Click here to view the embedded video.

Throughout this blog you will see examples of how Frankly agents advocate for and with their client, like no other firm does. What you might not see is some back end efforts that we fight for to help out our clients.

MRIS has a policy that I have been fighting for 6 months. I maintain that their policy is a direct violation of our fiduciary duty (blog post JUST on that!) to our client. Previously a listing agent would disclose who the buyer agent was AFTER a deal closes. No big deal. Agent use it to track stats, etc. But now MRIS requires listing agents enter buyer agent info (only visible by other agents) BEFORE the deal closes! No big deal? Yeah right!

That info can be used in a manner that HURTS the seller. So why require it? MRIS said that some broker’s of the buyer agent wanted to know when their agents had a deal under contract, because sometimes they don’t turn in paperwork.

How has it been abused? Here are some examples from an agent forum:

• – I got a call yesterday from an agent wanting me to disclose how i won the deal. She got my name from mris. We have been under contract 4 days. Inspection yesterday. She was competing offer and backup. Go figure. I told her nothing and wanted to know how she got my name. Said Mris. I was shocked. And angry they disclosed my info to a competing agent on an offer in progress. D.C.
• – “Picture this scenario: Buyer A contracts Seller B’s home. Seller C’s agent calls up buyer A’s agent and says, we have a very similar home one street over for $10k cheaper. If you void your contract via HOA docs, we can cut a great deal. While not real classy, seller C’s agent didn’t break any laws, but rather acted in his client’s best interest. Fully agree with you Frank. MRIS needs to remove that asap.” B.W.
• – “that [buyer] agent showed my listing but wrote on this one, maybe we can get that buyer back by offering a lower price”. It’s a privacy issue for me and I would be willing to bet, it is for many buyers agents… Anyone else want to join in righting this wrong? EMAIL MRIS! K.D.
• – Buyer loves a home. They demand the buyer agent contact the buyer agent that is listed on a home under contract. That buyer then puts in an offer to buy the contract off of the current buyer. (Frank)

Proposed solution #1: My solution is EASY. Add a new code called 888888 and make the agent name “Will disclose at closing”. Poof! Easy as that. Takes 10 minutes. Instead we have this mess.

Proposed solution #2: Hide the buyer agent info until the software is fixed. The client is more important than the broker.

Love to get your comments. If you were selling a home, would you care if the buyer agent’s info was shared before closing? Write to MRIS if you think this is an important issue.

Will your agent fight for you? With respect to this issue, 30,000 agents in the DC area apparently are not.

Update:

MRIS is waiving the $300 in fines levied on us, and better training their staff to know the new rules.
MRIS has decided to modify their system to only show this information to the relevant buyer agent’s broker by mid-July. But WILL still publish 1,000s of buyer agents that are under contract now. They could simply turn off this data display, but they feel it is more important that the broker’s get alerts about their agents, then the seller’s private information being disclosed.

Frank LLosa
Principal Broker Frankly Real Estate Inc

I want to consolidate and update previous posts on Under Contract homes (here and here). I think Under Contract homes are the biggest missed opportunity in real estate. Just the other day a listing agent told me he listed all homes as “Contract” (will explain differences later). This incorrect category will remove his listing from ALL websites! And sure he said he would be open to a back up offer if somebody found it, ha, good marketing strategy “If somebody finds [the hidden home]”. Contrast that to every Frankly home changing the comments to read BACK UP OFFERS ENCOURAGED. Hum, still wonder what the differences are between Frankly and large companies, or even rebaters? Then keep reading.

There are 3 types of Contracts on MRIS’s MLS system (the MLS equivalent of a drug lord, the data feed for most all sites).

1) Contract with Kickout. 10% of UC homes, 80% chance to win.
This status is rare, but these are the EASIEST to win. Why? The “kickout” is a term in the contract that lets the buyer walk if the buyer can’t sell their own house. If a new buyer writes an offer, it CAN “kick out” the first offer. The first offer then has about 3 days to decide if they can risk removing that contingency. Most can’t. Then you win. This status for me, is almost the same as “Active”. There are many strategies on how to offer on these. Sometimes a $ amount over the current offer, or $10k BELOW the current offer (you can win on terms or money, see video preview here).

You can search for Under Contract homes with a Kickout on Frankly.com, by adding the word Kickout.

