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Tips for Working With Non-English Speaking Buyers in Sacramento
Communication is more difficult working with non-English speaking buyers in Sacramento real estate.
Working with non-English speaking buyers in Sacramento real estate is more common than you might think. It’s no secret that our lower affordable prices and close proximity to the Bay Area draws to Sacramento many foreign buyers from San Francisco.
One of the recurring hurdles we need to cross is to develop trust. Which is difficult when you can’t really communicate. I mean, how do you tell a buyer, hey, we Sacramento Realtors are in many ways like those from the Midwest, honest almost to a fault, accommodating, desiring to assist and help. We are not slippery-slope big city sharks.
In one escrow that just blew up yesterday, the buyers relied mostly on a family member to interpret, and she thought she knew everything. You know the type. Can’t share any information because they mistrust the agent and they have all the answers. The know-it-alls find dozens of things to complain about, even when nothing is wrong. The answer is really to spend extra time with non-English speaking buyers in Sacramento, especially the know-it-alls. To be patient, kind, understanding, even when they attack your integrity.
It’s really hard for many people to trust anybody. It’s even harder for many people to trust real estate agents. I find it’s easier to communicate in writing with ESL or non-English speakers. Like my Español, where I’ve got lo siento down pat, it’s easier for me to read and write in Spanish than to speak it. I can make a request in Spanish but I do not understand the reply. I sold several homes last year representing sellers who did not speak a lick of English. I never even met the sellers. I did, however, spend a lot of time writing emails that explained how things work.
It was a lot more work on my end. I could not treat these sellers like regular sellers who understand English yet they still don’t get it. I had to break down every single step, explain every action. But in the end, they adored me. Not everybody is like that, though.
Take a buyer from the Bay Area who called yesterday. We were ready to show him a home in Elk Grove last night, but the listing stated all offers would be presented at 8 AM today. That meant if he wanted to buy it, the buyer would need to write an offer immediately. That news was offensive and foreign to the guy. It made him angry, agitated. He accused us of making it up, of working against him.
From where he stood, he was right to harbor that viewpoint. In retrospect, it might have been more clear to say the home was unavailable. But just because there are communication challenges with non-English speaking buyers in Sacramento real estate doesn’t mean we can’t offer patience, kindness and understanding. And let me tell you, Google translation is also a big help. Under these circumstances, it just takes more time to develop trust and a fiduciary relationship.
And yes, sometimes there are situations when it’s best to refer the buyer to an agent who speaks their native tongue.
When is a California Purchase Offer Legally Binding?
A purchase offer is legally binding when legal delivery has been confirmed.
My seller asked when is a California purchase offer legally binding? He had accepted a buyer’s counter offer, signed all of the documents. We sent the package back to the buyer’s agent and asked for confirmation. Tick, tick, tick. No confirmation came. Next morning, tick, tick, tick. No confirmation. Then the buyer’s agent sent an email to say the buyer was over the top with excitement. Only little problem? We are not in contact.
Why isn’t the purchase offer legally binding? The seller accepted the buyer’s counter to the seller’s counter, so we have completed agreement, right? Not so fast. We don’t have a ratified contract. The reason is the buyer’s agent did not name herself as the recipient of the counter offer. The agent left that spot blank. Which means it defaults to the buyer to initial and confirm receipt.
We had no confirmed receipt in writing from the buyer. We did not have a done deal. And wouldn’t you know it? Another buyer wrote an offer and submitted it quickly for about 5% over the list price. The amount was significant. This new buyer really wanted the house. As a listing agent with a fiduciary to the seller, this is a situation that required immediate attention.
First, I notified the seller to see if he wanted to take the new 11th-hour offer. It was a lot more money. It was also subject to an appraisal, but same situation as the offer he accepted. Would it appraise at that inflated value? I gave it a 50 / 50 chance, which is pretty good. If it didn’t appraise at list price, the seller can still sell at the appraised value. Plus the odds are good it might fly at that price.
I let him know we could withdraw the accepted Buyer Counter Offer and take the other offer, if he so chose. Not my decision. My responsibility is to relay the pros and cons of the situation and let the seller choose. But the seller decided he likes the first buyer who is buying his home and will stay with the existing offer. See, you never know.
The point is to give the seller enough information so the seller can make an intelligent and informed decision. It is not to make the decision for the seller nor to sway the seller’s thought process.
Second, I notified the first agent again that we had not received the buyer’s confirmation and let the agent know there is another offer that is much higher.
