Still if you are in an area where there are 40 homes for sale in your price range in the same area, it could possibly be reasonable. So I ask again. Where are you?

It might me the guy at McDonald’s “job” to make french fries, but if you walked in and asked for 8,000 orders…well, he might look at you funny. It being her job is not the issue. What is the price range and where are you looking?

If someone wanted to see 40 properties that covered three counties and they cost $80,000, I’d probably take a pass.

You say “until then, I’m protecting myself from getting screwed by unscrupulous buyers who look at homes with you, but have their friend sign off on the contract to get the commission.” Has that happened to you Joe? It has NOT happened to me. Why should I protect myself against someting that happens to YOU?

But thanks for making my point. You get it signed for your own self interest reasons.

I think people can tell that I say what I think and I have absolutely no problem getting a buyer to sign one when I want one signed. If you say sign this because I don’t trust you, what does that say about you?

When you say sign this because I don’t trust you, how can you say it does not destroy the bond of relationship between agent and buyer.

If I don’t trust someone, I don’t work with them. It’s that simple.

Why does everyone think it is the buyer’s goal to run around screwing people over?

Good post.

Different note:

Didnt one of the largest discounters start in Texas erealty (later purchased by prudential)?

The only explanation I see, and which you stubbornly refuse to admit, is that you feel guilty asking them to sign one. That’s what I got from all your ranting about them in previous posts. Somehow it ruins that special bond between you and the client.

Well guess what, it is very unprofessional to try and make the real estate transaction some touchy-feely trust thing where everyone is over optimistic. This is business first, friends later. When the deal is done, the trust will come naturally. Until then, I’m protecting myself from getting screwed by unscrupulous buyers who look at homes with you, but have their friend sign off on the contract to get the commission.

Btw, I’m from TEXAS, not the dark ages. We have some of the best real estate laws and systems in place. No way would some crap like REDFIN ever take root in our state.

Sorry, I click your link and it looks like you “service” my industry in some fashion vs. being “in” it.

Allen, obviously you have it all wrong again. Written agreements are always required, in every state, when you are dealing with both the buyer and the seller at the same time.

When you knock on a door of a consumer who is unrepresented, both the person inside the door and my client need greater clarification than normal, with regard to whom I am representing at the time of the discussion. The nature of the agency needs to be in writing for the benefit of both parties. It is simply the reverse of being approached by a buyer on my listing. There has to be a written agreement by one or both to talk to both at the same time.

Personally, I strongly recommend to the buyer they get a written agreement, when I offer to charge them less than the mls offering, for their protection. They choose to trust me. Do you propose I fight them on that point?

I am in the same industry as you but do not have the same mindset and I very much understand the duties and responsibilities of the real estate agent. My point is the agent community is going to have to step it up.

There is nothing stopping you from having your own attorney draft your own buyer agreement. Maybe Russ can help you with it .

In your post to Joe you said:

I will, and still do, use them WHEN IT BENFITS THE BUYER TO HAVE ONE! Which is rarely. Mostly when I need to approach people whose homes are not for sale.

How does it benefit the buyer when you are approaching homes not listed for sale? This is truly in your best interest to have an agreement signed not the buyers because if you talk to an unlisted homeowner there is no agreement for compensation. This also shows trust is a one way street with you. Why wouldn’t you just say I trust you will pay me if I write up this fsbo for you?

Ardell you make my points better then I do. THANKS

If you can tell me one good reason not to have an agreement of understanding and compensation in place I would love to hear it.