Dual Agency in a real estate transaction happens when an agent or broker represents both the buyer and the seller in the transaction. In California, this is perfectly legal, and many people wonder just why that is. After all, a lawyer cannot represent both sides in court, so why can a real estate agent represent […]
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[M03/S09] Check an Agent’s Work
You know what they say – the proof is in the pudding! Before hiring an agent, you should check out the agent to see what reviews they’ve had on sites like Zillow, Yelp, and Reach150. On Zillow, you can actually see their transaction history which may be incomplete or erroneous, but it’s a good place to […]
[M03/S12] Discount and Flat Fee Brokers
Most home owners do elect to hire a full-service agent, but a good number of homeowners turn to discount and flat fee brokers. The truth is, some brokers just plain charge less than others. You may have heard that commissions in your area are a standard 7%, 6%, or 5%. That could be the “standard,” […]
[M03/S13] Real Estate Listing Agreements
To begin formally working with a real estate agent, you’ll sign a listing agreement. There are three standard types of real estate listing agreements used in California: exclusive right to sell, an open listing, and an exclusive agency listing. The exclusive right to sell listing is the most common form of listing agreement, and most […]
[M03/S14] Your Real Estate Agent’s Job in a Nutshell
Your real estate agent is going to wear a lot of hats. There are dozens or hundreds of little details that need to get taken care of in the sales process. It would take too much time to list literally everything which comprises an agent’s job, so for the sake of brevity, here is your […]
[M03/S03] Real Estate Agent Designations
You may have noticed that some agents have a bunch of letters after their name; these are their real estate agent designations. You might see it on their business card, e-mail signature, or on their web site, for example. So what’s that all about? These are Realtor® designations, and they indicate that the agent has […]
[M03/S04] How to Choose a Real Estate Agent
Did you know that in most states, it takes about 10 times as much course work to get a beautician’s license as compared to a real estate license? And that about 80% of people who get into the real estate sales business are out of it within 5 years? Would it surprise you to learn […]
[M03/S05] How NOT to Choose a Real Estate Agent
Choosing the wrong real estate agent can be a very costly mistake. There are two main criteria that most people use when picking an agent – and using these criteria alone is exactly how not to choose a real estate agent. In the real estate business, there’s a phenomenon known as buying a listing. A […]