Even so, we did not receive the buyer’s confirmation until around noon the following day. My seller is a sweet, kind, caring person and money holds a lower priority to him. If this seller was some other guy, I can wager dollars to doughnuts, he would have taken the higher offer in a heartbeat. This particular buyer could have lost her dream home because the agent left blank the spot for delivery.
Still, this is an excellent case study to answer the question of when is a purchase offer legally binding. As a Sacramento Realtor, when I find myself saying, “well, technically,” that means it is not binding until one more action happens. In this crazy Sacramento real estate market, buyers can get squeezed out on such technicalities.
The Worst Purchase Offer Ever in 40 Years Says Realtor
This Sacramento Realtor did not expect to see an offer top Worst Purchase Offer Ever.
To hold the dubious honor of worst purchase offer ever received by this Sacramento Realtor, it’s got to be pretty bad. After all, you figure I probably receive around 300 to 500 offers, I’m guessing, every year. In just 10 years, that would mean reviewing 3,000 to 5,000 purchase offers, on average. Over 40 years, it’s a crazy number of purchase offers. I’ve received doozies in my day but this is the worst purchase offer ever in 40+ years.
When the buyer’s agent is, um, overly emotional as well, it adds to the unwanted drama. Just the other night, an agent asked if my sellers would do XYZ for her buyers. She didn’t want to bother to put the offer into writing unless the sellers agreed verbally to accept. Huh? Anybody who is that lazy doesn’t deserve a response. I wanted to say, look dude, put it in writing because verbal means jack shit. But I sensed she was not receptive to the real world. After the sellers rejected, she launched into a tirade. I have no time for craziness, certainly not from an agent we aren’t even in escrow with.
There was no money in listening to dribble.
Wah, the agent whined, why won’t you do what I want? In that agent’s world, the sellers should do exactly what she wants. Not gonna happen. I was crystal clear. Agent was whine, whine, whine; then the insults began. What was next? Crying? I suggested we were done discussing, that our time for talking was over. But no. She continued texting with such hateful vitriol that I demanded she put a sock in it. For crying out loud, geez, Louise.
The sellers were interested in reading her text messages. So I forwarded them. Agents should be careful what they write in text messages or any kind of communication.
What were the odds I’d encounter another emotional outburst so soon? Pretty darn good, it turned out.
Because the worst purchase offer ever arrived in my email shortly thereafter. Our counter offer corrected 11 mistakes in that California Residential Purchase Agreement. The sales price was below market value, what we call a lowball. The buyer’s agent asked the sellers to pay $1,000 for a home warranty. Holy Moses! Don’t believe there is such a product. The agent also asked the sellers to pay ALL of the closing costs. Seriously?
The agent checked so many boxes that do not apply, including asking the seller to replace all of the water fixtures in the house, which I suspect the agent didn’t even realize was the result. When I logged into MLS to find the agent, I could uncover no sales and no evidence the agent is a member, no record. Not surprising.
Adding insult to injury in this worst purchase offer ever, the agent typed some other seller’s name into the offer, making us wonder if the buyers were writing multiple offers. Not all naive agents can keep deception straight. The first sign we might be in trouble was when the agent handed my team member two business cards: one for real estate and another for selling a local food item. The second sign was the manner of introduction of the agent and the offer.
The agent sent an email announcing the house was peculiar and odd, and that it suited only certain tastes. Fortunately, the agent exclaimed, the buyers liked it! That’s a self-defeating way to say hello. Berating the home. There was also nothing odd about the house. What a great idea, in that agent’s mind — slam the house, insult the seller and listing agent, and write about the worst offer anybody has ever seen. What a recipe for success!
Usually, things like this happen when an agent is new or from the Bay Area or both. They write offers differently in San Francisco. However, I could not believe my eyes. I asked if the agent was from out-of-area, because most agents in Sacramento know local custom and how to write a purchase offer that gets accepted. Let’s just say the agent did not appreciate that question.
Yet when I asked if the buyers would pay list price, the agent, without hesitation, said sure, write it up. That’s hardly legal fiduciary to a client. Those poor people.
I try to help new agents and any agent who could use a little direction, for that matter. I was a new agent once. Haven’t forgotten what that is like. Not every agent appreciates a sincere offer. Egos and insecurity. Even after the agent exploded outta nowhere, flinging a series of late-night email drama in my direction, I still wanted to do what we could to salvage the transaction for my seller. But that was not about to materialize. Far as I could tell, the agent is not a Realtor. Probably part of the problem. Unsupervised. No Code of Ethics.
So for now, this will just go down in history as the worst purchase offer ever. Nothing beats this contract. I hope this is not indicative of the way Sacramento real estate is moving and it’s just a fluke. Plus, I hope to never see another but I know deep down there will come another day.
