Worried About Your Commission? Learn to Show Your Value
Buyer’s agent compensation offers seem set to disappear from your local multiple listings service by this summer. And the effects will be wide-ranging.
Watch Out for ‘Gotcha’ Clauses in Homebuyer Representation Contracts
Would you pay a 9 percent commission to buy a house? The scenario is a long shot, but it’s still conceivable, if you’re not careful, according to a review of buyer-broker contracts reviewed by the Consumer Federation of America.
The $1.78B Wake-Up Call and the Path Forward
A clear mandate has emerged from the commission lawsuit verdict: Change how commissions are structured. Many in our field, committed to best practices and integrity, are already adapting. Here’s how you can, too.
With Competition Strong, Saturday Is the New Sunday for Homebuyers
Many buyers aren’t likely to wait for rates to drop before jumping back into the market. This means it’s important to get your clients in to see a property as early as they can.
Ditch the Doom and Gloom About Real Estate Commissions
Associations, brokers, agents and MLS leaders shouldn’t assume that defendants in the commission lawsuits can win on appeal – and that agent commissions will go down in the lawsuits’ wake.
Study Says Agents Still Steering Buyers
It has long been suspected that some agents engage in “steering” – guiding their buyer-clients away from low-paying listings. And the authors of a new, large-scale study say they’ve unearthed proof.
Are Buyers Agents an Endangered Real Estate Species?
A recent court ruling on real estate agent commissions has some industry experts wondering whether the current compensation system can survive much longer in Massachusetts and across the nation.
NAR Plans to Appeal $1.8B Commission Lawsuit Verdict
A Missouri jury handed down a verdict Tuesday afternoon that could upend the residential real estate industry and slap its biggest trade group and several major brokerages with at least $1.8 billion in fines.
Don’t Put Your Earnest Money at Risk
Attaching a check to the offer on a house you hope to purchase is the right way to signal your intentions to the seller. But that means you need to keep your side of the bargain, too.
The Rules of the Road for New – and Not-So-New – Agents
Top producers’ most important skillset is their ability to build strong connections with the potential leads they meet. Here are 10 ways to do what they do, and achieve similar success.
Buyers’ Agents’ Fate Is Sealed – If They Don’t Prove Their Value
Anywhere Real Estate’s $83.5 million settlement agreement and RE/MAX’s similar, $55 million settlement agreements in the so-called “bombshell” lawsuits together form a watershed moment.
Housing ‘Extras’ Add Up
Homebuyers who focus solely on the cost of their mortgage’s interest and principal are doing themselves a disservice. There are other recurring costs that should be factored into the decision.
Home Warranties Called ‘Lousy Deals’
If your client is thinking of buying a house that comes with one, you’re likely better off asking the seller to credit you with the cost of the warranty at settlement.
Home Inspections Are Changing. Here’s What You Can Expect
“Contactless” home inspections, which work like a 3D virtual home tour, offer a new way to evaluate a home even in a high-pressure real estate market.
Winter Buyers: Be Ready to Be Nimble
Buying a house in the winter is a different animal, especially in colder climates where the weather can limit your ability to fully see a property.
Douglas Elliman Launches ‘Personal Assistant’ Service for Buyers
Brokerage Douglas Elliman Realty announced the launch of a new “personal assistant” service for buyers that it said would help its agents build stronger relationships with their traditionally high-end clients.
Listings Fall Out of Contract as Rates Spike
A new report from Redfin suggests another way higher mortgage interest rates are taking their toll on the housing market: more homebuyers bailing on purchases.
DOJ-NAR Lawsuits Open Up a Can of Worms for Agents, MLS Services
It’s becoming increasingly apparent that the Department of Justice wants to force buyers to pay their own commissions. How would the real estate industry change?
What’s on the Other Side of the Fence?
You can’t pick your neighbors. You can pick your neighborhood, though, and it is a good idea to give that as much thought as the house itself, even in a beggars-can’t-be-choosers market like this.
Is Real Estate Seasonality a Thing of the Past?
Events that have traditionally signaled a start to the housing market are no longer reliable indicators and the once-predictable rhythm of seasonality seems to be declining.