2) Contract with No Kickout. 40% of UC homes, 20-30% chance to win.
Why not try and offer on one? Well many/most buyers agents won’t, and listing agents won’t try and get one. Too much of a pain and too time consuming for them. Again, will your rebate agent do this? Maybe if you ask, but is that the mentality you want in a partner? Only if you ask them about winning your dream home?… what else do you need to “ask” for? It should come standard (insert trademarked tagline, Excellence Comes Standard).
Megan, a Frankly broker, won her house that way. Do what the agents do!
Contracts fall out all the time. Once we had 3 contracts drop out, it just happens on it’s own. But also a well written back up can INCENTIVIZE a seller try make your offer the primary. I won’t go into detail (I do a little too much already in the video)

3) “CONTRACT” 50% of UC homes, 15-25% chance to win.
This status removes the home from most/all websites. Why a listing agent would do that is beyond me. It is supposed to be a status that is moved from one of the other two statuses when ALL CONTINGENCIES have past and the deal is “almost closed”. Do you think most agents want to change the status 1 extra time? Many who use this are just lazy and it HURTS YOUR SELLER!. You can still offer on these, but your chances might be a little lower, but again, they might not be. Your agent can find them on the back end MRIS lookup and if you see an Active home suddenly disappear, that might be why (that or it was withdrawn, expired, ie the listing agent was fired).

Sellers: Make sure your agent keeps working well beyond putting the home under contract. Or better yet, just make sure you have a Frankly agent. This can NET you significantly more, but it takes much more effort on the agent’s part. And many have already moved onto the next listing.

Buyers: Why not try? Give it a shot. If you are a back up offer, you can still void it if you find something else (unless it is made into the primary offer).

These extra things that Frankly agents do will make a world of difference. I get it that most think buying a home is like buying a pack of Charmin at Target, but there is so much more to helping get you in the right home. And like always, reach out MONTHS before you think you might be interested. Don’t settle for a Popcorn agent.

Frank LLosa
Principal Broker Owner Frankly.com Realtors.
(my email is in the video, can post it for spam reasons)

Ps. Are you a rare like-minded full time experienced agent? Want to join Frankly? We need more agents in Baltimore, DC, and PG County.

What is an “Exclusive Buyer Agency Agreement”?
This is a contract that a buyer is oftentimes asked to sign by a buyer agent Realtor. In part it commits the buyer to use this one agent exclusively for several months.

Why in the world would you sign this?

How could signing all your rights away ever help you, the buyer? Where is the “What’s in it for me?” in that proposition?

Don’t you still want to be able to:

• Use another Realtor if you don’t like this one?
• Buy a FSBO and have no commission be paid!
• Bypass the buyer agent and make the listing agent give me the commission?
• Walk into a New Construction and sign papers, who needs a Realtor for that? I got them down $50k!
• Have 2 or 3 eager Realtors compete for your business. Each one working their tail off to find you that hidden gem. Doesn’t cost you anything, so why not? (just like the Double Agents show, where 2 Realtors compete: see Video)
• If you find the home, why should he get paid anything?
• Why sign an “exclusive” agreement, when you can sign a “non-exclusive” agreement?

And that sales pitch is so hoaky sometimes:

• “My broker requires it before showing you anything.”
• “This is standard.”
• “If you don’t sign this, then I am legally working for the seller. If you sign this, it acknowledges that I am working for you, the buyer.” (my favorite, as the law reads, it is true, but in reality, it is just a pitch)

What a ton of B.S.

So let me know if I missed anything. All of the above is the typical viewpoint of the buyer right? I know it well. I grew up with it. My mother was the most cynical person and would never sign one of these agreements. She didn’t see the “how can this help me.” In part it is the Realtor’s fault for not explaining the process clearly.

But, and here is the big butt, I have seen the other side! It isn’t always as shady as it initially appears and it can help the buyer.

As a Realtor, many newbies feel bad getting their clients to sign these contracts. Sometimes they let it slide, until one day they understand why it protects the Realtor. Then I’ll go into how it helps the client.
What? This exclusive contract can help the buyer? How in the world is this going to come around full circle? Ah, the suspense.

• Background story: I was helping some clients buy a home in 2004. Many buyers might think we are paper pushers, but some of us Realtors go above and beyond. Including once driving to Chantilly to take 100+ photos of the interior of one unit. Why? Because of Sucky Listing Agents. The agent only had 1 photo, and the buyer was out of town, so I created a virtual experience for them. (I do this for all of my buyers, I take about 50-100 photos of EACH place we see together and I create on online private album for them to remember everything. Does your B.A. do this?)Anyhow, we put an offer in on one place. We didn’t get it. I’m ok with that. I could have talked them into a higher price, and won, but I didn’t do that. I worked for their best interest, not mine. Then they found a For Sale By Owner. It was literally 20% overpriced (as many FSBOs are). They had me run the numbers and do a full analysis on the neighborhood etc. I even helped them talk through what they wanted to offer. I warned them no matter how upgraded it was, it was a really high price. It was like buying the best house in the worst neighborhood. They decided to offer anyhow.I then get an email the next day saying that my services were no longer needed(You’re fired), they had bypassed me and bought the FSBO for $30k over what it should go for. Payment to Frank was $0, (hours wasted). Buyer overpaid $30k. Having some consolation knowing they overpaid= Priceless.

