Another Real Estate Question

[skulldog]

Dawg- I'm glad that you had a positive experience w/your agent!!

Listings are the life blood of any real estate company and their agents. It takes countless hours of mailouts, cold calls, working FOSBO, and the competion is incrediable. It's the behind the scene stuff that you and other's don't see that leads you to beleive that the listing agent doesn't do anything to earn their commission.

Most sellers/buyers are difficult to deal with and it if was that easy, then everybody would be doing it. Buyer agency is a good thing and it's finally taking hold in Ma. It gives the Buyer representation and reduces liability for the listing agent and seller.

It's eaiser for a Buyer's agent working w/someone like you who has to buy in a certain time frame(relo buyer) and is not a tire kicker and no matter what the listing agent says to you, you are going to listen to what your agent is saying because of your relationship.

Good Luck

 

[dawgball]

UPDATE: We received a contract on our house yesterday for $5K less than the asking price. That was more than I was expecting, so things ended up for the better. My total portion to all realtors is 3.34% of selling cost + $500 intial fee. That totals $6011 + $10 for home printing costs of our brochure (make sure I include all costs) compared to $9900 (6%).

Now on to finding a house in Nashville!

Thanks for all of the help here, guys.

My take on things at this point...

A good realtor is a very strong asset to have on the buying and selling end. The problem is how do you know who the good ones and bad ones are other than by word of mouth. People seem more comforatable going with a Coldwell Banker, Remax, (insert big name here) realtor, but the company that they represent doesn't seem to matter much to me. It is the individual realtor that can make a difference. My general feelings towards most realtors are still right along with used car salesman, but I have changed my mind about the industry itself. It is valuable, but it is due for a shakedown.

Comments like the following are what makes people not trust agents and the industry...

99% of the time you get what you pay for in our industry

Since everyone charges the same rate, then how does this statement hold any water. This is an obvious attempt at covering up difficiencies (sp?). I would never use an agent that tried this amateurish closing tactic on me.

Once again, thanks to everyone's input and good luck.

 

[AR182]

dawgball,

imo, the best way to find a realtor is getting a referral from somebody you respect, not socially, but in business.

congrats on the sale & good luck on the search !!!

 

[wcb4]

dawgball--

i'm sorry man, but either you have a very short memory, or you are a moron. YOU JUST USED A DISCOUNT BROKER! and you now say that my statement holds no water because everyone charges the same fee. i am glad you got what you wanted for your home, but neither i nor any of the other realtors in this thread have any deficiencies (and yes, that is how you spell it) that we are trying to cover up. it is your realtor who sold your home for virtually nothing who will be out of a job in years to come, as well he should be. he is diluting our f*cking market. i don't beg for business, a sentiment that is shared by the others in here i'm sure, which is what your realtor did/is doing. after all this, however, i can honestly say that he can have your business as well as the business of anyone sharing your thoughts/ideas. (unfortunately there are too many of you out there that we have to avoid)

-so in the end, congrats on selling your house, and on the new one as well. but don't make generalizations about in industry that you obviously know nothing about, and certainly do not call me out on a statement that holds more truth than you will ever know.

 

[dawgball]

There is no doubt that I have a little (or a lot) of moron in me.

I may not have been clear on my point about the quote, but according to your logic you offer absolutely zero advantage compared to any other full-price broker because you all charge the same 6% rate. I hardly believe that every full-price broker across the country can offer me the exact same value.

Congrats on being an excellent speller!

I also find it hard to believe that you can make a statement on the deficiencies or lack there of about every broker on this page. Or are you defending them simply because they are full -price brokers? My feeling about the brokers that have posted in this thread seem to be on the up and up, and I would be glad to work with them in the future if the opportunity presents itself.

As for diluting your market: I would rather look at it as competition. If you, personally, offer value as a realtor (which I have come to light to see that there are realtors out there that offer extreme value--I'm not speaking of discount here), then you should have nothing to worry about. You should actually be happy about discount brokers weeding out the bad ones, so people that require a full-service listing agent will have less people from whom to choose.