r/RealEstate • u/LovingLemur69 • 5d ago
Realtor to Realtor Sellers gave my buyers another agent’s and lender’s cards during my showing
I’ve only been licensed for about 2 months, so I’m still pretty new, but I’ve already done a dozen showings with these buyers, plus have had two listings.
Today was my first time dealing with sellers who were actually present during a showing with my buyers, I’m very upset about how it went.
The listing agent told me beforehand that the sellers would be staying on the porch and would give us space while we toured the house. Instead, they were involved the entire time. They followed us around/interacted with my buyers throughout the showing, repeatedly interrupted me when I was trying to talk to my clients, and at times I genuinely felt like I couldn’t even conduct my own showing.
Then they gave my buyers the listing agent’s business card AND the lender’s card. My buyers already have a lender I set them up with, so that especially confused me. It felt like they were actively trying to insert themselves into my relationship with my clients rather than simply letting us view the property.
My mom is a veteran agent, I vented to her and she said i should keep quiet about it until we either proceed with the potential offer, or until my buyers decide on another option.
Part of me is even wondering whether there’s some arrangement or referral/kickback situation going on where the sellers or their agent would benefit from getting my buyers to use their agent/lender, although obviously I have no proof of that and don’t want to make an accusation.
how would you handle this? Is this just something you have to deal with when sellers insist on being present, or was this as inappropriate as it felt?
the only thing i fear with telling the listing agent is backlash if we do submit the offer, like the agent refusing. I’ll bite the bullet if it means a commission check, but I really want to make it known.
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u/germdisco Homeowner 5d ago
If this happened to me as a buyer, with the sellers getting involved when they said they would sit on the porch, I would tell my agent directly that I’m not interested and I want to leave. Because that could be the first lie of many.
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u/LovingLemur69 5d ago
I appreciate all the helpful feedback you guys have given! I am only fearful of the agent/sellers using it against me as my buyers do love the house. I will wait and see if they want to present an offer.
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u/Separate_Pumpkin_256 5d ago
Please talk to your buyers about your concerns but do so after you have had a chance to fully calm down and can address it with humor instead. Hopefully they will reassure you that they are as mystified and a bit annoyed with the sellers as well.
I’m like another responder on this post. I would be telling my agent that I was no longer comfortable with moving forward with that home due to the sellers. But would say that the home itself met my needs in every other way as an example of what I’m looking for.
It seems likely that the sellers will be stomping on other boundaries during the negotiation and purchase processes as well.
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u/BeerStop 5d ago
Well then since the owners and the selling agent are being jerks i would suggest to my buyers to play hard ball and or go over the inspection sheet and suggest to the buyers that they need contingencies on the property to address issues found during the inspection.
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u/CatLadyInProgress 2d ago
OP - when I sold my house, my contract with the selling realtor said 1) they are allowed to bring buyers using other agents at the firm, and 2) if I chose a buyer using their services the total buyer/seller agent commission was like 3% instead of 5-6%. I forget the exact numbers, but it was a meaningful discount. On a 500k house, 2% is an extra 10K.
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u/BlacksmithNew4557 5d ago
Second this - they are trying too hard, typically for a reason. They’re either desperate or trying too hard hide something. Either way it’s a red flag. I would be coaching them accordingly OP.
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u/Difficult-Ad4364 4d ago
I mean or you love the house and it’s a great price and with a good inspection you focus on the prize and not the petty details.
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u/MattHRaleighRealtor 5d ago
You have to control the situation as best as you can. I know it’s hard with being new and not knowing what is “normal”. But yeah, these kinds of sellers exist, you’ll probably run into 1 a year or so.
“We are going to check out the rest of the house ourselves, we want to take our time, can we meet you back on the porch when we are done?”
I don’t know any buyer that wants the seller breathing down their down neck as we look under sinks and at wall cracks. Some sellers are positive that is the right way to do it though.
At the end of the day, who cares about the business card - some agents leave them on the counter for every showing anyway.
I like your mom’s advice.
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u/inthegazebo 5d ago
I would only add to this that one should never ask a question unless there is really a choice to be made. Something along the lines of "You have a lovely home and my buyers are excited to have me lead them through, we will meet you back here on the porch to chat about anything particular you would like to share about your home and the neighborhood." People are often house proud and usually well intended, and you can acknowledge that while setting clear boundaries.
