Category Archives: Public Perception
Who Pays the Buyer Broker Fee?
This is a far-reaching and informative conversation/debate at Rain City Guide, which is worth the thirty minute read if you’re interested in this sort of thing . (And you should be interested if you’re in or will be in the market to buy or sell a house in Charlottesville or if you’re a Realtor … times continue to change as people continue to question and challenge the archaic way by which the real estate world operates) And here is the crux of the issue: If a broker just opens the door for a buyer, has that broker become the “procuring cause,” thus entitling that broker to the (commission)? … As the real estate industry matures in the modern, internet-based world, hopefully it will move towards a more rational way of compensating buyer’s brokers, one that compensates them for services peformed and value added, not just for “procuring” a buyer. I’ve said time and again – my business, and hopefully the better parts of the real estate industry, will continue to shift towards representation of clients’ and their interests and away from selling. (come back on 9 September to read a very relevant story about buyer broker fees) Continue reading
Should Realtors Disclose if They Haven’t Represented a Short Sale?
The services which REALTORS® provide to their clients and customers shall conform to the standards of practice and competence which are reasonably expected in the specific real estate disciplines in which they engage; specifically, residential real estate brokerage, real property management, commercial and industrial real estate brokerage, land brokerage, real estate appraisal, real estate counseling, real estate syndication, real estate auction, and international real estate.
REALTORS® shall not undertake to provide specialized professional services concerning a type of property or service that is outside their field of competence unless they engage the assistance of one who is competent on such types of property or service, or unless the facts are fully disclosed to the client . … 2 – Customers/potential clients (they’re different things by the way; see Article 1, Standard of Practice 1-2) should be interviewing their potential representation as if they are hiring someone to represent them in the biggest financial transaction of their lives. … 3 – If a Realtor is not doing at least five (and some have argued ten) transactions a year, they are most likely not up to speed on the most recent happenings, changes, relationships that are crucial to client success in this market. Continue reading
I Tried to Show a House This Weekend
The lockbox doesn’t work and apparently hasn’t worked for many months; another Charlottesville Realtor told me that he had tried to show the house five times, to no avail … seven months ago. … But I’m left agreeing with my clients that the Realtor isn’t doing his job, that the house might have been worth something nine months ago. … Think about this – nearly 28% of the houses currently on the market in the Charlottesville MSA are vacant – that’s about 700 homes. … About 155 homes have been on the market for at least a year . 72 of these vacant homes have been on the market for at least 600 days. Continue reading
Talkin’ about Raising the Bar
If you’re curious or interested in the ongoing conversation about raising the standards of professionalism within the real estate industry, tune in to Blog Talk Radio tomorrow to hear the first in what promises to be a brilliant series of conversations (myself excluded). Raise the Bar on Blog Talk Radio . … From ethics to contract-writing to putting photos in the MLS, there are no real (enforced or enforceable) standards of professionalism in the real estate profession. (One of the many ways that Nest Real Estate Group is different ) 
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Charlottesville Real Estate Agent Update – Third Quarter 2009
Production matters.
How many clients do you represent every year?
But it’s just one of the many questions buyers or sellers should ask when they are interviewing their potential representation.
Questions to ask your agent in Charlottesville
Great Questions for Sellers to ask
I’m grateful (and work really hard) to be in the 10+ segment of the above chart. I firmly believe that if an agent is not doing at least 10 transactions a year, they’re likely not going to survive.
If they’re doing less than five transactions a year, they’re likely doing themselves, their profession and their clients a … Continue reading…
Real Estate Photos and Videos – Quality Matters
In the words of a client – an actual buyer in the Charlottesville, Virginia real estate market – ie: I am not making this up. He had visited Charlottesville on his own several months before his wife, who was visiting without him. Because of this, she and I were revisiting some of the properties that he had previously seen. This is an email he sent to me about some of the photos and properties in the Charlottesville MLS.
No doubt, my wife had already informed you that I visited (the property*). Frankly, I was shocked and angered by
Four Corners Principle
As a Buyer’s Agent, I can tell you about what is contained within the four corners of the property and can (and do with the appropriate caveats) speculate about what may happen outside those four corners.
Heck, I heard a story last week about people who had moved into the City of Charlottesville thinking that they were moving into the County of Albemarle. (I don’t think those folks had representation) Check, check and double check everything.
This stuck out to me in the HooK this week:
Almost as soon as she moved here in 2006 and bought a three-acre
10 Things Your Realtor May Not Tell You
I wouldn’t have known about the allegedly controversial Smart Money article had the President of the National Association of Realtors not addressed it (without a link to the Smart Money story as is common blogging practice) ….
“10 Things your Realtor won’t tell you” is a silly article that plays on fears, stereotypes and ignorance – some of the stereotypes are true, but don’t lose sight of the fact that lists like this drive traffic and help them sell their book. As with much of what you read, do your own due diligence. I’m surprised they didn’t have #11:
Dual … Continue reading…
