You’ve Just Won a NEW CAR!!!!!

Now certainly if you're a contestant on the Price is Right game show those are the words you want to hear!

Recently though, I've been getting a lot of e-flyers from agents all over Washington State offering me a free Mercedes (two year lease paid in full) if I can procure an offer on their listing.

Now, obviously offering additional agent incentives to bring their clients to your listings isn't a new thing. They range from higher than average commissions to hefty cash bonuses, but the Mercedes is certainly a new spin on it. Now I do appreciate that agents are obviously going the extra mile for their sellers, but it also concerns me that they are (in doing so) skewing the buyers agents position as a neutral party, and their ability to render professional unbiased opinions to their clients.

Then there's also the question "do you inform your client of this huge luxury bonus your receiving from the sale?"  I would be inclined to say yes you should. However, as agents we don't typically mention or discuss what we are paid as a commission on a sale because it is in effect our "pay check" and thus not an issue. When you throw a new Mercedes into the picture that seems different than "earning a commission" to me.

I am curious as to what a clients reaction would be if they were either told, or later learned that the largest most costly transaction of their life (often the case) resulted in their agent driving a new luxury car for the next two years completely free (except for gas of course) on top of their commission. On the other hand, I would think if you informed them of the free car being offered, the client may very well feel they should get it; but of course that would lead to issues with their lender.

So I am a bit curious as what other uncommon incentives are being dangled around out there in other States, and if anyone else sees possible ethical issues stemming from such practice.