Email ElizabethA Realtor Shows You Property Are You Committed To Her?
If a Realtor shows you property are you committed to using her? Well, it depends. An interesting scenario happened today. Last week I met an agent and his buyers, at my Ranch listing in Elk Grove. There were several people and they seemed interested. I could tell the agent had not met the buyers before as he shook hands and said happy to meet you.
Yesterday a Realtor called me about setting up an appointment to see the Ranch. She said the buyers had already seen the property. I asked her if they had seen it at an open house? She said, “well no” and then dodged the question moving to another comment about the property. Next, I asked for the buyer’s names for security reasons at the seller’s request.
Today, I met the agent and the buyers at the Ranch and low and behold it was the same buyers from last week. Only this time, they were with a different Realtor. Actually, there were two Realtors today a husband and a wife. No mention from anyone about the previous Realtor.
If the first Agent who showed them the property had a signed exclusive Buyer Broker agreement, then he may very well be entitled to a commission. If not, as less than a week had passed in between the showings, he may be able to obtain commission based on procuring cause. There are no guarantees of course on payment to an agent as there is not an automatic solution.
If you have a Realtor show you property then hopefully you have done your research. Always be prepared to hire the Realtor that meets your expectations. They will be guiding you regarding the largest financial purchase in your lifetime. Agents should always consider the use of a Buyer Broker Agreement. This form keeps everyone on the same page and spells out the consequences should a buyer decide to switch agents.
I don’t know if this situation today was lack of education as perhaps the first agent didn’t explain how Realtors work. If he didn’t tell you that he was not a non-profit before a showing, then a buyer may assume Realtors like running around burning gas and time. Doesn’t everyone work with no expectation of being paid? Of course, some agents may not deserve to be paid. Before you hire an agent do your research. This is a critical step in the buying process.
Before hiring a Realtor, discuss a Buyer Broker agreement. Share your expectations with a Realtor before going to see a property. This could save you a potentially problematic issue later. You may end up owing a fee that would be most often paid by the seller so it is in your best interest to interview Agents before looking at property. Always hire the best Realtor in your area.
If you call Weintraub and Wallace Realtors, with RE/MAX Gold, at 916-233-6759, we will explain the buying process. When a Realtor shows you property, we fully explain the commitment of both buyer and Realtor. Our exclusive buyer’s agents review with you what services to expect and we over deliver and out 5-star reviews online, prove it. We represent your interests. Call us today.
— JaCi Wallace
Importance of Agent Marketing
This is an excerpt from an article on agent marketing written by Elizabeth over a decade ago for a publication. It is still very relevant today. Compare today’s marketing trends to a decade ago. Enjoy.
–JaCi Wallace
Beyond the expensive car or fancy clothing, a good listing agent lives and dies by marketing. Because marketing sells homes. Ask to review a complete copy of the agent’s marketing plan. Precisely, what is the agent going to do to sell your home? Here is the bare-bones minimum you should expect:
- Professional signage, including an agent’s cell phone number
- Lockbox
- Daily electronic monitoring of lockbox access
- Follow-up reports on buyer showings/feedback to the seller
- Broker previews
- Incentives for broker/office previews
- Staging advice
- Digital targeted marketing
- Advertising in local newspapers, only if it’s warranted
- MLS exposure with 36+ professional photographs
- Virtual tour
- Distribution to major websites
- Four-color flyers, if warranted
- Financing flyers for buyers
- Minimum of two open houses, providing its location is a candidate
- Direct mail to surrounding neighbors, out-of-area buyers/brokers
- Exposure at Board of Realtor meetings
- Feedback to sellers on buyer sign calls and buyer showings
- Updated CMAs after 30 days
- E-mail feeds of new listings that compete
- Updates on neighborhood facts, trends, and recent sales
Remember, no single tactic sells homes. It’s a combination of all those methods that sell homes.
Characteristics of a Good Listing Agent
You will be in a relationship with your listing agent for a month or two or longer. Choose an agent you like and can relate to. Here are some of the characteristics sellers say they want in an agent:
- Experience: Let new agents learn the business on somebody else’s dime.
- Education: Ask about degrees and certifications.