Since then I require my clients to sign an “Exclusive Buyer Agency Agreement” early on. Not before the first showing, like some, but shortly thereafter. I give them enough time to feel me out, but I can’t invest a ton of time with a customer that is still shopping around agents and might bolt at any moment. A catch 22 of sorts.

So, ok, you got screwed, that sucks, help me understand how this helps me, today’s buyer?

1. The contract outlines what the agent gets paid. Mine says 3%. And that means if a listing is offering 2% (only a few homes do), my buyer pays the balance, and if there is a FSBO offering 0%, my buyer pays the full 3%.

Wait a second, that sucks. I’ve always been told that the “seller pays.”
Again, a sales tactic brainwash: “Buyer agents are Free.” Don’t believe that. Guess who is writing the check/loan for a $400,000 house? Guess where the Realtor fees get drawn from at closing? Correct, that check. You are indirectly paying for all the fees.

1. b. Wait it gets better. My exclusive agreement also states that if the buyer compensation exceeds 3%, the rest is rebated to the buyer! See (Shady Realtor Bonuses? 10%!! Free Cruise? Be Aware.“) Isn’t it great… no… just normal… that you have a contract that outlines what your Realtor is getting paid? Overpayments/bribes go back to the buyer, and there are no behind the scene shenanigans going on. (Buyer benefit 1: The buyer agent’s commission is fixed and you aren’t pushed into a property that bribes the agent)
2. The agent can remove the fear in the back of their head that their client will walk, and they can give unbiased advice.Come on, human nature is going to kick in. How can you ask a Realtor “What would be a good deal for this”, (a question I don’t directly answer, but that is a long story) knowing t
   hat if the buyer doesn’t buy this place, the buyer still has the right to snatch up another place and fire the agent. How can an agent be aggressive for you if their commission might drop from $10,000 to $0 if they tell you the truth and guide you through a lower bid? It just can’t happen. The agent in this situation is NOT WORKING WITH THEIR BUYER, BUT AGAINST THEIR BUYER. This does NOT help the buyer. (Buyer benefit 2: Buyer agent is working FOR the client, not competing against them).
3. Double their efforts. What Realtor in their right mind is going to go above and beyond and try to find you houses that are off the market or spend too much time on a buyer that doesn’t see the process as a team effort? I oftentimes send out letters to entire communities that my buyer likes. And that works. Usually for every 10 MLS places I show, I’ll scrounge up 1 or 2 places that are yet to be listed, withdrawns, FSBOs, or another hidden gem. Without that commitment from the buyer, I’d see it as a waste of time, or too risky. (Buyer benefit 3: More time invested in finding you more places equates to a better price or more inventory/options.)
   
4. Help you or help another committed buyer? A good buyer agent will be turning away clients, or referring to another good agent, when they get too busy. If you want a new Realtor that has nothing better to do than drive you around forever on the 50/50% chance you will use them, great, but why not use a Realtor that respects your time as well as their own time and puts his foot down and sets guidelines for the work that they perform?
   

What about non-exclusive buyer agency agreement? I heard some agents will use that. Doesn’t that help me while protecting me?

All that does is a) squelch the “I work for the seller” trick and b) outlines how the Realtor gets paid. Both good things, but knowing that the buyer might go buy something after seeing something at an Open House or a new construction without them, the bias will still be there for you to buy quickly and for a higher price.

What about New Constructions, isn’t it better if I’m Realtorless?
Almost always the price for the buyer is the same with or without a Realtor (wow a pitch that you might have heard, that is essentially true). But, yes, on a rare occasion the sales office might get a bonus if they sell a unit to you without a Realtor, but who cares? You still don’t have anybody working for your best interest. Who cares if you got them to drop $50,000, a good Realtor might be able to say “Wait, in another community across town, they have been dropping $100,000!” or “Don’t believe their comps, they are illegally not posting the seller subsidy (see Beware: New Constructions Illegally Not Disclosing Seller Subsidies). Recently I helped a client get a new construction for $10,000 under the price he was initially told was non-negotiable AND I wrote into the contract a clause that allowed him to exit the contract if the prices of the condos continued to drop (a pricing guarantee). That single handedly could save him $40,000. And all you thought we did was show up with a smile and cash our check? What about the Jaguar the money I saved you can buy? Will I get a free ride at least?

Also in one case with an Arlington new condo, is the sales office going to tell you about how the building was almost condemned and slated to be destroyed because it was sinking? Um, I don’t think so.

