This post is inspired by one that Brenda just wrote (check it out here) and I wanted to chime in. The essence is how agents cooperate with out-of-town agents who bring their buyers into that territory. Brenda was faced with some disappointing results but I wanted to share a cool story of how it "should" be.
I sold a home in Kansas City and my sellers were being transferred 3 hours away to a satellite campus for his work. (These are 5-star clients and amazing people by the way!) They asked if I can help them buy their new house and I offered to find them a great agent in that area.
To my surprise, they said they wanted me to represent them! I explained that I did not know that area, nor prices/market data but they were comfortable with my ability to represent them. They had friends there who told them the schools and neighborhoods they needed to look at, so equipped with a printout that they handed me, he said, "Our next house is one of these five houses. Can we go look at them this weekend?" Um, yes.
**Sidebar** THE POWER OF THE INTERNET
Isn't it amazing that our clients are using this amazing tool to allow us to serve them better?? I hope we as agents are focusing a TON of effort to make ourselves visible in this medium.
Anyway, long story short, I coordinated with all the listing agents to get keys and/or have the doors opened for me since my e-key won't work in their district. EVERY agent was more than willing to welcome me and make the deal happen. In fact, the agent we bought from also sent me MLS data from that neighborhood as well as other area facts.
**Sidebar #2** THE "BY OWNER" HOUSE LOST
Are you listening FSBOs?? We scheduled all of these from Kansas City, and when we arrived in the neighborhood of choice ($300K houses) we found TWO For-sale-by-owner houses that did NOT show up on the internet. They missed a big opportunity with our buyers not even knowing they existed and we bought their neighbor's house. Lesson learned?
Sorry abou the rabbit trail. ANYWAY, I just wanted to thank the agents in Columbia, Missouri for welcoming this Kansas City agent with open arms and being PROFESSIONAL and working to make the deal happen. I can't wait to help that next agent who comes in from out of town to KC that I can return the favor.
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