Hat tip to Carl Streicher, mortgage broker, for sending over this handy chart on allowable concessions, also known as seller contributions. This is how the buyer-agent commission can be included as a part buyer's mortgage package, even if the seller didn't sign the...
This business used to be civil. It was probably obvious that the contracts were drawn up by the realtor attorneys to protect realtors, but there were adequate protections for buyers and sellers too. This commission lawsuit has changed everything, and now they only...
Due to expected scrutiny from the DOJ, the California Association of Realtors has abandoned buyers, and the buyer-agents. If a listing agent wants to include paying an incentive to buyer-agents, not only do they have to convince a seller that it's a good idea, but...
We know that the current DOJ wants to de-couple commissions, and have buyers pay for their own help. How does Team Trump feel about real estate commissions? I checked with Project 2025: Project 2025 proposes significant changes to the traditional real estate...
On Monday I talked about the big brokerages coming together to sue NAR for the terrible job they did in looking out for our best interests. Nothing else happened this week, but the CAR must have heard something: "Every June, C.A.R. issues new and modified standard...
Here we go! This week, we're going to find out more about the DOJ's stance on home sellers paying commissions to the buyer-agents. Finally! Everyone agrees that sellers can choose to pay NO commissions. Heck, you don't have to hire an agent to sell your house - go...
Our president of the western United States was at our regional sales meeting on Friday. At the end, he announced that Compass has joined with all of the other brokerages who were identified in the NAR settlement as having over $2 billion in sales volume - a group that...
Yesterday's blog post identified one solution for buyers which we'll call the Gunslinger Special - where you wait patiently for the perfect home and when it hits the market, call JtR and give it everything you got. What are the other options? First, let's note that...
The elimination of buyer-agents continues: The U.S. Department of Justice broke its silence in court on Tuesday on the impending changes coming for the real estate industry in the wake of settlement agreements by major brokerages and the National Association of...
While management believes that buyer-agents will adapt and the implementation of the buyer-broker agreement will happen over the next few months, I have my doubts. It's more likely that buyers will resist paying 2% to 3% to their agent, unless they are convinced that...
