Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Yes, we just bought a home over in Arizona.....an unusual scenario to say the least...but that's where the good ones come in. I can say for certain, if not for her going waaaay above and beyond, we would not now have this incredible property.....she earned every frickin penny of her 3% and then some. On the other hand, the sellers agent literally did absolutely nothing. Nothing. And got the same 3%.....go figure...
Yeah welcome to real estate, you just never know. The hardest working agent I ever had, who I'm still good friends with 10 years later on Facebook, showed me so many properties in an area I didn't know or understand whatsoever (Long Beach, CA) and helped me pass over a few duds, then finally get a great buy on a small condo during the recession. I ended up selling it to her later! She bought it for her retirement account, because it was a rental by that point. Despite this pathetic $132K sale she worked so hard and even gave me an amazing gift of $100 to this fantastic restaurant and a bottle of vodka too.
Then my real estate agent for a $600K cash deal didn't find the place, I found it myself, toured myself without her, she knew nothing about the market and I had to look up the HOA dues of the other places we saw myself, and she got 3% for doing nothing. She gave US, my long-time GF and I at the time, ONE cupcake. ONE. What are we going to do with that?! It was so beyond pathetic.
Our last two agents buying and selling at once, one of them didn't get a great price selling for me, she just isn't very good at sales, and she gave me nothing at all on a $550K sale. No gift, just nothing. Then the buyer's agent for this new house, once again, she never found anything for me. I didn't even live here. I found the site myself from 1,000 miles away, made a phone call, set an appointment, flew down, and told her to meet me there. I signed the paperwork that day and she got 3% of a $733K sale. No gift, either, nothing at all. Nice lady but wow.
Yeah welcome to real estate, you just never know. The hardest working agent I ever had, who I'm still good friends with 10 years later on Facebook, showed me so many properties in an area I didn't know or understand whatsoever (Long Beach, CA) and helped me pass over a few duds, then finally get a great buy on a small condo during the recession. I ended up selling it to her later! She bought it for her retirement account, because it was a rental by that point. Despite this pathetic $132K sale she worked so hard and even gave me an amazing gift of $100 to this fantastic restaurant and a bottle of vodka too.
Then my real estate agent for a $600K cash deal didn't find the place, I found it myself, toured myself without her, she knew nothing about the market and I had to look up the HOA dues of the other places we saw myself, and she got 3% for doing nothing. She gave US, my long-time GF and I at the time, ONE cupcake. ONE. What are we going to do with that?! It was so beyond pathetic.
Our last two agents buying and selling at once, one of them didn't get a great price selling for me, she just isn't very good at sales, and she gave me nothing at all on a $550K sale. No gift, just nothing. Then the buyer's agent for this new house, once again, she never found anything for me. I didn't even live here. I found the site myself from 1,000 miles away, made a phone call, set an appointment, flew down, and told her to meet me there. I signed the paperwork that day and she got 3% of a $733K sale. No gift, either, nothing at all. Nice lady but wow.
Did you sign exclusive buyer-broker agreement with her?
Did you sign exclusive buyer-broker agreement with her?
Is this requested often from agents? I toured a number of homes and the two agents I used in different states didn't ask me to sign anything. Obviously there's an advantage to the agent if you sign one, but is there any advantage is your the buyer to sign an exclusive agreement? I wouldn't sign anything unless they're going to give me something in return no?
Is this requested often from agents? I toured a number of homes and the two agents I used in different states didn't ask me to sign anything. Obviously there's an advantage to the agent if you sign one, but is there any advantage is your the buyer to sign an exclusive agreement? I wouldn't sign anything unless they're going to give me something in return no?
I agree; have bought and sold 10 homes and have run into more incompetent agents than competent ones. I want ability to change agents when I feel I am getting poor service.
I agree; have bought and sold 10 homes and have run into more incompetent agents than competent ones. I want ability to change agents when I feel I am getting poor service.
I'm far from being as knowledgeable on real estate as many might be on this forum, but let's be honest. In this day and age with the internet and tools like Zillow, the buyers agent doesn't do all that much. Many buyers use Zillow or the other listing sites and search for homes themselves. I know agents set up a searches for their buyers and auto send listings, but that's all it is, an automated email on listings based on the requirements the buyer provides to them. I haven't experienced an agent actually go thru the potential listings to filter out the duds.