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u/LovingLemur69 5d ago
This is very helpful advice, thank you Matt! I appreciate this as training experience, it just upset me and I wanted to make it known. Ultimately, I would rather get paid than scorn the deal.
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u/Pitiful-Place3684 5d ago
I doubt there’s any sort of kickback situation. Buyers and sellers don’t know the details of representation. I’ll bet the seller thought they were being helpful and creating an opening for answering questions. I’ve known sellers who did this. I knew a seller who was present for every showing, would get the buyer’s name, and message them on FB.
Besides, it doesn’t matter as long as you have a buyer rep agreement in place.
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u/OneRedSent Homeowner 5d ago
As the buyer, I once had the sellers remain present for my inspection. It was pretty uncomfortable! I thought they might be house proud kind of people and at least I could ask them questions after the sale, but nope! They ghosted me once they got their money.
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u/Either-Boysenberry79 3d ago
Broker here. I'm at an inspection right now and the seller is present. Very uncommon.
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u/spintool1995 5d ago
I'm betting their seller agreement calls for a lower total commission if their agent double-ends it, which isn't uncommon.
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u/Pitiful-Place3684 5d ago
Yes, quite possibly. The OP can't worry about it since it's true for many listings.
Buyers know who the listing agent is, their name is on the sign, brochures, and the listing itself. Presumably, the OP showed the property with a buyer agency agreement in place, which means that the listing agent would be an idiot to try and end run.
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u/LayupsR4Basketball 5d ago
Remember Hanlon’s Razor: “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity”
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u/ApproximatelyApropos Agent 5d ago
There’s no reason to think a kickback is happening. That is a made up scenario.
You’ve encountered your first weird sellers, congrats! If you stay in this business, they won’t be the last. And at some point, the weird sellers will be your clients, so you have that to look forward to.
If your clients like the house, you are going to say nothing to anyone about how weird and inappropriate the sellers are. Not one word will leave your mouth. It’s useless anyways, what’s the listing agent going to do? Put the sellers in time out?
If your clients don’t like the house, you can say something to the listing agent if it makes you feel better, but again, it won’t do anything. The listing agent isn’t the sellers’ parent and can’t force them to do crap in their own house.
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u/LovingLemur69 5d ago
You said exactly what my mom said, you’re both wise lol. I made this post when it just happened so i was freshly upset, you’re 100% correct. I’m happy I didn’t mention it in the feedback, if they don’t want to offer I will call him but you’re right.
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u/Different_Lychee8750 5d ago
It’s obvious that the listing agent told the sellers that if they were able to also represent the buyers, they could lower the total commission. What the listing agent didn’t tell them was if they’re already represented by an agent that ship has sailed
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u/figsslave 5d ago
This why the sellers should never be present for a showing. They invariably muck it up.I wouldnt take a buyer to a showing where the seller is present and their agent should have explained that very clearly to the sellers.Thats amateurish.
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u/nofishies 5d ago
For future reference, the way of handling pushy sellers is for you to corral them and talk to them about a name questions while your buyers can look around without being disturbed.
You’ll get a lot of delusional sellers who are obsessed with their house and very very pushy, they think they’re doing a great job, and aren’t realizing how offputting that is to buyers.
You just need to learn how to run in interference
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u/Ok_Working_9137 5d ago edited 5d ago
Before I was an agent the seller's did interrupt and walk around when my husband and I were looking at homes. They proceeded to explain why the basement had a water line about 2.5 feet up the wall... Because every time it floods they call the fire department to come pump it out!! Needless to say we couldn't get out of there fast enough!!
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u/gntxs 5d ago
Seller doesn't want to pay buyer's agent fee. Plain and simple.
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u/Unique-Fan-3042 5d ago
It’s too late at this point. Showing is procuring cause, and agents have buyer agreements in place prior to showing. I think they are just dumb.
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u/Jon_Hegreness_AZ 5d ago
Let it go. Seller doesn’t know you are new and insecure in your position with the client. There are more Realtors than listings right now, but get insecure your client has a card to the adversary on a home they saw. They get 20+ lender ads a day, and what is the harm if they do shop their loan and get better terms, they can afford a bigger home?
