Making money on a referral is one thing, but a vendor? I don't think so!

Lately I have been receiving ads from different vendors that want to pay me referral fees for standard maintenance on my client's homes. I got a call and an email from a roofer today. I get these calls from my presence on AR and I love it. This just made me nervous. Have maintenance companies been offering you money for referrals? This is a practice I have never taken part in and I do not plan to do so in the future. It seems to me as if they will simply charge the client a bit higher price to give me the fee. Nope. Not going to do it. Recently we had a terrible hail storm in Huntsville Texas and Elkins Lake where I do have a listing.

A man called me today and explained he had been on the roof of my client and with the right insurance they would be able to have their roof replaced. They definitely had hail damage. Their insurance company would pay for the replacement and I should convince them to have it replaced. Cool I thought. This always will help the home to sell and this is one in the flood plain that is really giving me a tough time. I told him I would visit with them over the weekend and see if they will go for it. They will have no out of pocket and a new roof. This is hard to pass up.

But, then I went to my email and he offered me a $200.00 referral fee for helping to get him set up for the replacement. My stomach turned upside down. I have never and I will never take a fee such as this one! It just does not feel right or legal. In fact, a thank you fee to REALTORS is a maximum of $50.00 by TAR and NAR AND RESPA.

I have held to that requirement in all my years of Real Estate and I will continue to do so.

I was going to recommend my client to look at having their roof replaced anyway. I think what I will do is to set it up with him thinking I will take the referral and in the end I will have him deduct this from my client's bill.

Think I should?

I don't want the money. I am just doing my job the best I know how. I am not a money monger.

 

                                                                                                          
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Wichita Falls Real Estate and Home Sales by Deb "Alayne" Brooks!

 

Check out my website at: www.debs-realestate.com.

 Some photos attributed