- Honesty: Trust your intuition. Your agent should speak from the heart.
- Networking: This is a people business. Some homes sell because agents have contacted other agents.
- Negotiation skills: You want an aggressive negotiator, not somebody out to make a quick sale at your expense.
- Good communicator: Sellers say communication and availability are key.
Finally, ask for a personal guarantee. If the agent won’t guarantee performance and release you from a listing upon request, don’t hire that agent.
*The reason top producers who are team leads usually do not offer discounts is that the team leader might not work with buyers. She might assign her seller to a team member for the buying end of the transaction.
If you want to buy or sell a home with quality agent marketing, please call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors, with RE/MAX Gold, at 916-233-6759.
–Elizabeth Weintraub
Saturday Showing Rural Property In South County
Saturday showing of a rural property in the south part of the county was so much fun. The property was gated. What a grand estate with so many tees. When you drive up to a gated entry it feels like you are in another world. The entrance goes up a winding driveway, such a beautiful property. Try to imagine yourself living here, this is what I do on every property visit.
Today, I drove the buyer’s family back on the gator to the Consumnes River. All along the trail were grapes growing. It was a picture perfect day. They seemed very interested in the land. There is river access created by a recorded easement. This is one property you will want to see.
If you are interested in our team listing or showing a rural property, call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors, with RE/MAX Gold, at 916-233-6759.
–JaCi Wallace
What a Vegetable Garden And What A Farm!
What a vegetable garden we have this year. Just outside the Elk Grove City limits is a perfect place to live and nurture a vegetable garden. These raised planter beds have drip irrigation and organic topsoil.
The tall plants to the left climbing the iron sculptures are green beans. We pick bunches daily. There are lots of herbs and peppers, tomatoes and two kinds of squash. There are lemon cucumbers, english cucumbers as well as spaghetti squash. The strawberries and blackberries are always fresh picked and amazing with ice cream.
My family loves to grow fresh food and freeze the excess. We have so much healthy food to share with family and friends. In the future, more people may plan to do some organized gardening to share the work and bounty with neighbors. Growing food gives an appreciation for the soil and water that we otherwise may be taken for granted. Farming creates fresh food on a daily basis which can help with so many health issues and create positive relationships within neighborhoods.
If you want to hire a Realtor to buy or sell a home that also has a green thumb, call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors, with RE/MAX Gold, at 916-233-6759.
— JaCi Wallace
How Quickly Should A Real Estate Agent Respond To A Potential Client?
How quickly should a real estate agent respond to a potential client was written by Elizabeth Weintraub for another website. The # 1 reason people complain about real estate agents is agents do not call people back in a timely manner. This is a great article on the subject. ENJOY.
— JaCi Wallace
“Years ago, when I was buying a home in Land Park, Sacramento, and in the process of moving from Minneapolis, I had hired a real estate agent who rarely communicated with me. I would email her and she would not respond. I would leave her voice mails and she would not return my phone calls. Being several thousand miles away and trying to close a real estate deal was stressful enough, but working with an agent whose communication skills were sorely lacking was even more frustrating. It’s not the way I choose to do business.
“You learn a lot when you’re on the other side of the fence, so to speak.
“In my own business, when I receive an email from a prospective client, I immediately respond, and this practice sometimes freaks out the recipients. I guess they aren’t used to it because they tell me how shocked they are that I called or emailed. But it’s easy to respond to people. When I get an email from my website, it generally contains a phone number, which on a cellphone makes it easy to dial. I just scroll to the phone number in the text and click the call button.
“My response time is generally 2 to 5 minutes. If I’m out showing property, I excuse myself to make a quick call to say I will call back at a certain time.
“I’d like to ask the agents who read my blog: how quickly do you respond to potential client inquiries? My email is set up to download every 2 minutes at my home office and immediately to my cell. That seems normal to me. And to the public, I’d like to ask: how quickly do you feel an agent should respond to your request?”
If you want to have your calls and inquiries returned by a Sacramento real estate agent respond with a timely manner call Weintraub & Wallace Realtors, with RE/MAX Gold, at 916-233-6759.
— Elizabeth Weintraub
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