I am at my wits end?  I have a buyer that is a referral from a referral agent. This referral agent is license but can only do referrals and not write contracts. She has been helping me with the buyer as the buyer speaks very little English. I am fine with that; its made coordinating a little harder but we have been able to work things out as far as meeting and locating properties. 

In deciding to work with the buyer I ask her if she had money to put down on a property once we found her one and the answer was yes.  So I researched some properties and she indicated she was very interested in one of them.  I noticed it was not in our centralized showing service so I had to call the agent.  He of course was not working on the weekend so I could not show the property.  I told the referral agent that the property was not available to show and we would need to see it during the week.  She told me she would call the buyer and let her know. So far so good…Right!

I get a call from the referral agent and she tells me the buyer has a lot of questions that need to be answered.  I ask what is it she wants to know? The referral agent said, “Remember the $20,000 she has for a down payment.” I said yes.  The referral agent replied it is all in cash in a briefcase.  The first question that came to my mind was where did it come from?  It seems she has earned some of the money doing odd jobs for friends and people in her community the other she saved from her job.  She is now concerned she will be hit for taxes on the money and on how to explain to the lender where the money came from.  She asked me if putting it in a bank would make a difference I told her I did not know and that more than likely the lender would still want to know where she got money to open the account.

We are supposed to meet again after the 4^th of July Holiday any words of wisdom would be appreciated.   

I wrote a post about a month ago about a listing agent asking my buyers for a copy of the inspection on a property. I went on to explain my buyers did not want to give it to them and offered to sell it to them. The listing agent got upset and gave me a word or two on how he felt about my buyers and me.

I had worked quite a bit with this inspector on both sides of transaction and know he is very professional and very competent. While working with a new set of buyers they too selected the same inspector.  When I arrived at the property he came over to me and asked me how the last transaction had turned out on the property he had inspected.  I told him my buyers decided to select another property and chose not to have an inspection since the seller who was flipping the property went through it with them and fixed anything they pointed out (he is a REALTOR, they had a developing cash flow problem).  We exchange a smile on that one. He then said he had heard from the listing agent from the last property he had inspected for me and that he asked him for a copy of the inspection. He also told me the listing agent used a few choice words on him when he told him he’d have to contact me to get a copy. I told him I was sorry that happened, and he said “No problem, I’ve he had run into this guy before.”  He then said “Remember I asked you if you had done a transaction with him before!”  I did remember him saying that; I replied, “I guess, I should have asked why?” 

I very seldom listen to people who want to give me information on an agent I am doing a transaction with; as I know it will affect my interaction with them. I do try to keep up with who-is-who in the local market but it is not easy. 

I was feeling pretty good about my gas bill after I got the Ford Focus.  A fill up for me is around 11 gallons when the reserve light comes on and it would cost me some where around $25 - $28 depending on the station.  Today, I paid $32.89 for a little less than 11 gallons.  When I looked at the pumped I felt I was driving the big Mercury again.  

When I got back to the office I took a good look at my scheduled and I eliminated some trips to drop off items; just scanned and fax them.  I also changed some showings I had scheduled to minimize drive time and distance.  I had them previously scheduled for effect best to worse.  I know it should be the opposite but I hope to sell them on the best one and not have to show any more.  It is now number 2 in the rotation.  I am now thinking of cutting my office time down to two days a week unless I have phone duty and work from home the other days. It is a 12-mile trip one way to my broker’s office for me. 

I am trying to get my raise back!  Have any of you made any changes in how you approach your work to cut your fuel bill?  I am also thinking about scaling back the range of properties I deal with, I have listing that are 30+ miles apart.

I like to get the prospective of my colleagues here on Point2.  You all always come up with different ways to look at a situation that I feel helps when and if the same situation comes around again.

A little background information:  I wrote an off on a property for a client, a good offer.  There was some minor negotiation on the closing date but nothing serious requiring a smoked filled room to hammer things out.  I showed the home that morning to my clients, we went back to my office and wrote the offer.  The clients parents wanted to see the home so we went back that evening and the owners were there.  I had briefed my clients to check their emotions at the door if owners are present.  This did not happen, they went on and on about how they loved the house.  I did manage a couple of times to divert the conversation but I lost control of the situation.  I felt okay, let it go the offer has been written and accepted. 

We took a 10 day option period to have the home inspected and negotiate any repairs needed.  Since my clients were from out of town they asked me to handle setting up the inspection.  I got it setup for late in the day so the husband could make it; I always like for at least one of the clients to get the briefing from the inspector in person if possible.  The house to say the least did not pass inspection.  I called the other realtor and told him I would be meeting with my clients the next day after they had a chance to look the report over together and let him know what repairs they would be requesting.  I had told my client during the course of the inspection that if he wanted to call it fine, we could get back on the road and find another property.  He decided to finish the inspection and consult with his wife.

The next day they called me and told me they felt they did not want to go forward with the offer.  They felt too much work needed to be done and there was no way to get it done in the time frame we had to work with.  They were on the money with their conclusion.  I called the listing agent to tell him what had been decided he ask me if he could get the inspection report. I told him the report was not mine that my clients had paid for it and I would ask them if they wanted to give it to his seller.  They said no, they were out of $250.00 and would give it to the seller for $200.00 since they would have to get another inspection on the next home.  I went over the pros and cons of just giving the inspection to the seller, but they stayed with their original decision.  I call the listing agent and told him they did not want to just give the inspection report to them.  He said okay, not more than 20 minutes later I get a call from the seller asking me for the report.  I relayed the conversation I had had with my clients to her ($200.00) and she told me she’d have to think about it, I said fine take all the time you need.  An hour later the listing agent calls me again to tell me he is faxing the signed release of earnest money.  He then tells me his seller told him we were willing to sell them the inspection, he said “I have been in real estate for 20 years and I have never heard of anything like that.”  I replied it is their inspection they paid for it; if they do not want to give it away it is their decisions.  He replied, “What are they going to do with it?  Wipe their A** with it?”  He went on to say,  “That is the most stupid sh*t I have ever heard of.”

