Saving 2.7% of $0 Contrary to popular perception, not all “For Sale by Owner” homes (“FBO’s”) are created equal. Perhaps the biggest misconception is that FSBO sellers are trying to avoid paying any commission. Wrong. The vast majority are only trying to save half a commission — specifically, the portion payable to the agent representing...Read More
“Bonus Round” Near Agent’s Fiscal Year-End With the blitzkreig of ads screaming “Deals! Deals! Deals!,” it’s easy to forget that the “black” in “Black Friday” originally referred to retailers’ bottom line, not consumers’. So, at least according to one popular explanation, “Black Friday” was when notoriously low-margin retailers became profitable — “went into the black”...Read More
“Pro Bono” Real Estate Agency? Not on Purpose Normally, when Realtor A refers a client to Realtor B, “B” pays “A” a referral fee. While Realtor B is going to be doing all the work, “A” has the client relationship — and can effectively decide which Realtor gets the gig. Depending on the situation and...Read More
“UB?” How About “UO” (“Uhh, Ohh!”) What’s the counterpart to a FSBO (Realtors’ term for a “For Sale By Owner”)? I suppose that would be an unrepresented Buyer. But interestingly, there’s no analogous, universally recognized term (“UB,” anyone??) One possible reason: the way today’s housing market works, Sellers pay the Buyer’s agent. If the Buyer elects not to...Read More