Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Real Estate
 [Register]
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.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 05-06-2009, 07:00 PM
 
Location: Halfway between Number 4 Privet Drive and Forks, WA
1,516 posts, read 4,580,969 times
Reputation: 677

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by MsFancyPants View Post
Well, if she can easily do these tasks herself, why use a Realtor? Why should the real estate agent get paid when she is doing most of the legwork? Or should the agent then work for a reduced commission?

The fact is the realtor isn't getting paid...hasn't gotten paid, and sadly, probably won't see any money from this "buyer".

OP, if you're now serious about buying, and you don't want to work with your agent, I might ask if she/he would refer me to another agent. At least your agent will then receive some compensation for the time they have spent on you thus far, that is, if you ever do buy a house...
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 05-06-2009, 07:04 PM
 
982 posts, read 1,093,987 times
Reputation: 249
I understand the scenario, and it sucks. But isn't that what I've been hearing is the reason for the 6% commission? It's to cover the risks that agents take?

I just feel like it's part of the job. And if you want to be in this business, it's about risk taking. And yeah, I agree, that if she's doing a good job she deserves to get paid. But what I'm hearing is that she's getting impatient and showing signs of not wanting to work with the buyer anymore and the buyer is feeling guilty for wanting to dump her. I'm operating from the assumption that the Buyer is going to buy, but not until she finds something that fits all of her criteria. So the agent needs to make the assessment if it's worth it to her to "wait it out," so to speak and take a chance on making a commission or not. But if she doesn't want to work with the Buyer, then she should tell her so. She shouldn't just half-@ss her job and expect the buyer to do the legwork and still get paid. But that's JMHO.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-06-2009, 07:06 PM
 
Location: Summerville, SC
1,149 posts, read 4,195,621 times
Reputation: 1126
Quote:
Originally Posted by MsFancyPants View Post
I I just feel like it's part of the job. And if you want to be in this business, it's about risk taking. And yeah, I agree, that if she's doing a good job she deserves to get paid. But what I'm hearing is that she's getting impatient and showing signs of not wanting to work with the buyer anymore and the buyer is feeling guilty for wanting to dump her.
What I would like to know is the basis of this guilt. Current issues with this realtor aside - what sort of services has she done for the OP over the years? I mean, you stuck with her this long, taking what's she's offered...
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-06-2009, 07:13 PM
 
982 posts, read 1,093,987 times
Reputation: 249
You quoted me but you're asking a question of the OP, so not sure who you want to answer. So I'll say what I think, but she can correct me if I'm wrong.

I think the guilt comes from the fact that the agent has shown her property and has answered her questions and emails and has done "some" work. The OP acknowledges that this has been a lengthy process but it has not been the entire two years. It is a couple of weeks or a month, then when they don't find anything they renew their rental lease and then right before the lease becomes renewable again, they go and look and see if there's anything new. So far, she hasn't found anything in those windows of opportunity, so the agent hasn't been paid for her "work," of showing and reading and responding to emails and phone calls. The OP feels bad for her but she's not going to buy something just because she doesn't want to feel bad or guilty b/c the agent hasn't been paid yet.

Now, it's been two years, off and on. Not steadily for two years, but off and on. The real estate agent is showing signs of not wanting to work with her so much anymore. That's fine with the OP. She feels bad that IF she dumps her and does buy something, the agent won't get paid. But again, not bad enough that she's going to run out and buy something so the agent gets paid.

I say the OP is fine in what she's doing. That's the real estate agent's job and if she doesn't want to do it to the best of her ability or to the standard of the OP, then the agent should quit. And if she doesn't, the OP should find a new agent and feel no guilt. It was the agent who chose to reduce her level of service. She's well w/in her rights to do so. But she runs the risk of being replaced. That is the agent's choice.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-06-2009, 07:38 PM
 
3,191 posts, read 9,161,004 times
Reputation: 2203
OP why not just have heart to heart with your agent. Let her know you do want to buy a house, that your realize you have spent a lot of her time and although you do appreciate all that she has done thus far, BUT you wonder if your relationship might be waning and you think maybe someone else might be a better fit for guiding your home buying venture. That you are afraid she might not think you are serious buyers and you often feel like properties are not being brought to light by her.

