negotiate commissions
Sacramento Real Estate Commissions
It is not unusual for a seller to ask if I will take a lower fee than my usual commission, that is, to discount my standard commission, if they hire me instead of one of the other dozen Sacramento real estate agents they are talking to. I understand the need to try to save money wherever one can in a real estate transaction because money is a seller’s main concern and my responsibility to manage. But Sacramento real estate commissions are the wrong place to look. My primary two focal points when working as a listing agent are to save money for my sellers and to make money for my sellers. That’s why home sellers tend to hire a real estate agent. To help manage the money. Maximize the profit.
They think they are hiring a Realtor to sell a home, but that’s not the whole picture.
As real estate agents, we manage our sellers’ money in a wide variety of ways, and Sacramento real estate commissions don’t really enter the picture. We manage our sellers’ money through our marketing and pricing strategy, our reach on the internet and through open houses, our extensive experience, our professional advice, our successful negotiation tactics and our unwavering ability to close the transaction in a seamless manner. Which means all agents are different.
It’s not enough these days to get a contract into escrow. That’s just the beginning, of course, before the inspections, before the pest reports, the roof inspections, sewer inspections, chimney inspections, other homes coming on the market that can detract, other homes closing that affect appraisals, and a bazillion other things that can happen in a real estate transaction, including buyer’s cold feet.
Who is gonna see a seller through that maize? Hopefully, it’s the Sacramento real estate agent who is managing the seller’s money. I get paid the same percentage that I’ve been paid for the past 40 years; whether prices go up or prices go down, I don’t get a raise. My Sacramento real estate commissions have remained constant. Although, sometimes sellers pay me more after closing. They think my standard fee is not high enough. They send me gifts. The best lately was a $500 gift certificate.
The other day a client asked if he could pay me a big bonus if his home sold in 30 days. That tells me that people think we will alter the way we do business if sellers dangle more money in front our faces, and that’s not true. A really good agent can’t be bought and sold like a commodity. Many Sacramento real estate agents, me included, are not all that motivated by money. Our motivation, whether you want to believe it or not, is truly seller satisfaction. Our income is a by-product.
In conclusion, I will listen to your situation and will not be offended to discuss my fees because all Sacramento real estate commissions are negotiable, but in the end, a seller will pay me what I am worth. And they will be ecstatic about it after the home sells and closes. That’s my goal. All agents should want this.