We've Come A Long Way Baby, And The Journey Is Not Over

Barbara, I never worked in the business when everyone worked for the Seller.  I do believe every buyer needs representation!

Excellent post Barbara! Congratulations on the well deserved feature!

Every buyer deserves proper representation.

Hi Barbara Todaro - We need to be flexible as agents and most important.... represent our clients to our fullest ability. 

Another wonderful post, Barbara!  Concise and to the point.  We all need to work together for the benefit of our clients.

Good morning again Barbara. Everyone does deserve representation. Integrity has always been a factor though.

Hello Barbara - cooperation is my takeaway with this post. Not competition.  Competence.  Coordination.  A clear understanding of the playing field.

Buyers definitely need representation.  Even with the most well-meaning listing agents, meeting the needs of the buyer and seller can be a fine dance.

The spirit of cooperation must be a factor for buyer and listing agents when transacting. Both sides must know their roles and step up to do their part, otherwise it can become contentious! Congrats on the feature Barbara Todaro! 

Thanks for the real estate update!  

Dear Barbara,

Very nice acknowledgement of the buyer agency system. Despite being over 30, it exists in only a few countries. Mostly Canada and a few regions in Europe. In many other countries, you have to traipse from one agency to another to find out what they have and selling a property can take many years or up to a decade. In small communities, properties sell mostly by word of mouth. This type of cooperation definitely works better for consumers and agents, because it speeds up the whole process. Not to mention each client having proper representation.

Good morning  Barbara - I am sure that it has come a long way.  I don't remember buyer agents when I bought and sold years ago.  Of course, I had one two years ago.

Respecting, appreciating and promoting buyer representation on listings is how I do business and it has never failed me.  It's not about me.  It's about making sure is client is fully represented.

Featured in the group:  BARTENDER, MAKE IT A DOUBLE.

I know in Orange County, California, in the early 1980s, I instituted my own buyer's brokerage agreements, and that was considered by C.A.R. to be groundbreaking at the time. They interviewed me for a piece. To me it seemed like a normal thing to do.

Everyone should have representation, sellers and buyers. And it's really important to acknowledge that everyone in the transaction is important. With cooperation, everyone wins.

Barbara when I came into the business Buyer Agency was already in place.  It must of been much harder to sell a property if the Buyers Agent was going to ge zero commission.

Good Morning Barbara Todaro 

Things certainly have changed since I got my licesnse. We had backwards phone books and a weekly MLS book that came to the office. But the biggest thing has been buyers getting representation.

When I was in Englad a few years ago, I interviewed the owner of a real estate agency over there and was shocked to learn they have no "cooperation". All sales are dual agency.  Not sure if it is still that way or not. 

Oh the times, they are a changin'...

I agree, Barbara and like you, I market heavily to other agents when I represent sellers. For that very reason, when I'm representing buyers in multiple-Offer situations, I win. Why? Because the listing agents have been the buyers agents that I've phoned to market my listings. We have established relationships during that time and during past transactions. 

Cooperation is VERY important to me, as it should be to all agents, quite frankly. Sadly, some make it so unbearably difficult to work with but, I like to focus on those I know in a more positive light!