers agent right out of the chute, but it also is not a perfect world out there.
The agent may have thought you had a business relationship and been surprised.
So it goes.
"Offended?" Hah. If so, you dodged a bullet.
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