Keeping It Real Estate - May 2024

Over the past few months, there's been much to do about the real estate industry and real estate professionals. Home prices are up, interest rates are up, there's limited inventory in many markets, there's lawsuits against brokers and brokerages and the National Association of Realtors® as a whole. There are misconceptions in my opinion that are out to the general public about what real estate professionals do, what the REALTOR® organization does, and how we get paid. 

 

The first misconception is that compensation hasn't always been negotiable between consumers and real estate brokers. That has never been true in all the years I have been practicing real estate. It's always been negotiable. 

 

The second misconception is that REALTORS and Real Estate Licensees are the same. We're not. REALTORS are members of the National Association Of Realtors® but not all licensees are REALTORS and they are not held to the same standard as REALTORS are. Every state has a different licensing law and requirements to become agents, brokers, employing brokers etc. In Colorado for example all licensees are brokers some of us are Independent Brokers meaning we work for ourselves, a single firm, and some of us are Associate Brokers, meaning we work under a firm and have an Employing Broker that oversees us. I am the Employing Broker for EXIT Realty Mountain View. I also am a practicing Employing Broker, some are not. 

 

The third misconception is that all we do is put a sign in the yard and put it in the MLS. I'm here to tell you that is not the case. The biggest thing we do in our brokerage is NEGOTIATE the contracts that we study intensely, that we take an Annual Commission Update Course every single year to be on the pulse of real estate and keep up with changes to state law. We also follow a stringent Code of Ethics as members of the REALTOR® if you are a member. Everyone at EXIT Realty Mountain View is a Member. Did I mention the REALTOR® Organization is the biggest advocate for Property Rights? What happens if people lose their dream of home ownership? What happens if the Government gets to regulate every aspect of your property? What happens if they get to decide how you can conduct the sale of your home? 

 

There is always the option to use an attorney to help you purchase or sell your home. We always recommend that if you have any questions about our contracts prior to signing you take the time to have an attorney review them. However, what does the attorney do? Contracts. Contracts. They don't watch the values in the market, they don't prepare market analysis, they don't tell you if you are overpaying for a property, and they don't know which building departments oversee your area and websites to contact for crime data. They create a contract they present it to you and then they say sign here. They don't understand your financial position or the fact that your family has been living in a hotel and that the dog is boarded across town or that you're balancing work, family moves divorces, and marriage, they don't have the connections to have someone come cut the grass for you to get the house ready to sell, they don't understand that the grass needs to be cut weekly after you move because you have to move now. They don't handle that the sprinkler needs to be blown out in September because sure enough that random freeze is going to happen and boom water flies up the side of the house. They don't go to the HOA sites and help you get the HOA Docs, they don't have to disclose material facts that they know about the property. They don't know how to research what is important to you and weed out what isn't. They don't negotiate that XXXXX amount in concessions for you because, without it, your lender says they can't get you to the closing table. They don't FIGHT FOR YOU!! But they do bill you, by the hour whether they are successful in your transaction or not. We don't get paid unless you succeed and get to the closing table in my practice. 

 

Listen I don't always get everything right, c'mon, let's not pretend any of us are perfect. But I'm big enough to own that and I'm strong enough to admit that there will be hiccups during our journey, but that is why you get to sleep at night because I've got you! Because MY firm has you. We have the research because we have analyzed the market data, and we have bounced every scenario off of the important people in your transaction

 

I am very passionate about the protection of consumers, I am very passionate about the people I choose to represent and who choose me. You are never just a transaction or a paycheck for me. I am also very passionate about the protection of my profession. Do I think all brokers are created equal? ABSOLUTELY NOT! I do think there are bad actors out there and I believe it's up to me as a Broker/Owner to provide the ultimate level of service to our consumers and to hire and train the best professionals in the industry. It is my mission to do just that. 

 

If you have questions about EXIT Realty Mountain View's process of representation, opportunities to join our growing team or anything real estate related don't hesitate to reach out. 

 

BRANDY BROWN

BROKER/OWNER

719.373.9864

brandy@exitrealtymtview.com