What about bypassing the buyer agent and making the listing agent give me the commission? Heck even Money recommended this step (see article)
From somebody that has been in over 10 national publications, (CNBC, WSJ, NYTimes etc) magazines sometime give new reports a “beat” to cover. Sometimes they are not experts and they think they can jump in and reinvent the wheel. This reporter is an idiot. When a listing agreement is signed, it is between the seller and the agent. If an offer comes in with 3% back, the buyer can’t simply void the listing agreement. The offer is netted out and the listing agent can still get their double commission. Even if they don’t still get it all, (oftentimes they do) you still have nobody representing you to help you get the best price and help you avoid all the shady Realtors tricks that are out there (DOM fudging, etc). Who cares if you “save 3%” if a good buyer’s agent might have been able to get you 5% or more?
What about these FSBOs, isn’t it better if I find one without a Buyer Agent?
Yes. In theory. But those FSBOs tend to be cheapskates. This is fine, but cheapskates (like my mother!!) are notorious for overpricing! Great you “save” on Realtor fees, but you get a horrible deal. With a Realtor who is on the same team as you, can help you evaluate the pros and cons of that unit and also strategize how you can get the seller down. No not just with a low offer, but other ways. I love dealing with FSBOs that think they know it all. My client pays the Realtor fee (wink wink) but then they get the place for $50k under true value.

Again, yes, signing the agreement might preclude you from buying a gem FSBO that is underpriced and not offering Realtor commissions. That is a “risk” that you have to understand and be willing to accept, in trade for the other benefits of having a dedicated Realtor.

Buyer’s can’t have it both ways. You can’t expect an agent to work their tail off for you, offer unbiased data analysis, and offer aggressive negotiations while the agent knows you hold an “out” card. What, is the agent expected to just cross his fingers that his time invested will work out favorably? Is it worth holding onto that out card? That is up to the buyer, and if they see any value in their agent.
To recap: I’ve put myself in the buyer’s shoes. I know where they are coming from and their hesitations. I can understand and respect that initial
viewpoint. Now put yourself in the shoes of the agent. How likely is that agent going to be to help you try and fight for an extra $5,000 or $10,000 off? Human nature would kick in and say, “Why should I be aggressive on this offer if they might just go elsewhere if this deal doesn’t happen?”

If I sign one, when should I sign it?

• Wait until you are comfortable with your agent.
• Even if the agent didn’t ask for one, consider signing one before you put in an offer. That way you are saying a) “What are you getting paid?” b) “Don’t worry, I will use you, now tell me honestly about the value of this place.”

Good luck. Hopefully after reading the rest of this blog that highlights the insider tricks of Realtors, you will better understand why this exclusive buyer agency contract is requested by some and required by others and how it ultimately helps the buyer.

Also make sure to leave a comment and read others comments.

– Written by Frank Borges LL0SA- Broker/Owner FranklyRealty.com
703-827-4OO6 Please report all typos, I don’t like looking stupid. If you like this post, sign up for new blogs daily.

Videos at YouTube.FranklyRealty.com

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Preview

Not as Terrifying As You Think?

Happy Halloween!

The MLS.  It’s harmless… or is it?  There are lots of things to legitimately be afraid of.   Let’s talk about adding, or seeing, “as-is” on a listing.  Should you be afraid? Some people are.

Afraid of “AS-IS” Home for Sale?

When buyers see the words “as is” it sometimes freaks them out.  They think that there could be major issues with the property and that they won’t have a right to inspect it.  Well that’s not entirely true.  Even though it says “as is,” you can request in your offer to do a home inspection and leave in the right to opt out if substantial repairs are needed (yes, the seller might say “no inspections” and that IS scary! But sometimes still manageable).  Although the sellers may not be willing to fix any issues, they could still do a seller credit or even reduce the price by $5K or $10K. And since “As Is” scares away so many buyers, it will potentially have less competition when making an offer, and thus a lower purchase price. 

Click here to view the embedded video.

Scary or Not Scary?

I actually love helping buyers with “as is” properties because there is usually less competition.  Estate sales are great as well and most of the time they are listed “as is.”  But consider it differently if you are selling.  In this case I don’t think sellers should ever us “as is.”  In the state of Virginia almost all homes for sale are “as is” already, so why even put that into the MLS remarks?  If you are making a purchase more buyers will be scared away because it makes them think that there could be something substantially wrong with the home.  Go figure.

