Guide To Seattle Real Estate

After reading this great article by a Broker in Florida, inspiration hit.  I agree with Bryant, that ABM’s or Discounters have a place in real estate.  Commissions are always negotiable, everything is, and you don’t always get what you pay for.  Having had the unfortunate experience of paying for more than I got, just because an agency  charges full commission doesn’t mean they offer better service.

But lets look at what they advertise as there best quality. I work under the Windermere brand, our company focuses on service and a “Nordstroms” like care of our clients. We are the Cadillac of real estate companies in the Seattle Area, and that is what we advertise: Care, Service, Relationship, Quality, Expertise, and Great People. We are putting our best foot forward.

What do the Discounters advertise: One says that, “They put you in charge of selling your home.”  Why are you hiring them then?  Aren’t they getting paid to sell you home, even if it is less, it is their job right? Or this, Half the commission to you for using us to buy your home. So what do they do for you, besides pay you half? They don’t say anywhere on their web site, just that they cost less.

Ok so not all of these companies are bad, but take a look at what they are bragging about.  Most companies brag about their best quality, and if all they can brag about is price then maybe you don’t want to shop at K-mart for a home.

In my relatively short amount of time in real estate, I have lost transactions, seen transactions lost due to a lack of diligence on the part of an agent. If all your agent cares about and is good at is price then maybe you should look at their track record.  If your agent doesn’t have anything to lose, then what is motivating them to give you great service?