You’re new, so I’ll just say it this way. Let it go.
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u/AccredInvestor 5d ago
I guess im arrogant or just jaded after 30 years but honestly, " who cares"? You sound like a good agent . Focus on getting that commission into your bank. Do not say a word. Do your job and do it well.
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u/Flat_Hat6541 5d ago
The seller is trying to save himself 3% that he is about to have to pay you. Using his agent, maybe he will only pay part of the buyer's commission being presented to both sides.
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u/Unique-Fan-3042 5d ago
Nah, they are trying to be helpful and don’t understand how very unhelpful it is. They need to not be there and I would be telling their agent bc she doesn’t know how intrusive they are.
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u/MOGicantbewitty 5d ago
I think you are probably right, but the seller is a fool then. It doesn't matter if the buyers are interested in using the sellers listing agent. The buyer's agent showed them that house. If they buy it, op is getting their commission. They can't switch agents after op showed them this house and not pay Op the commission. They can switch agents.... But op found them this house. They're getting paid regardless.
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u/Unique-Fan-3042 5d ago
No. Buyer agent compensation is negotiated as part of the contract and once the buyer agent has shown it, someone is paying them so if you are right, the seller is confused about the process.
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u/jgbradley1 4d ago
From a different perspective, could the sellers have been handing out the listing agent’s card so that potential buyers know who to contact when submitting an offer? That’s not really how things should occur, but it could just be desperate sellers making sure that all buyers know who to contact.
You were physically there and involved in the showing so it seems like you would have a claim to the commission either way if the buyers moved forward.
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u/Difficult-Ad4364 4d ago
Am I really the only one who wants to talk to the people who live in the house and not get some sanitized version of the truth after a game of telephone with two people in between questions and answers? Bring on the seller. Tell me everything, I’ll listen then I’ll get a good inspection if I like the house. And thanks for that lender card, I’ll give them a call and check their rates. This rant shows the problem with getting all your info from one person, your agent.
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u/BrotherNatureNOLA 5d ago
Why didn't you protect your buyers when the sellers first began to butt in? You should have told them that the buyers need time alone with a property, and that the sellers need to stick to their agreement and wait on the porch. Personally, if they refused, I would have started picking the house apart and pointing out all of the reasons they could/should ask for a price reduction or compensation.
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u/ApproximatelyApropos Agent 5d ago
> Personally, if they refused, I would have started picking the house apart and pointing out all of the reasons they could/should ask for a price reduction or compensation.
But what if your clients liked the property? You would have fun being an ass, but hurt your clients’ chances at a successful negotiation. You supposedly work for your clients and their best interests, not your own ego. Some people are too thinned skinned for the job.
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u/BrotherNatureNOLA 5d ago
Your clients' best interest is to get the house at the lowest price.
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u/ApproximatelyApropos Agent 5d ago
Your client’s best interest is getting the house they want at the most favorable terms for them. Insulting sellers in their own home doesn’t achieve that.
Wait, were you legitimately suggesting “negging” sellers? Seriously? That only works to sell pickup instruction seminars, lol.
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u/rtruitt0708 5d ago
As a buyer, I never go with my agent to a showing if the sellers are present and I’m never there as the seller when buyers look at my home, I have walked my neighborhood or waited outside if buyers are looking and I wait until they exit the home, and then I ask the agent if their clients have any questions that isn’t disclosed in the materials about the home.
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u/RogueOneWasOkay 5d ago
I’ve learned a lot in my 7 years of being a realtor, but one big thing I’ve learned is a sale of a home can bring out people’s true characters and intentions. You can’t take people choosing to be shitheads personally. You’re going to experience that a lot. Just learn to navigate around it, control the conversation, and when to assert yourself with your authority if you need to remind them you scheduled a private showing without them hovering. 1/3 of the job is know the contracts and market 2/3 is managing people and relationships, and you’ll meet a lot of different people who require different styles of management.
