Special offer

Dealing With Out of Area Agents as Buyers

By
Real Estate Agent with Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker DRE #00697006

Sometimes, you just can't win by trying, but it does help to keep your priorities in focus. I do this by looking at the big picture and reassessing situations, especially when encountering out of area agents. It can be tough when that agent is representing the buyer because the agent does not know our local customs, might not know how to refer the best inspectors and, worse, has no MLS access to the house.

Not to mention, a little tidbit not every agent knows is our Sacramento MLS requires commission payment only to other members. So technically, we aren't even required to pay them, but we tend to allow it anyway. It's where priorities are set. The sellers. My priorities are the sellers.

Further, imagine for a moment how an agent buyer can have a fool for a client. However, even given those circumstances, I try to help the seller. I focus on what is best for the seller. If there is a way to help the agent buyer, I will do so. But sometimes those types of agents do not want any help because they've already got it together in their own minds. Sometimes they are very grateful for the assistance.

Just the luck of the draw at times.

But I tell you what I am grateful for is this huge network of agents across the country who at times jump in to help. Special thanks to our Beverly Hills agent, Endre Barath.

You can read more in my personal blog today at this link: Establishing Priorities from a Top Sacramento Listing Agent.

Posted by

elizabeth weintraub

 

 

Weintraub and Wallace Realtors

 

 

Elizabeth Weintraub reviews

 

 

 

Elizabeth Weintraub is co-partner of Weintraub & Wallace Team of Top Producing Realtors, an author, home buying expert at The Balance, a Land Park resident, and a veteran real estate agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown, Carmichael and East Sacramento, as well as tract homes in Elk Grove, Natomas, Roseville and Lincoln. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put our combined 80 years of real estate experience to work for you. Broker-Associate at RE/MAX Gold. DRE License # 00697006.

Photo: Unless otherwise noted in this blog, the photo is copyrighted by Big Stock Photo and used with permission.The views expressed herein are Weintraub's personal views and do not reflect the views of RE/MAX Gold. Disclaimer: If this post contains a listing, information is deemed reliable as of the date it was written. After that date, the listing may be sold, listed by another brokerage, canceled, pending or taken temporarily off the market, and the price could change without notice; it could blow up, explode or vanish. To find out the present status of any listing, please go to elizabethweintraub.com.

Comments(13)

Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

We share the same sentiments about out-of-area agents, Elizabeth...and Endre is wonderful too! Glad he was able to help.

Oct 29, 2018 05:39 PM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

I am like you, Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Real Estate Agent, Top 1% of Lyon Agents in that I think about how it will benefit the seller to cooperate. That is what agency is all about.

Oct 29, 2018 07:02 PM
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Elizabeth, if an agent comes from our of our local MLS, they must have their commission approved by the listing agent.     We see this a lot too.

Oct 30, 2018 06:29 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

I do not think that feeling your co-workers are family is weird.  I feel the same way about many of mine, and I don't even have a team.  Last week, I ended up in the ER with excruciating kidney stone pain and my husband wanted to know if he should call my brother.  No.  I wanted him to call a co-worker who had been on the phone with me offering to take me to the hospital when the pain got unbearable.  

This is a business that is hard for those not in it to understand.  It's natural to develop close relationships with your teammates or co-workers.  And they will be strong relationships for life.

Oct 30, 2018 07:49 AM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Debe Maxwell, CRS Yes, Endre was fabulous. He helped by giving me information he wasn't even aware he could get extract but was happy to discover. So it turned out to be win / win, too.

Oct 30, 2018 10:27 AM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Debbie Reynolds I often think about how would the seller want me to respond? More so than how should I. Because otherwise some people who deserve a good old-fashioned Hawaiian punch would be treated to it.

Oct 30, 2018 10:29 AM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Joan Cox We don't seem to have any system for paying buyer's agents from out-of-area. There are broker demands to escrow, which I suppose could reflect paying 100% of the commission to the listing agent, but I've never encountered an escrow in which we did not want to pay the selling brokerage.

There could always be a first, though. Buyer's agents licensed in CA think they can sell anywhere in the state, and they can as long as somebody is willing to pay them. But there is no guarantee.

Oct 30, 2018 10:32 AM
Joan Cox

Here in CO, if you don't get this from the listing agent UPFRONT, you very well NOT getting a commission.  That is the agreement with the MLS.

Oct 30, 2018 04:27 PM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Chris Ann Cleland So sorry to hear of your emergency visit to the hospital. This has been a recurrence for you, hasn't it? I've felt that pain myself, and it is excruciating. While sitting in the ER, my husband poured water into me, and that ultimately alleviated the problem by the time they got around to seeing me. I hope you are OK now!!

Oct 30, 2018 10:35 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Not a recurring theme.  The stones have been there doing nothing in my kidney for years.  One decided it was time to vacate last week.  Thank goodness the ER had pain meds in me within ten minutes of my arrival.  Apparently, I was the sixth kidney stone patient of the day.  Pretty odd.

Oct 30, 2018 12:21 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Elizabeth- we make our families where and when we can find them. Our first neighbors here in South Florida became our family here...through births, deaths, marriages, graduations, you name it. You put your sellers first and when you do that, you will always be the winner that you are. 

Oct 30, 2018 01:04 PM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Chris Ann Cleland So what you are saying is there no way to get those kidney stones out of your body and you have to wait until they are ready to leave? Kind of like dealing with a feral cat?

Oct 30, 2018 01:58 PM
Chris Ann Cleland

Great analogy.  Yes!  Most docs won't mess with them if they aren't causing harm.  And just hanging in the kidney isn't harming anything.

Oct 30, 2018 05:32 PM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Kathy Streib You do make your families where you find them, that's for certain. I feel like I have two families now, one set in California and another in Hawaii. Not to mention our online community.

Oct 30, 2018 02:00 PM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

When I read the part about your family situation, Elizabeth.  I was a little sad.  I remembered you had lost your brother, but hadn't considered the rest of your family.  Here's the thing, however.  You have your furry pawed family members, especially Jackson!  And, that ain't bad!

Oct 31, 2018 03:49 AM