Buying As Is Tips

• Everything is as is.  Virginia is existential like that.
• You can still ask for a home inspection on “as is,” and you can still have the right to opt out.  Some sellers say they don’t have cash so they won’t fix it-but they can do a 5K, 10K price reduction
• Its not something to scared of, estates do it as well (aka “20 heirs waiting for their checks, we’re not going to have them pay to fix it but maybe drop price a little”).
• Go after homes with as is, because it tends to scare off other buyers which is good for you

Selling As Is Tips

• In VA almost all homes are “as is” anyways, so why put that in your advertising?
• A buyer could view an “as-is” notation as nickel and diming, or “hey, were not going to fix anything.” It makes the buyer think that there are major issues and that they wont have a right to inspect it.

Frank LLosa

Principal Broker, DC, VA, MD Frankly Real Estate Inc

* Never too busy for you!

Exclusive Buyer Agency Agreement. Don’t Sign Them… Yet.

What is it?  Why should the buyer care?  What does it obligate them to, and when is it smart to use one?

Go FSBO Save $20,000! Realtor Tells All!!! 

Like selling a Rolex at a flee market, fees might be lower but what it counts is the net takeaway. I find reality hits hard for FSBO’s that think they don’t always need a Realtor. Here’s a brief trip through my experience after helping only 300 FSBOs.  Hint: Ur Doin’ It Wrong.

FranklyCRA: A Comparative REALTOR Analysis.  Unleashed. 

In most industrues, you understand “the competition.”  Why should Real Estate be any different?  An agent’s track record explains why you should bring your “A” game against a team you’ve never seen play before.

Realtor Commissions. The great Hush Hush Exposed.

Is there a standard commission?  Is it ethical to set standard commissions?  What’s the deal with this, and why is it so expensive?

Agent Trick: “Buying a Listing” Vs No Recommended List Price.

To win your business, some agents will tell you what they want to hear. What will this net you? Nothing.  Here I pluck apart some of the oldest myth’s and realities in pricing.

Attn. Market Timers! The EXACT Best Day to Buy! 

The day you stopped caring about finding the bottom of the market and decided to live somewhere for at least 7 years.  Yeah, I know about that day.  Here is where I discussed whether or not it is all it’s cracked up to be.

THROW-UP listings. Do it “RIGHT,” Not “RIGHT NOW!” 

I get it.  Sometimes I can be a little melodramatic with my blog titles.  Here’s the thing: everyone wants to sell fast. But I can promise you that you will never achieve a quick timeline if you aren’t listing it right in the first place. Do it right, or don’t do it.  It’s that simple.

“Round Robin” Buying System. Unearthing The Desperate Seller. 

I don’t believe in a good deal. The best way to buy if possible has a simple formula: time and choices. Often those two are not available, so what do you do?

Realtor Rebates. Free Money or Expensive Savings? 

“I used to rebate but then I got good…at saving the client money.” $395 in admin fees: Junk or legitimate use of your money?

“Don’t Buy”? A Marketing Ploy? “I’m On To You Frank!” 

Treating a client like you would a relative, even if that means talking them out of buying, is my modus operandi. “…last week I talked to my cousin on buying a million dollar condo. I do that for client as well.”  If I can’t treat a client like family, why am I working for them at all?  It’s more important that you trust me (Ha.  “Trust Me.  I’m a Realtor!”) than getting to take home some cash.

MLS Data Fudge By Realtors. Watch Out! 

Here’s a reality check: Realtors fudge their numbers.  Bottom line: it’s unethical.  Here’s how to be aware of a home that’s being re-listed, be brand new and going to sell fast even if it’s been on the market for greater than a year.

Owner’s Title Insurance. 95% Buy it, 10% know why! 

Nobody tells consumers that the insurance is actually optional. Let’s talk. I am not saying “don’t buy it,” just a word of caution.

That is all of them, hope I didn’t waste too many hours. If you prefer reading in a book format, send me an email, I can send you one. And remember, never too busy for you or your referrals.

By Frank LLosa Broker,

Frankly Real Estate, Inc.

To celebrate I have 17 free Angie’s List 1 Year memberships ($10 value) left to give out. Start by making sure you are a Facebook FAN of FranklyRealty at www.facebook.com/FranklyMLS. The first dibs go to past clients, if you already have an account I can add a year. Then readers/site users that are local, non-Realtors and that follow and enjoy the Blog or are fans and avid users of FranklyMLS.

I also have 15, $5 Starbucks gift cards to give out. Same criteria as above, just reach out directly (even if you have another agent, but love the blog or FranklyMLS). Use the Contact Us” link on the right.

As for the July 2014 market? For newly listed homes we did get a couple offers for a few homes, but the word on the street is that homes over 14 days, it is dead out there. We call it crickets. Is it the typical summer slowdown or something more? I don’t know. But buyers, you have a little more power now, while it might be inconvenient for you, it is likely inconvenient for others too, and that can be in your favor.