How to Handle Request for Referral Fee from Non Licensee
An agent cannot pay a referral fee to a non-licensee.
In between listings yesterday, I grabbed a call from a woman asking for a referral fee if she referred her friend to us to buy a home. Somewhere, from somebody, she heard that a Sacramento Realtor might pay her big bucks to refer a buyer. I don’t get many odd calls like this, but I get plenty of peculiar calls. Most of the time I hear my husband chuckling away in the other room at some of the conversations. This caller wanting to request a referral fee felt a bit odd. My husband laughed pretty loudly at this one, so I thought I would share.
The first thing I asked: Do you have a real estate license?
No, she says, I do not. I just want you to pay me a referral fee. How much do you pay?
Me: To an unlicensed person, maybe I would give you a $25 gift certificate. We are not allowed to pay referral fees to unlicensed individuals. It is against the law.
Why do you have to tell anybody about the referral fee? she continued. It would just be between you and me.
Don’t you love it?
Me: “Because it doesn’t change the fact that paying a referral fee to an unlicensed person is against the law and I would be putting my license in jeopardy. My real estate license is far too precious to put it at risk.”
She signed. Obviously, she wasn’t getting through to my thick skull. I could hear those thoughts in her sigh.
Me: “You know what? You can continue to call real estate agents and eventually you’ll find a crooked agent who will do exactly what you want, so maybe that’s the path you should follow. Just keep calling. You’ll find a crook. But I am not a crook.”
Maybe you could give me a really nice present, she suggested, because my birthday is coming up in January.
Where do these people find me? Oh, right, the internet. My team member Barbara Dow took over. They agreed on a $25 gift certificate.
What Types of Hardwood Do High End Sacramento Buyers Prefer?
Today, I have a guest blogger who’s an expert when it comes to flooring, especially when we’re talking about what types of hardwood do high end Sacramento buyers prefer. Debbie Gartner aka The Flooring Girl is from the NYC metro area, and she is up on all the latest trends for hardwood flooring. Here, on the West Coast and in Sacramento, we are showing the same trends and preferences.
For those of you preparing your home for sale, you already know that hardwood flooring is all the rage these days. It’s the preferred flooring type among Sacramento home buyers, especially those looking for higher end homes. Hardwood looks great and feels great as it simultaneously gives you warmth, luxury and authenticity. And, of course, we all know that hardwood flooring improves the value of your home.
Hardwood floors are timeless, and they usually last more than a century. They are a natural product and part of their inherent beauty is their natural graining and color variation. They are much cleaner and easier to maintain vs other flooring surfaces, and as a result, they also improve the indoor air quality of your home. Hardwood floors are here to stay.
What types of hardwood do high end Sacramento buyers prefer in luxury homes?
1. Dark hardwood floors
Yes, dark hardwood flooring is the most popular these days, especially among higher end home owners. The preference keeps growing. Dark is chic and elegant and goes so well with gray painted walls (gray is the most popular paint color now…even more popular than white).
Right now, cool shades are more stylish, so this combo of dark floors and gray walls work great together. Be sure to avoid red undertones in the stain color you choose (as red is dated and polarizing). So for those looking for dark hardwood floors, I usually recommend a 50/50 ebony/dark walnut or ebony/jacobean blend. They are dark and stunning (and they drown out the red undertones). If you want to go even darker, try ebony or even true black. (Duraseal would be the stain brand I’d recommend).
If you want dark floors, but want to go a bit lighter, then try dark walnut (by itself), antique brown or coffee brown. These are still dark, but they are a bit lighter, so they don’t show the dirt quite as much.
The darker you go, the less you will see the wood’s graining; when you are in the mid range, the more you will notice the wood’s graining. It just depends on your preference, but now I’m seeing more people prefer to camouflage the graining as it looks more contemporary and less busy in the room.
Dark isn’t for everyone, nor does it work in all home styles. It’s a great option if you have a lot of light, but it’s not always the best for very small homes or apartments that aren’t well lit. (Note: if the color of the wall usually has more impact on the room’s lighting than the floor does. After all, there are 4 walls and only 1 floor). Also, note that most people add area rugs and this will help lighten up the space, too.
2. Light hardwood floors
Light is the second most popular type of flooring. So, yes, both extremes are in. You can read more about the pros and cons of dark vs light hardwood flooring in this article. It’s one of the most common questions I get.
When people are going light, they are going very light … usually natural (i.e. no stain). Now, here’s the tricky part with light hardwood floors. The yellows and oranges are very dated. If you use an oil based polyurethane, your floors will be yellow, and they will continue to amberize over time due to the natural light and oxidation. So, they will be yellow and get more yellow over time.
