Stop selling your buyers and start selling yourself, I want to tell buyer's agents. But it's not really my place to say it. I'm just a Sacramento short sale agent. I represent sellers. I refer buyers to my trusted team members and work exclusively with sellers. My job is to get the bank to accept their short sale and close that puppy. I do it quickly, efficiently and quietly, without a lot of drama, if I can help it.
But this seller's market is taxing on everybody. It's really hard on sellers. Oh, you might think it's all fun and games when people come over to your house to ooh and ah over its beauty and decor. But after a few days, even fresh fish begins to stink, as the saying goes.
Last night a seller asked if I could remotely disable the lockbox to stop agents who don't check MLS for showing instructions from using it. That's a feature I don't have. We used to be able to set the times a lockbox was accessible from our computer, but Supra changed that for us, or at least for me. So, while it's an interesting thought, it did once used to be reality. It's frustrating that I can't turn on and turn off my lockboxes. I bought the suckers, and they ain't cheap. It might also be a brokerage restriction.
Yet, this morning I am still receiving offers for a Sacramento short sale. This should be in escrow already but the sellers are struggling with the decision of whom to choose. Like any seller, they ask their agent for advice. I try to be impartial and analytical for them, and help walk them through the process of selection. Anything I know, I share. If I know the agent, I share what I know about the agent.
Because bottom line, we're not only in escrow with the buyer, we are in escrow with that agent. I'm looking for an experienced agent. An agent who knows how to explain an AS IS short sale. An agent as dedicated to the wait for short sale approval as the buyer. That's the kind of buyer's agent who closes escrow. That's all we want to do is close this escrow and let the sellers get on with their lives.
I think back to a short sale buyers fought over recently. That winning buyer's agent made the following statements:
- If the bank wants more money, my buyers will pay it.
- I won't call you for updates or bug you as I have set my buyer's expectations appropriately.
- We will wait for approval regardless of how long it takes.
- We will not ask for repairs or try to renegotiate after you get short sale approval.
- I have closed many short sales for many buyers.
That's the agent I want. That's the agent my sellers want. If you're hoping to buy a short sale in our Sacramento seller's market, this is the kind of agent a buyer should want. An agent who communicates.
That's what Jackson would say if he were a real estate agent. Jackson is my cat, see below.
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