And as I told somebody today on the phone, stop with the “Well I wasn’t sure if I was going to buy so I didn’t call because I didn’t want to bother you, and then we accidentally bought a house.” I hear it all the time. Don’t be shy. When in doubt, reach out. Even if it is 6 months before you are ready to buy and even if you aren’t sure. Just say hi, so if that perfect place hits, we’ve gotten the formalities out of the way. Oh and don’t find any inventory? We can find it for you (non-MLS), ask how.

Frank LLosa, Esq. Broker
Frankly Realtors MD, DC, VA

Lawyer only in NJ

Cricket photo credit

If you have read my other posts on bidding wars and putting in offers to buy Virginia, MD or DC homes for sale, you know that I obsess with the art of negotiations. How you put in an offer matters. Want me to prove it? I can send you a 20 minute, non-public raw video I made of an analysis I did for a 7 contract bidding war. We were on the listing side. I compare and ridicule the 7 offers. You can then see how to make your contract stand out and see me yell (at the screen) for not-so-sharply written contracts and how that hurts the client. This shows you what not to do. It shows you a spreadsheet analysis and how to make your offer the best in each column… except maybe the price. I prefer my clients win with the lowest offer or at least not the highest offer. (this private link is only for people not currently working with an agent)

Back to deadlines. I don’t like them. Why? Experience. Seems logical to put in an offer and put a deadline of X days or X hours. Logic won’t win you a home for sale in Maryland in a seller’s market.

The problem with Deadlines

1. If you give somebody until Tuesday at 3:30pm, the tendency is for the home seller to wait until the entire time. A get out of jail free card, a cart blanch no stress, “we have until Tuesday at 3:30pm” to reply. The buyer sees that as the maximum time to reply. The seller sees it as the minimum time to reply.

2. During that deadline timeframe, they shop your offer. Lets say they were going to get back to you on Monday, but, you gave them an extra day to run up the price.

3. Weakness. A deadline can show weakness. When I get an offer that says to reply by X, they tend to be more desperate buyers. I use this sometimes to get my clients more money on the listing side. So on the buy side, sometimes playing it cool is better

4. Put a fast deadline? Sometimes, but pissing off the seller is also not helpful. So it is a fine balance.

On the Flipside, an example of when a Deadline WAS used.

Here is a client testimonial video where a deadline WAS used to beat out others in a bidding war, before the war could start. Amazing story if I may say so myself. The point? Every deal is different and will your aunt who might be a Realtor, do this for you?!

Tips with Deadlines if you decide to use them
1. Things always take longer then they logically should. So first ask the other side when they think they can review the contract. Then if they say tonight at 7pm, your deadline of 10pm or the next morning seems reasonable.

2. Avoid difficult times like 5pm. People work. Putting a deadline at the exact minute that people clock out… maybe not ideal.

3. Consider starting with no deadline and if things are slow, adding the deadline after the fact

4. Consider reminding the home seller that you have the right to withdraw the offer at any time. Even though this is technically the default, adding that makes it more clear that you might remove it if they wait too long. You remove the security blanket of having all the way up to the deadline with no risk.

What to do when we get a deadline, if you are the seller.

1. Remain calm! Too frequently a deadline will freak out a client. It adds stress.

2. If you are not accepting the contract, there is less of a need to counter within the deadline timeframe. A counter kills off the contract anyhow, so no need to rush to their timeline.

All of this stuff matters in winning bidding wars and ultimately trying to help a client get the best and lowest net on a home. When picking a Maryland, DC or Virginia Real Estate agent, sure you can get a “deal” elsewhere with a discount or rebate, but will your Rebate agent do this? If so… hire them.

These suggestions are general. There is no “So you never use them.” Each deal is unique. Strategy is of utmost importance. So sometimes yes, sometimes no.

If you are sick of losing deals or want to get off on the right foot from the beginning, please reach out to me about where you are looking to buy. Reach out early! As in 3-6 months before you THINK you might be interested in buying.

Thanks!

Frank LLosa Broker
Frankly Real Estate Inc (please report typos)

Blooper reel video on why NOT to use a Deadline in a Real Estate purchase.

Tune in for a 1 hour interview on the Real Estate Radio Washington show. Learn how Igot started in Real Estate. How I became the #1 agent in America, under the age of 30, in my first year… (self proclaimed). We also talk about “Buying a listing”, How I found my wife on Match, so finding a Realtor online shouldn’t be that big of a deal. It will be fun.

If you miss the show, I will try and get the audio and post it here. But it is much more fun to listen on air. Saturday Dec 14th at 10am station 1260 AM dial.

(welcome FranklyMLS members, to remove just reply REMOVE)

Frank

P.s. Did you know that statistically you can do just as well selling your home a week before Christmas, as you can a week after the New Year. Ask for my detailed analysis of the data.

