Comments on: Virginia Buyers-Don’t Be Bullied By the Listing Agent http://varealestatetalk.com/2009/11/03/virginia-buyers-don%e2%80%99t-be-bullied-by-the-listing-agent/ A Peek at Life & Real Estate in Northern Virginia Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:09:43 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: cindyjones http://varealestatetalk.com/2009/11/03/virginia-buyers-don%e2%80%99t-be-bullied-by-the-listing-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-1945 cindyjones Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:57:47 +0000 http://varealestatetalk.com/?p=1064#comment-1945 Kim, Gottcha! Cindy Kim,

Gottcha!

Cindy

]]> By: Kim Hannemann http://varealestatetalk.com/2009/11/03/virginia-buyers-don%e2%80%99t-be-bullied-by-the-listing-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-1944 Kim Hannemann Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:19:30 +0000 http://varealestatetalk.com/?p=1064#comment-1944 Cindy, You're right, the seller is not in the picture. I should have said, "listing agent discriminating against prospective buyers based on their choice of settlement agent." Cindy,

You’re right, the seller is not in the picture. I should have said, “listing agent discriminating against prospective buyers based on their choice of settlement agent.”

]]> By: cindyjones http://varealestatetalk.com/2009/11/03/virginia-buyers-don%e2%80%99t-be-bullied-by-the-listing-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-1936 cindyjones Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:51:14 +0000 http://varealestatetalk.com/?p=1064#comment-1936 Doug, Split settlements can work just fine. I recently had an agent tell me "I would use her settlement company or else." I asked what is "or else", an ethics complaint against you with the association? No more questions after that. Doug,

Split settlements can work just fine. I recently had an agent tell me “I would use her settlement company or else.” I asked what is “or else”, an ethics complaint against you with the association?

No more questions after that.

]]> By: cindyjones http://varealestatetalk.com/2009/11/03/virginia-buyers-don%e2%80%99t-be-bullied-by-the-listing-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-1935 cindyjones Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:47:47 +0000 http://varealestatetalk.com/?p=1064#comment-1935 Kim, Most sellers don't have a clue about settlement companies, they are doing what the listing agent tells them to do. Certainly if it is a settlement agent that I have confidence in then I have no problem telling my buyers to use them. But frankly many of them I see I've never heard of and then we have an issue. Kim,

Most sellers don’t have a clue about settlement companies, they are doing what the listing agent tells them to do. Certainly if it is a settlement agent that I have confidence in then I have no problem telling my buyers to use them. But frankly many of them I see I’ve never heard of and then we have an issue.

]]> By: Doug Francis http://varealestatetalk.com/2009/11/03/virginia-buyers-don%e2%80%99t-be-bullied-by-the-listing-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-1934 Doug Francis Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:22:20 +0000 http://varealestatetalk.com/?p=1064#comment-1934 I call it a "split-settlement" when the feeling is right. Unless there is a financial incentive, stick to your guns because you want your title company pulling the title report to assure you there isn't a future legal problem. I call it a “split-settlement” when the feeling is right. Unless there is a financial incentive, stick to your guns because you want your title company pulling the title report to assure you there isn’t a future legal problem.

]]> By: Kim Hannemann http://varealestatetalk.com/2009/11/03/virginia-buyers-don%e2%80%99t-be-bullied-by-the-listing-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-1933 Kim Hannemann Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:54:37 +0000 http://varealestatetalk.com/?p=1064#comment-1933 Yes, "it's the law," but unfortunately there's no law against the seller discriminating against prospective buyers based on their choice of settlement agent. If you want the property, unless you are willing to outbid everyone by a substantial sum AND forego an appraisal contingency, you might want to think carefully about standing up so forcefully for your settlement rights. I haven't been on the seller end of any short sales, but the good agents I know who handle a lot of them swear by settlement agents who know what they're doing in those special cases. Look at the fees and talk to the listing agent before you decide against it. Yes, “it’s the law,” but unfortunately there’s no law against the seller discriminating against prospective buyers based on their choice of settlement agent.

If you want the property, unless you are willing to outbid everyone by a substantial sum AND forego an appraisal contingency, you might want to think carefully about standing up so forcefully for your settlement rights.

I haven’t been on the seller end of any short sales, but the good agents I know who handle a lot of them swear by settlement agents who know what they’re doing in those special cases. Look at the fees and talk to the listing agent before you decide against it.

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