Selling is a different story as there is marketing the home and other work that needs to get completed.
I'm far from being as knowledgeable on real estate as many might be on this forum, but let's be honest. In this day and age with the internet and tools like Zillow, the buyers agent doesn't do all that much. Many buyers use Zillow or the other listing sites and search for homes themselves. I know agents set up a searches for their buyers and auto send listings, but that's all it is, an automated email on listings based on the requirements the buyer provides to them. I haven't experienced an agent actually go thru the potential listings to filter out the duds.
Selling is a different story as there is marketing the home and other work that needs to get completed.
Yet few will agree to a lower commission. I have always believed that houses sell themselves. At least in our case, we have always bought/sold in desirable areas, get the house ready months in advance for a sale (upgrading, recent maintenance, deep cleaning, decluttering, addressing what could become home inspection issues, etc.).
Update on our papers-thru-the-slightly-lowered-car-window. It was determined the best idea for the person who pulled everything together to effect closing and he buyer to be the only ones there. Although I thought it would make an interesting 'dealing with the times' photo. So it worked out on a few properties.
There's one now, same buyer, where the seller is in a state where he says they are on total lock down and can't get a notary. That's not really the case there but perhaps the seller and notary there are afraid to go outside. Wait and see.
Yeah welcome to real estate, you just never know. The hardest working agent I ever had, who I'm still good friends with 10 years later on Facebook, showed me so many properties in an area I didn't know or understand whatsoever (Long Beach, CA) and helped me pass over a few duds, then finally get a great buy on a small condo during the recession. I ended up selling it to her later! She bought it for her retirement account, because it was a rental by that point. Despite this pathetic $132K sale she worked so hard and even gave me an amazing gift of $100 to this fantastic restaurant and a bottle of vodka too.
Then my real estate agent for a $600K cash deal didn't find the place, I found it myself, toured myself without her, she knew nothing about the market and I had to look up the HOA dues of the other places we saw myself, and she got 3% for doing nothing. She gave US, my long-time GF and I at the time, ONE cupcake. ONE. What are we going to do with that?! It was so beyond pathetic.
Our last two agents buying and selling at once, one of them didn't get a great price selling for me, she just isn't very good at sales, and she gave me nothing at all on a $550K sale. No gift, just nothing. Then the buyer's agent for this new house, once again, she never found anything for me. I didn't even live here. I found the site myself from 1,000 miles away, made a phone call, set an appointment, flew down, and told her to meet me there. I signed the paperwork that day and she got 3% of a $733K sale. No gift, either, nothing at all. Nice lady but wow.
Last few offers I had my agent make were on homes I found. He did nothing but submit the offer.
I'm far from being as knowledgeable on real estate as many might be on this forum, but let's be honest. In this day and age with the internet and tools like Zillow, the buyers agent doesn't do all that much. Many buyers use Zillow or the other listing sites and search for homes themselves. I know agents set up a searches for their buyers and auto send listings, but that's all it is, an automated email on listings based on the requirements the buyer provides to them. I haven't experienced an agent actually go thru the potential listings to filter out the duds.
Selling is a different story as there is marketing the home and other work that needs to get completed.
"...tools like Zillow..."
Seriously?
No one really believes Zillow is a good tool, do they?
Is it the shortage of listings on Z?
Or the finally-tuned Zillow Appraisals that are "tools?"
Seriously?
No one really believes Zillow is a good tool, do they?
Is it the shortage of listings on Z?
Or the finally-tuned Zillow Appraisals that are "tools?"
Yes, a lot of people use Zillow to search for Homes for Sale. It is more user friendly (IMO and a lot of others) than the MLS. Last house we bought, we had the option to use the MLS (link supplied by our agent) but after trying it for a while we went right back to Zillow. I know of several people looking right now and it's all Zillow.....you can also easily share a search with friends or family to get advice/input. Somehow Zillow captured that part of the market.
What instead would you recommend a prospective buyer use? And please don't say 'let your Realtor find them for you'...that's just not how it works any more...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