P.s.s. Random image of the month. At airport with my scooter luggage, the 2 boys and 3 carry on bags.

The legend has it that once upon a time there was one book per real estate office that had each real estate home for sale. Likely updated MONTHLY! Then the data moved to computers, but only for agents to see, and then the data went online where the agent OR the buyer could check it WEEKLY for new homes.

Then consumers demanded faster, so Realtors got fancy and delivered DAILY email alerts for new listings. That was earth shaking. But that wasn’t good enough. Sites like FranklyMLS.com started offering nearly INSTANT ALERTS for new listings. Beating out other buyers.

But now the time has come. To be even faster. Even more Instant-er!

Are we talking mere seconds? No. How about going Back to the Future and knowing what will be on the MLS BEFORE IT HAPPENS!! And in a large quantity! Possibly 10-20% of the marketplace one day.

How is that possible?

Consumers demanded it, so Frankly made it, and the Agent community embraced it.

A FREE agent-only Facebook forum for Coming Soon homes! Over 1,000 agents and dozens of brokerage firms have joined in the last few weeks alone. 100s of homes (literally) have been added to the forum. I thank all the agents that have helped grow it to the size it is today and will be in the future.

Is this idea new? Kind of. But not. Going back to the prehistoric times of the book in the office, another Coming Soon was commonplace. At the traditional Tuesday meeting, all the agents would go around the room and verbally share what that agent has coming soon. Sometimes this is referred to as a POCKET LISTING (that phrase has 10 definitions depending on who you talk to, also called Private or Exclusive Listings see L&F talk about it sometimes being bad here, this new service is NOT the bad type).

This new coming soon forum is a virtual version of the office stand up and announce system, but across 50 brokerage firms and 1,000 agents (hopefully more after this).

Before some of you Freak out! Let me preempt the common agent misunderstandings:

AGENT MISUNDERSTANDINGS

1) It is against MRIS (the local MLS gatekeeper) rules to advertise coming soon homes.

Reply: Nobody has yet to show me exactly where this rule is. It doesn’t exist as far as I can see. If it did, then the decades long process of standing up in the office and announcing what you have would be “illegal.” Or those “coming soon” signs sold at the local associations would be like selling Marijuana pipes and claiming it doesn’t increase pot smoking.

Oh, and MRIS hosted a Coming Soon forum last week, so there goes that argument! D’oh!

2) One pissed agent posted: “A listing agent representing the seller in this market is doing the client no favor what so ever [sic] to sell it before putting it into the MLS period.” Actual quote!! This guy was pissed. I love the “period.”

Reply: First of all, this agent works for a company that does the stand up announcement of coming soon listings and was not seen performing ear muffs or running out of the office when agents were verbally sharing homes coming up. Secondly, this person didn’t read the rules and suggested use. The PreMLS postings (unlike the MLS that requires a home be immediately available) does not mean you have to sell it before it hits the MLS. Heck you don’t even need to allow showings before it hits the MLS! Some might say “well then what good is that.” Easy to answer by one replier to the above commenter that stated “Sellers love the idea of generating pre-market excitement about their listings”. In this marketplace homes sell in 2-3 days. That is crazy! Do you think 100% of buyers get to see it? No way! It is hard to even schedule a showing that fast (for some firms, not us). So why not let 1,000 agents get a heads up that a hot home will come up in X days. Put everyone on notice to not go out of town, or whatever.

Or others might welcome showings before it is on the MLS. Why? In this market?! Well, many reasons.

a) Not every home sells immediately in a bidding war, the average is still like 30 days.

b) The listing agent can use the looming MLS listing like some use the 1st open house with a “we want X or we will post it tomorrow on the MLS.”

c) Some don’t want their home swarmed or pillaged by strangers. Have you seen this video? If a buyer wants to offer cash and full list, or heck $25k to not list it… the seller might just like that. It is all negotiable, and having a great agent to navigate that, matters.

CONSUMER QUESTIONS (all in all every consumer I have spoken to loves it)

1) Why isn’t this public?

If the home was ready for the public, it would be on the MLS and the MLS doesn’t have a “Coming Soon” system (it does have Temp Off, which your buyer agent should know about! but we are not allowed to show those on FranklyMLS or any site). And sellers don’t want to be bombarded by potentially unqualified buyers before they are even ready- that’s why i said sellers would want the info shared only with Realtors.

Some agents do already post coming soons on Craigslist or with a “Coming Soon” sign in the yard (A warning, is the agent putting the CS sign in order to try and get a double commission? Just make sure all of their actions are being done for their client’s best interest, and not for the agent). Bottom line is, if the agent and seller wanted it public, they would, but they usually aren’t, so in this forum they feel comfortable sharing the heads up to other agents, so it is thriving.

