REFERRALS:
Home-Buyer Referrals: Any Agent who is interested in receiving potential home-buyer referrals, please contact us. If you find a buyer for one of our homes, you are automatically enrolled and eligible to receive home-buyer referrals. StarHomeSale.com concentrates on the seller and home-sale end of the transaction and is willing to refer potential home buyers to other agents.
Home-Seller Referrals: StarHomeSale.com will grant a referral fee to any agent who refers us a Home Seller. Know of someone who insists on FSBO and won't list?? Create a WIN-WIN --> You can still earn a referral commission if they sign with us through your referral! We'll also move you to the top of our home-buyer referral list!
FSBO vs. StarHomeSale.com, LLC: StarHomeSale.com listings are Exclusive Right to Sell listings, i.e. the seller is fully represented by an MLS agent/broker. Thus, the seller and cooperating agents are supported by a listing broker who provides more than just marketing. Similar to a traditional listing, sellers are completely prohibited from displaying "for sale by owner" (FSBO) yard signs or advertising. Our newspaper ads will clearly indicate the broker as StarHomeSale.com. However, if the seller's advertising has been placed prior to our listing or there is a short lapse in time while the seller is waiting for their completed StarHomeSale.com yard sign to be delivered, these will be considered exceptions.
CAN AGENTS CALL StarHomeSale.com WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT A PROPERTY OR ISSUES WITH A SELLER? Absolutely. The first contact should usually be with the seller for general property questions. However, if there are issues that arise which you feel necessitate contact with the Listing Broker, please contact us: 414-617-9968.
WHO ARRANGES FOR APPOINTMENTS TO SHOW A LISTED PROPERTY? Cooperating brokers are instructed and authorized to make appointments directly with the Seller. Please follow the showing instructions in MLS data sheet or yard sign. General questions related to the property are best answered by the seller. If there are any problems in acquiring access to the property (with at least 24 hour notice), then please contact Angela Gole: (cell: 414-617-9968).
WHO ACCEPTS THE DELIVERY / RECEIPT OF OFFERS TO PURCHASE? Cooperating brokers are instructed and authorized to deliver offers to purchase directly to the Seller. Please ask the seller how they prefer delivery- to Seller or to Seller's Attorney. Please request the appropriate FAX number or address depending on mode of delivery. You may deliver the offer to the property or ask the seller to pick-up the offer from your office. If there are questions, issues or concerns in presenting an offer, please feel free to contact Angela Gole (cell: 414-617-9968).
WHO PRESENTS OR EXPLAINS THE TERMS OF AN OFFER TO PURCHASE TO THE SELLER? There is no expectation that Cooperating Brokers are to explain the offer to our sellers. Our Sellers have been provided with a basic overview and explanation of offers. However, if the Cooperating Broker feels it is in the interest of the parties to provide this service then he/she is so authorized. There shall be no conflict of interest when brokers practice their duties to all parties in a transaction. However, Buyer's Agents with a signed WB-36 shall refrain from providing non-clients with any such advice.
WHO WILL ADVISE THE SELLER ON THE MERITS OF AN OFFER? Our sellers have been advised to talk to their attorney or listing broker for advice related to any presented offers. Although seller's agents legally represent each seller and may provide our sellers with "advice", they may also refuse to do so. However, Buyer's Agents represent the buyer and must not provide advice to sellers.
WHO PARTICIPATES ON THE SELLER'S BEHALF IN NEGOTIATIONS? The seller's attorney or the seller themselves. If the sellers request our assistance, we will provide them with negotiation advice. This may include recommendations to accept, reject or counter the terms of any Offer to Purchase.
HOW WILL THE SELLER HANDLE COUNTER OFFERS? Sellers usually have an attorney to assist them with the contracts and any other documents. The seller may be experienced with the forms enough to complete them on their own and may use forms provided to clients by Listing Broker. Sellers may request Listing Broker's advice before completing these forms. If there is any concern with regard to the sellers proposals, the cooperating broker should call us and/or request our review of these forms. Please note: we request 24 hours if a formal review is requested. However, if we are able to complete things sooner, we certainly will.
ACCEPTANCE OF EARNEST MONEY FUNDS: Although the standard Offer to Purchase indicates that the Listing Broker shall hold earnest money, any offer to purchase submitted by a cooperating broker should designate one of the following to hold the earnest money:
a) the seller's attorney,
b) title and closing company, or
c) the cooperating broker trust account (at the buyers request).
SCHEDULING THE CLOSING AND ORDERING TITLE INSURANCE POLICY: Our sellers have received information in a disclosure with regard to their responsibility to arrange for title and closing services and their responsibility to coordinate the closing. Cooperating brokers may suggest a title company. However, it is imperative that a cooperating broker remembers to disclose any affiliation with a partner to the transaction or any referral given to a party to the transaction.
PROCURING CAUSE INSURANCE AND SAFETY NETS FOR COOPERATING MLS BROKERS: StarHomeSale.com maintains a record of information on whether or not the buyer has worked with a cooperating MLS broker in any way regarding a property. All of our sellers are provided with and instructed to use a sign-in sheet in order to protect cooperating MLS brokers when an Offer to Purchase is brought through that broker's marketing efforts and procuring cause of said broker.
AVOIDING PROCURING CAUSE ISSUES FOR ANY HOME-SALE TRANSACTION: (including, but not limited to StarHomeSale.com properties)
- Please always instruct your buyers to contact you when they wish to see any MLS-listed property.
- Always disclose the availability of a specific listing to your buyer as soon as the property hits the MLS.
- Always maintain precise physical records about how and/or when you told the buyer about a property so that a timeline or paper trail may be drawn to show broker efforts in procuring cause.
- Consider giving the names of all your interested buyers to StarHomeSale.com and we will monitor the sale transaction. IMPORTANT NOTE: please include the agency disclosure form and notes about how/when you became involved.
CHANGING MLS INFORMATION: If a cooperating broker has any questions or concerns with our reporting of information to the MLS, please contact us immediately. We certainly do not want to perpetuate errors or misunderstandings. We are always happy to provide assistance or make corrections as soon as possible! Please contact us in one of the following ways:
- Cell: 414-617-9968
- Office: 262-293-3715
- E-mail: afg@StarHomeSale.com
Thank You!
* If requested and we are available, StarHomeSale.com will attend the closing, contact a cooperating agent or their broker, title company, lender, attorney or whatever is deemed necessary to resolve an issue or prevent a problem. |