She might feel the same way...or else she might kick it up a notch.
Sometimes issues can be resolved when one person takes the lead.
Good luck- I had to fire a realtor last year. Long story short-Called her, told her the listing with her just wasn't working out in our best interest, we were pulling it, and good luck to her in her future endeavors.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-06-2009, 07:41 PM
 
Location: Big Island of Hawaii
1,375 posts, read 6,285,990 times
Reputation: 629
Quote:
Originally Posted by MsFancyPants View Post
Well, if she can easily do these tasks herself, why use a Realtor? Why should the real estate agent get paid when she is doing most of the legwork? Or should the agent then work for a reduced commission?
How hard is it to open an email to view new listings and click on the tax record to see the sales history? That is not something you need your realtor for after a two year search. Do you really want to imply that a client who has been looking for two years in the same general area shouldn't do a drive-by before calling their realtor to set up a showing? (Unless the OP doesn't drive, which would change the picture a bit.)

I'm not implying that someone new to the area or new to the home-buying process would not need this service from their realtor. My comments are specific to an individual who is still looking two years into the process. (Which I think is great...if they haven't found the house that they want to buy. Hold out for what will make you happy...just take responsibility for your choice to hold out and become an educated, sophisticated client along the way. You will have a better relationship with your agent and will probably get yourself a better deal in the long run!)
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-06-2009, 07:46 PM
 
982 posts, read 1,093,987 times
Reputation: 249
I'm not trying to be difficult here. But I seriously would just cut out the agent if I was going to do this work myself. It may not be hard at all. It may, in fact, be better for her. But my question is, then why have a real estate agent? If she's going to do the legwork, then how much harder it is for her to just pick up the phone and set up her own showings with the listing agent? And then she could just make her offer 3% lower and explain that she's not being represented, so she'd like to negotiate the 3% lower sales price as a "commission" to herself (she does not need to be licensed to buy/sell her own stuff) in the form of a lower sales price?????
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-06-2009, 07:58 PM
 
Location: Martinsville, NJ
6,175 posts, read 12,894,993 times
Reputation: 4019
Quote:
Originally Posted by MsFancyPants View Post
But my question is, then why have a real estate agent? If she's going to do the legwork, then how much harder it is for her to just pick up the phone and set up her own showings with the listing agent? And then she could just make her offer 3% lower and explain that she's not being represented, so she'd like to negotiate the 3% lower sales price as a "commission" to herself (she does not need to be licensed to buy/sell her own stuff) in the form of a lower sales price?????
The short answer is; because a buyers agent does SO MUCH more than just locating & showing the property.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-06-2009, 08:20 PM
 
Location: Charlotte, NC
2,193 posts, read 5,036,889 times
Reputation: 1075
Quote:
Originally Posted by MsFancyPants View Post
I'm not trying to be difficult here. But I seriously would just cut out the agent if I was going to do this work myself. It may not be hard at all. It may, in fact, be better for her.

But my question is, then why have a real estate agent? If she's going to do the legwork, then how much harder it is for her to just pick up the phone and set up her own showings with the listing agent?
Everyone can look at homes online now and pick what the like first. After that the agent does everything else. From setting up the showing, the paperwork for the offer, negotiating, setting up the inspection and whatever else needs to be done to get to closing.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-06-2009, 08:59 PM
 
1,989 posts, read 4,451,182 times
Reputation: 1401
Quote:
Originally Posted by MsFancyPants View Post
LOL! So now it's a "crime" to expect your real estate agent to show you as many properties as you want? That's rich!!
I was using the figure of speech, but there have been posters on here who have referenced buyers touring upwards of 100 properties before buying.

Any professional-- from a waitress to a physician-- has their limit. A cost/benefit analysis on such clients is completely reasonable.

Still haven't learned how many properties the OP has toured with their agent.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
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.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Real Estate

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top