S/O--Real Estate Etiquette/Protocol

[brgnmom]

In California buyers do not sign contracts with realtors. All commission fees are paid by the seller.

I had to recently sign a contract with a CA realtor, but perhaps my situation was not part of the standard practice because it was for a new construction.

[strollerqueen]

Send her a message back telling her that you are interested in the HOUSE. Yards can be dealt with. Remind her that YOU need to be the one to decide if the yard is too sucky, not her. She's not going to be living there!

Btw, I don't think the yard was sucky. It looked really nice to me. It was on a corner lot, with a pool and tall trees. I think she looked at the wrong house!

[niccig]

Part of me wants to just get it to be over and done with all this torture. It is over our budget, but maybe they will accept a lower offer. And I don't know how that process works, because neither of those agents were willing to suggest a price.

Don't rush this process. You love your current location and to be happy in a new location, it has to be the right house. Don't settle just to get rid of the Realtors. If they're not working out, have a frank conversation with them, which I know will be really difficult, and find someone else who can do the job the way you want it done.

If they can't even find the right house, just imagine how they could screw up the contracts, which could cost you thousands of dollars and just mess up the entire process. I would cut them loose before doing anything else.

[MamaMolly]

Btw, I don't think the yard was sucky. It looked really nice to me. It was on a corner lot, with a pool and tall trees. I think she looked at the wrong house!

Heck, that is even worse! I'm sorry. What a rotten situation. Maybe send her a message back that says something like: Really? The one with the pool and mature trees? Yard looks good to me, let's set up a time to see the house ASAP. Thanks!'

Really? That's what my relative said, too. Because one of the three she showed us (found by me) is a top contender. I would feel differently if she had found it. But my friend showed it to us, also. If that's the one we go with, can I split their commission in some way? Part of me wants to just get it to be over and done with all this torture. It is over our budget, but maybe they will accept a lower offer. And I don't know how that process works, because neither of those agents were willing to suggest a price.

Now I don't know. When we bought a home in Georgia several years ago I think that was the rule. Who ever showed it to you got the commission. So a buyer could call the listing agent to see the house, and if you bought it then the listing agent got the $$. If the buyer had a buyer's agent with them when they saw the house, then they split it with the selling agent. I think that is the way it was.

All said and done, I'm sure it is done differently in each state. Do you, as a buyer, pay the commission in your state? If so, then you can split it between the two agents who showed the house to you. I think that is fair. Of course, if you don't buy a house they showed you, then they don't get anything. X% of nothing is nothing.

[AnnieW625]

I had to recently sign a contract with a CA realtor, but perhaps my situation was not part of the standard practice because it was for a new construction.

I don't know about new construction but I would think that if you are buying a new house through a builder and there is contract involved and since most new home builders have a selling agent as well then it makes sense. We have never bought a new home, so I don't know how they are paid. However for regular resales I still believe that you do not need to sign a contract with a realtor.

[AnnieW625]

Btw, I don't think the yard was sucky. It looked really nice to me. It was on a corner lot, with a pool and tall trees. I think she looked at the wrong house!

I know most people don't really recommend this, but I would call the listing agent of the property and let them know you are interested. We found our agent at an open house she was helping out another agent with. It was great because she was completely independent (granted we knew no one in our area) and I didn't feel under pressure to look elsewhere if it didn't work out.

[ShayleighCarsensMom]

In California buyers do not sign contracts with realtors. All commission fees are paid by the seller.

Buyer do sign, it's called an agency relationship agreement. But, most agents don't have the buyers sign this until a contract on a house is written up.


Valerie
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[Green22]

Didn't read all the threads but wanted to say to OP that I have had nothing but terrible - REALLY TERRIBLE - experiences. Lazy, lying (not disclosing that she was the agent for the buyer and the seller when asked about the buyer's agent), unprofessional (screaming at my DH on the phone, actually screaming) . . . .just total crap. I have had experiences with three realtors. When I tried to do it on my own by calling the listing agent to see the houses I would be asked if I was represented, and if not, I would get a total run around. Can't show until 2 weeks from now . . . or was told they would only show if I had a pre-qualification letter. Ridic.

That being said, my mom had a wonderful agent and she was worth her weight in gold. But this lady was a realtor b/c she loved real estate and homes, and she didn't need the money (was independently wealthy) so she kind of only showed certain types and prices of homes to a small number of people. But she was fantastic.

[AnnieW625]

Buyer do sign, it's called an agency relationship agreement. But, most agents don't have the buyers sign this until a contract on a house written.

That makes sense then. I was thinking about how you hire a seller's agent (from what I understand) vs. not having to sign something (at least we didn't) to actually see a house first.