ON BEING AN AGENT

A most challenging role of the real estate Agent is to maintain his position as an Agent. Buying and selling a home is an emotional event. The Agent and his client build rapport and may even seem to become best friends prior to the actual sale. Because of this, the Agent may become overly protective of the client or project himself in the negotiations as though he were buying or selling the home for himself. In doing so, the Agent may not be acting in the best interest of the Buyer or Seller even though he means well.

The role of the Agent is to be an educator to his clients and a messenger of their decisions. As the educator, the client expects the Agent to navigate him through the legal jargon of the real estate contracts. There is nothing intuitive about the Residential Listing Agreement (Exclusive Authorization and Right to Sell (C.A.R. Form LA, Revised 10/02)) or the California Residential Purchase Agreement and Joint Escrow Instructions For Use With Family Residential Property - Attached or Detached (C.A.R. Form RPA-CA, Revised 10/02) Purchase Agreement.

Study and learn every page of these contracts so you can paraphrase them as glibly as you say your name. Contracts are the tools of your trade. Need help? Check your local board calendar for contract classes.

The Seller expects the Agent to give the general market a message that his property is for sale and that it is worth the asking price. The Buyer expects the Agent to give the Seller the message that he is ready, willing and able to buy his property.

During negotiations, it is important for the Agent to analyze, explain and clarify options and consequences to their client. It is equally important for the Agent to stay clear of making any final decisions for their client.

COLD CASE FILE

A property goes on the market on Monday. By Tuesday morning, there are 2 offers. The Seller does not want to see offers until Wednesday at 5:00 pm. A third Buyer is aware of this before writing his offer on Tuesday afternoon. He very much wants this property. He instructs his Agent to write and submit an offer that is $10,000 more than the asking price. Several hours later, nervous that there may be even more offers by Wednesday, the Buyer calls his Agent and says that he wants to increase his offer to $20,000 more than the asking price. The Agent tells the Buyer that he thinks $20,000 more is too much for that property and maybe it wouldn't appraise. The Agent convinces the Buyer to stay with his original offer and negotiate upwards if he has to in counter offers. The Buyer never gets a counter offer and loses his chance to buy the property.

The SSD is the most overlooked of all mandatory real estate disclosure forms. There are 2 important questions that the SSD asks that do not appear in any other disclosure form, that may not appear in public records and that only the Seller can answer.

Are you (Seller) aware of

1. Insurance claims affecting the property within the past 5 years (includes claims for Home Warranty service)

Most loans require property insurance as a condition of the funding. Previous insurance claims may affect the insurability of the property.

Within the past 3 years, the death of an occupant of the Property upon the Property.

Some Buyers would never buy a property knowing that a death had occurred in it. If the Buyer discovers this fact from the neighbors (and he will) after the close of escrow, you've got trouble, especially since there is a C.A.R. form available to obtain this information from the Seller during the escrow period.

The SSD has been part of the standard REMERGE TC Seller's Disclosure Package since 10/2003. The SSD, however, is not known to or not used by most Seller's Agents. As a matter of course, REMERGE TC faxes the SSD to the Seller's Agent along with our introduction letter when we are on the Buyer's side.

REMERGE TC PSYCHIC NETWORK

It would be a real advance in telepathic technology if REMERGE TC Coordinators could glean transaction information from your thought processes. REMERGE TC Psychic Network is still in beta testing.

Meanwhile ….

Your REMERGE TC Coordinator can't know that you have a listing or a sale transaction unless you register it on line. Your Coordinator cannot process it effectively with only partial information.

REMERGE TC SERVICE STARTS

WHEN YOU DO!

Waiting creates confusion. As soon as you get a listing, sell a listing or have a new sale, register it with REMERGE TC. Enter all the contact information regarding the players in the transaction including your client's home, business, cell phone and e-mail address so that we can contact him to alert him to and follow up for paperwork. Fax documents to REMERGE TC. Then, let the magic begin!

GOT A NEW LISTING?

Seller's Side

Go to: www.remerge.com
Click: NEW LISTING

The first page to appear is a list of documents you must fax to us. You can print this list directly from the web site for future reference.

Click: To Register your New LISTING Click

HERE

Enter: Your password
Complete: On Line form

Submit

DID YOUR LISTING SELL?

Seller's Side only or Double Ender

Go to: www.remerge.com
Click: LISTING / SOLD

The first page to appear is a list of documents you must fax to us. You can print this list directly from the web site for future reference.

Enter: Your password
Click: Property Address
Complete: On Line form
Submit

DID YOU MAKE A NEW SALE?

Buyer's Side Only

Go to: www.remerge.com
Click: NEW SALE

The first page to appear is a list of documents you must fax to us. You can print this list directly from the web site for future reference.

Click: To Register your New SALE Click

HERE

Enter: Your password
Complete: On Line form
Submit

Questions? Comments? or Suggestions?