I had heard enough and just hung up.  I am going to ask my broker to call the listing agents broker and let him know what a great professional the guys is.  How he is going the extra mile to influence people and cooperate with his fellow realtors.

I mean, who's inspection is it anyway???

Okay, here is the story.  I did both sides of a transaction and followed the letter of the law on disclosure; so why do I feel like crap.

The rest of the story!  I agree to list a home, as we were getting ready to fill out the disclosure paperwork the Seller said, I need to tell you something.  I said okay what is it; he proceeded to tell me his mother had committed suicide in the home and that is why he was selling it.  He asks me if he had to disclose this, as he was afraid it would make the home harder to sell. I told him there is a section on the disclosure that covers deaths on properties and that I would discuss it with him then, as I did not recall the exact wording.  When we did reach that area of the disclosure it was clear suicides do not have to be disclosed. The Seller was very happy about this and I told him he had my strict confidence on this matter. 

About 45 days into the listing period I get an Email from my website asking about the property.  I write the person back and provide the information they are asking for and add that I can show them the property if they would like to view the interior.  A couple of days past and I get a phone call from this potential buyer asking me if I can show the property.  I set it up; they like the property and want to make an offer.  I tell them I am working for the Seller and pull out the “Information about Brokerage Services Form” and go over it with them.  They tell me we need your help.  I tell them I cannot give you advice, I will treat you fairly and if you feel you need a Realtor to give you advice I can get one to assist you.  They said, “No we like you, we would like to work with you, we know you work for the Seller.” I told them I would write the offer and talk to my broker. My concern was how would they feel about the death on the property.  I was sure once they were in the house the neighbors will tell them or the kids will find out at school.  If I had been representing them and had talked to the neighbors and they told me there had been a suicide on the property I would have told my buyer. 

A week or so after the transaction closed I got the call. Why didn’t you tell me there had been a suicide in this house?  I explained the seller’s disclosure form that the buyer had signed and the Information about Brokerage Services again and told them as I had explained in the beginning I worked for the seller.  The buyer replied well, I am going to fix it up and you are going to sell it for me, I cannot live in this house!

Did I doge a bullet here?

A while back Ron Tarvin made a post about during a blog on your personal website and how hard he found it to find a subject to post there.  He also went on to say he found it easy to post in this forum (Is that pretty close Ron?).   This came to mind while reading the post by Cathy and Fred Dietrich on writing a blog post.

After I read Ron’s post I made a commitment to myself to get busy on the blog for my website.  I went through several changes to get it where I wanted it and finally settled on a green building theme.  To keep things on track with posting I put an entry in my planner for a blog post every Monday.  It is getting easier to do and I find myself thinking through the week what my next post will be about.  It is getting to the point that I am about reversed in my thinking and finding it much easier to post to my website verses this forum.  I guess my passion for green building makes it much easier to post there.  I am now considering adding one more day to my planner to make a post. 

It has been a slow process but I am getting a few readers and one agent has posted a link back to my website on his blog page.

How are the rest of you guys doing on your personal website blogs?

Okay, I will admit upfront I have not been monitoring this board much lately...So someone may have addressed this subject before.  If so credit is due to you.

I had a closing today on a new home that one of the best builders in the area did for a client.  The client ask me to be there as her husband is deployed to Iraq.  I try to attend all closing anyway just incase an issue should arise.  We had had numerous problems with the building of the home and numerous supervisors had over saw the construction process. 

I got the feeling I was not welcome to assist my client.  I know the drill sign them in and collect a check; it does not work for me! The home had issues and the builder did not want to step up to the plate.  I was asked by my client for my opinion and I gave it straight forward no sugar coating. I was present for the inspection and the walk through so I knew the history of the home.  At the closing a new contract was sent over from the sales office that had to be signed by my client.  I questioned why a new contract was needed as I have a copy of the contract signed by both the husband and wife.  I was told that the wife needed to signed the first slot since she had the VA eligibility certificate. I smiled and called the VA they responded they did not care who signed in which slot as long as the one with the VA eligibility certificate signed.  So I called them on it and they said well that is the way the builder wants it done. I had been conferring with my client the whole time and got involved because she did not want to signed the new contract. I called the sales agent and left him a message he never returned my call.  The attitude of the builder was take it or leave it we do not care...and I believe thay did not care.  My client walked out of the closing...I managed to save the deal.

My question is did I do right in calling them on what looked to be harassment on the part of the builder.  My client had to write a small paragraph each time she signed for her husband (she had power-of-attorney)? The rest of the closing was cold to say the least. I am looking back and I feel I did the right thing, my client told me she was glad I was there and my involment made her feel more at ease. My broker said I should have not got involved and could have blown the deal. 

So tell me folks...How would you have handled it???

I am beginning to think the public in general thinks Realtor's get paid a salary and a commission to boot.  How do you guys and gals handle open ended request for information.  I have in the past provided information to people hoping to convert them to a client only to have them soak it up and go somewhere else or to the listing agent. I sometimes include a statement telling people who request information on properties that if they decide on a property to give me the chance to write the offer.

I also take every opportunity to let clients and my sphere of influence know that I do not make a salary and if I do not make a sale I do not get paid.  Most seem surprised when I tell them my pay is 100% comission...

Any insight on how to remain responsive to enquires and not end up working for free???