PROPER MULTIPLE OFFER ETIQUETTE

IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW REALTOR RULES AND FIDUCIARY DUTIES

Q

UESTION: You wrote a good offer with well-qualified buyers. The sellers are out of town and due back today and you are hoping to put a deal together at that time. The seller’s agent calls and leaves you a voice-mail message that she has wrote an offer, and in the mean time an associate from your office tells you he has a third offer. Do you know what to do? Please, take just a minute to breeze through this overview!

representation is key

Depending on whom you represent, begin by consulting your broker, so a call from the other agent is no surprise. Next, if you represent the sellers, call and explain the procedures you are about to put in motion and get their permission. When you speak to the other, agents make it clear that the messages you convey are coming from the seller! Explain to the agents the procedures you will follow and ask them to prepare their best offer, and wish them luck. In a commercial or institutional situation, you may ask offers submissions by sealed envelope.

EXPLAIN THE CHANGES

Explain that things have changed. Explain the reasoning behind them submitting their best offer. It may be smart to prepare two offers, or to ask the seller to give you the benefit of calling your buyer’s to see if they will up their offer and his net!

PRESENTING WITH A FLAIR

  • Prepare a cover letter that explains the offer strong points, such as closing costs, rapid processing, or less strict property condition standards.
  • Prepare a resume about your buyer’s and how much they love the house.
  • You might insist that your buyer's instructions are to present the offer with accepted on presentation restrictions.
  • You might consider bringing the buyers and then telling the seller that they are in your car ready for an immediate counter.
  • Prepare a large earnest money check that is eye-catching. Also, consider making the earnest non-refundable with conditions.
  • Consider using "Power of Attorney" with an attached letter giving you the rules of negotiation.

BACK TO THE AGENTS

If you represent the sellers, tell the other agent the sellers have chosen an offer and countered with a request for an answer by noon the next day. Explain, you cannot predict if the offer will lead to a contract, so ask to retain their offer until then. Further, explain that if it goes past noon, you will call and ask whether the buyer want to keep their offers alive.

This newsletter provided by:

Morris Williams Realty

407.568.4772

Serving the Metro Area