BEWARE OF AGENT-FINDING COMPANIES

by Neil Jenman

Reading time: 3 mins apx

When selling your home, you can save thousands of dollars by avoiding companies that do nothing for you.

In the modern real estate world, opportunists are as common as flies in the bush. You need to recognise such freeloaders – and reject them.

Let me explain.

Most home sellers realise a big truth: To get the best result, you need to find the best agent.

But how can home sellers be sure they find the best agent?

One thing they should not do is contact ‘agent-finder’ companies.

Over the past few years, this challenge for sellers – finding the best agent – has given rise to several companies who claim to find the best agent.

These agent-finder companies do not find the best agents. Unless they happen to fluke it, they do nothing for sellers.

Indeed, it’s often worse than nothing because these companies charge agents a fee – usually 20 per cent of the commission – for passing your details to agents.

The agent-finder companies say their service is free: “NO COST TO HOME-SELLERS,” they advertise.

Many agents add the cost of the agent-finder companies on to the commission. Therefore sellers pay 20 per cent more to sell their homes.

There is no evidence that using an agent-finder company gets home-sellers a better result.

There is more evidence – anecdotally – to show the opposite. These agent-finder companies often find the worst agents. Usually, only desperate agents pay for seller leads.

And that, in essence, is what an ‘agent-finder’ company is: A lead-generation service.

Take a quick look at what these agent-finder companies do NOT do:

1. They do not ask questions of agents regarding their quality of service to sellers.
2. They do not check to see if agents get the best results.
3. They do not check to see if sellers are happy with the agents.
4. They do not make sure sellers are not caught by unfair selling agreements.
5. They do not care if sellers are ripped-off with needless up-front for advertising costs.
6. They do not care if caveats get lodged on sellers’ homes.
7. They do not monitor the agents’ sales campaign.
8. They do not help agents negotiate the best price for the sellers.
9. They do not help sellers get released from locked-in contracts if the agent turns bad.
10. They do not help sellers to get a discount in commission.
11. They do not help sellers with tips on how to negotiate the best price.
12. They do not care about home-sellers at all. Not one iota.

The only condition agents must meet to get seller leads from agent-finding companies is to agree to pay the agent-finding companies.

Here, is a summary of how agent-finder companies work:

First: They promote themselves widely. Indeed, you cannot search for an agent without seeing an advertisement promising to find you an agent. They use all sorts bait to get your details – such as “Compare agents’ commissions”.

Second: Your details are given to any agent who agrees to pay the agent-finder company. That’s it. Suddenly, the worst agents hound sellers.

AVOID THESE COMPANIES AND SAVE!

Do not use agent-finder companies. Call agents direct. Be clear that you are not using an agent-finder company. So, instead of paying thousands of dollars to an agent-finding company, the agent can give you, the home seller, a large discount on the commission.

Given the choice between paying agent-finder companies (that many agents describe as “blood-sucking leeches”) and paying you, most agents will choose you.

So yes, you can save thousands of dollars by avoiding companies that do nothing for you.

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FOOTNOTE: If you truly want the best agent to sell your home, please contact Jenman Support. Ask us to explain the EIGHT protection conditions we insist agents give you. Ask us how our support gets you a better price. And, of course, we make sure there is no extra charge to you, the sellers, thereby offering you a service that’s genuinely no extra cost to you, the sellers.

Just call 1800 1800 18 or email support@jenman.com.au. Thank you.

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