But, there’s an easy way to solve this, and that is to use a water borne polyurethane. I highly recommend Bona Traffic HD above all the other choices (it’s the best….you can read more here: What are the best brands of polyurethane)? This will make your floors look lighter and they won’t look yellow. It will give you a more contemporary as well as neutral feel to your home. And, this polyurethane smells less and dries faster (and it’s better for the environment).
3. Gray hardwood floors
Gray is so hot and trendy now (yes, I know it’s a cool tone). This cooler color has been on the rise for 5 or 6 years, and it’s especially popular among higher end home buyers. Gray is more challenging is and expensive to achieve, and if you’re going to go gray with existing flooring, definitely hire a professional who knows how to refinish with gray.
Further, read this article on how to refinish hardwood floors gray..the right way). Many of the calls from across the country I get are from homeowners with a contractor who can’t seem to get the color right. Be sure that your contractor uses Bona Traffic HD for the polyurethane. This is super important both for looks and longevity. Most other polyurethanes will turn the floors yellow (including some of the other water borne polyurethanes).
If you are buying a home and love gray, I say go for it. But, if you are selling a home, please recognize that while gray is trendy, it’s still niche and polarizing to many. Going very dark (or very light) is probably a better option if you’re planning to sell in the next couple of years.
4. Wide plank flooring
Wide plank flooring is more stylish and it makes the room look larger. At a minimum, go with a plank that is at least 3 1/4″ wide. (The standard 2 1/4″ narrow strips just don’t look as impressive). This of course assumes you are adding new hardwood. If you have existing hardwood, I’d generally recommend that you keep what you have.
Of course, if you can go wider with a 4″ or 5″ plank, that’s even better as it’s more contemporary and will make your space look even larger. Please note that if you are installing 5″ or wider solid hardwood, you need to both nail and glue it, so this will cost a bit more for labor. That’s because planks expand and contract more. This is a common mistake made by general contractors (as they are not flooring specialists). Unfortunately, I see it too often and it’s impossible to fix (unless you completely rip up the floors).
5. Solid hardwood
I always recommend solid hardwood over engineered hardwood flooring, when you have the option. Solid will last MUCH longer. There is no question about it. Here in New York, virtually all mid and higher end homes have solid hardwood flooring, and I would guess it’s very similar in Sacramento.
Solid hardwood will last well over a century (in fact, we’ve refinished solid hardwood from the 1800s and even several homes from the 1700s). Solid hardwood also gives the option to refinish in the future (i.e. if they get scratched/worn down, if you have a flood or even if you just want to change the color and decor of your home).
6. Hardwood in the kitchen
Today, most homeowners prefer to have hardwood in all of the main living areas, including the kitchen. It’s easier on your feet (vs. tile) and easier to clean. And, importantly, having hardwood in the kitchen makes your home look larger and more cohesive. The fewer flooring changes you make from room to room, the larger your space looks.
If you check out the pictures of kitchens on Pinterest and Houzz, you’ll see how popular hardwood in the kitchen (especially dark hardwood with white cabinets). Now, we are even seeing hardwood flooring in powder rooms and entryways.
7. Satin and matte finishes
Shiny finishes are out! Shiny finishes are dated, look cheap and are impractical as they show scratches, dents and dirt more. Remember, avoid glossy and semi-gloss finishes. Go for satin or even matte finishes as they are more up to date and will last longer.
8. White oak over red oak (if you are adding new hardwood)
Many customers don’t realize that there are multiple species of oak. In fact, there are many. The two most common oak species are red oak and white oak.
While red oak is more abundant in the US (and therefore more common on floors), white oak is growing in popularity. I recently wrote an article on the 7 advantages of white oak hardwood floors.
The main advantages of white oak (over red oak) is that white oak is a bit more contemporary looking, it gives you more staining options (better for dark stains and gray), it’s a bit harder and it’s more resilient to water.
So, if you’re looking to install new hardwood floors, I would consider white oak flooring. If you are matching existing floors, then match to the existing species you already have.
Conclusion on Types of Hardwood Do High End Sacramento Buyers Prefer?
Hardwood floors are an important element of Sacramento homes, and they play an important role in your home’s decor. If you are buying a new home, the world is your oyster and you can choose whichever type of flooring your prefer; if you’re planning to sell your Sacramento house soon, I’d encourage to follow the trends and preferences among the higher end home owners and make sure they shades work with the style of your house. It’s also helpful to consult your real estate agent (or a stager) to get their perspective on what is most popular for your area and house style.
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