2) As a buyer how can I learn about the homes?

Ask your agent!! Have them Facebook friend me over at www.Facebook.com/FrankLLosa and ask me to add them to the NoVa group, DC group or MD (Montgomery County). And of course (come on, I have spent 100-200 hours on this, I can do one little plug) if you don’t have an agent, nope, we are not too busy for you. See Video to prove it, and reach out.

3) As a seller how can I make sure my home is added?

Ask your agent to put you on there!! I also recommend posting the home immediately upon signing the Listing Agreement. Just the basic details such as “Coming Soon Arlington Condo 22201 in Clarendon 1021, 2 bdr, low $600s, photos to come later.” or more details if you want. In the comments photos and exact price can be added later (it moves it to the top).

We ask that it not be a one way street. While an agents doesn’t have to put ALL of their Premls listings on there (because each home and seller is different), I don’t want agents just using the forum for their buyers and not sharing their listings. Otherwise the group will never grow and the goal is to get 10-20% of ALL MLS homes to be listed here first. This is a hard feat. Other tidbit: the forum isn’t for Rentals, Want ads, or already listed homes and Open Houses.

———–End FAQ——-

I know some don’t get it or appreciate this, but this was done to initially help our Frankly clients. Help them not settle for that wrong house when the perfect house might be hitting in 2 weeks. I obsess about helping our clients, but I believe this will help everyone.

Love to hear your comments! Nothing worse than somebody walking up to me during cherry picking (true story) and saying “I have read all your blog posts before I bought, they were great,” to which I reply “not great enough, if you didn’t hire me”, and after the awkward silence, I laughed “No problem, but next time you like a read, at least add your comments, or retweet, nobody likes a quiet post!”

Update 10am: We have our first official sale! 100% premarket. We have had reports of tons of  premarket showings, but I hadn’t heard of a sale until today! If you aren’t on here… you are missing out!

Written by Frank Borges LLosa Esq. and not some ghost writer.

Principal Broker Frankly Real Estate Inc MD DC VA

Owner FranklyMLS.com

Attorney only in NJ

Favorite photo yet of my sons Tayo 6 mo (next week) and Hartly 3 years last week.

Ps. Upcoming post on how the registered portion of FranklyMLS is no longer open to those with another non-Frankly agent (see video).

P.p.s. Please report typos.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Dear Listing Agent,

You were sent a link to this post, because a Frankly agent has submitted an offer to buy one of your coveted listings. We understand you may have several offers, but we hope you will consider the reputation and technological abilities of our firm, as the agent might be just as important to getting a deal closed on-time and as promised, as the buyer’s ability to buy.

While our offer might not be the highest in price, it is realistic and likely the cleanest offer you have seen. Still undecided? If necessary, know that our use of technology also allows us get you a written and signed response to any written counter in 15-20 minutes, vs the average agent’s 3-6 hour delay. So what do you have to lose to give us a shot?

Here is a video testimonial from the listing side of a recent 5 offer bidding war that we won. We had a super clean offer, we did what we said we would do, we did not renegotiate, and we closed on-time.

Thank you for your consideration,

Frank LLosa Esq.
Principal Broker Frankly Real Estate Inc.

Attorney at Law, only in NJ

Click here to view the embedded video.

My buyers were US military and buying sight unseen from China, they contacted me 100% from my website. They picked me over “another Realtor I was considering, he was really cute, but I like your spunk.” I wondered if I should be offended for basically being called ugly.

Also their last experience years ago with a Realtor was a bad one, a USAA recommended Realtor that they fired mid-deal (those Realtors pay kickbacks to USAA, thus newer agents gravitate to those programs).

They entrusted me to be their eyes and I took buyer agent photos and videos of properties to make them feel as if they were there. They loved this home and it was UNDER their max budget. The only problem was the 4 other offers AND they had a VA loan which is historically much more difficult to win a bidding war (the appraisal system is tougher and there is much less money down vs conventional 20-25% down buyer).

In this case our offer focused on clean terms, not on the highest price. Actually we were $35,000 lower than the highest well qualified buyer. Many factors led to us winning. Perhaps one was the sellers thinking I, the buyer agent, was courteous (see video). Another was how we write our offers to instill confidence and low stress for the seller, and lastly the use of technology. In this case text messaging, I was able to get a last minute text message to the listing agent that literally stopped the signing of another contract in its tracks. They pivoted and gave our client a shot and we accepted.

We proceeded to follow through and not renegotiate, like many wild offers tend to do, and we closed on time and in a stress free manner.

Just like this client, we are never too busy for you, hope you will contact me with the area and price you are looking in.