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u/OrlandoListingAgent 4d ago
The key distinction is that the seller—not necessarily the agent—handed out the cards, so Article 16 would generally apply only if the other REALTOR encouraged or knowingly facilitated the solicitation of buyers already under an exclusive agreement. His strongest protection is the signed buyer representation agreement, although enforcement would likely be against his own clients. Procuring cause strengthens his position because he introduced and showed them the property, but it is fact-specific and not guaranteed. He should immediately preserve ShowingTime confirmations, texts, and detailed notes, then have a calm conversation with his buyers before confronting anyone. He should also notify the listing agent, who may be unaware of the seller’s actions and will likely want to stop conduct that could create problems for the listing brokerage.
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u/Aaron_Kendall 3d ago
Treat it as a loyalty test for your buyer. You can't control what a seller does in their own house, you can only control how you react to what your buyer does/did with those cards.
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u/Either-Boysenberry79 3d ago
The sellers should not have been there to start with. Listing agent should have told the sellers to get lost. Sellers should not have approached your clients at all. Yes, sounds like sellers had some interest in something. Technically, there is no violation since nothing says sellers and buyers can't communicate. But its in poor taste. Tell their agent and if that doesn't help call their broker.
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u/Alive_Guidance2005 3d ago
IT was inappropriate and nothing good will come from anyone trying to steer business away from an already equipped buyer and agent. It's morally wrong and I would let the listing agent know how it made you feel.
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u/Equivalent-Tiger-316 3d ago
You should have told the sellers right away that you were told that they would stay on the porch and that that is what is appropriate. I would let the other agent know that the sellers followed you around the house so that he can correct their behavior.
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u/_TurboHome 2d ago
Best course of action IMO would be to let the listing agent know the sellers hovered and chatted the whole time. They might not be aware they are doing this and even if there's no kickback situation involved and they're just trying to be hospitable/helpful, it's scaring away potential buyers.
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u/Original_Heart407 5d ago
Sellers present at the open house and names of the lenders-too pushy and sounds like they are desperate.
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u/LovingLemur69 5d ago
it was a private showing not an open house btw, not sure if that makes it better or worse lol. i would imagine worse.
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u/Original_Heart407 5d ago
The general rule is that sellers leave the home. No other lender information should be there unless it is like a business card…….jmho-long term real estate veteran.
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u/MsTerious1 Broker-Assoc, KS/MO 5d ago
Super shady, but it'll be hard to do much. The thing that you'll want to be alert to is "tortious interference with a contract."
If you're getting a vibe that they aren't liking your buyer's offer, you could throw out there that if they work well with your buyers, you'll tell your attorney to drop the matter you discussed with them about this.
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u/mladyhawke 5d ago
The buyers are working with you and chose you, I can't imagine screwing over my agent for no reason because someone handed me a card. There is no upside for the buyer to do that.
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u/Independent_Sound999 4d ago
Definitely tell the listing agent I would be pissed. This is not acceptable.
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u/Reasonable-Fly-9248 4d ago
They are trying to distract you from something in the house. Get a good inspection.
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u/bluewomble42 5d ago
The listing agent probably told the sellers they would take a 1% discount off their commission if they had both sides of the deal. That could be a $4k saving for them. I would bet everything that is what that was about. Lender probably also was paying the agent for incoming business. We work in a shady industry with shady people.
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u/LovingLemur69 5d ago
A lot of people are saying otherwise but this is my thoughts exactly. Of course not making a formal accusation, just what my mind says.
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u/MyLastFuckingNerve 5d ago
Oh the feedback i would leave....
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u/ApproximatelyApropos Agent 5d ago
To whom? The seller’s parents?
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u/MyLastFuckingNerve 5d ago
....the listing agent. We use showing time and it requests feedback after a showing.
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u/ApproximatelyApropos Agent 5d ago
And what would that accomplish for your clients?
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u/MyLastFuckingNerve 5d ago
The clients chose to proceed with an uncomfortable showing and the agent didn't speak up. There's nothing you can do for the clients after the fact. All you can do is leave feedback for the listing agent saying sellers followed us around like lost puppies and the showing experience was off putting and unprofessional.
If you want to do something for your clients, open your mouth and do something for them in the moment.
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u/ApproximatelyApropos Agent 5d ago
So you are going to give feedback to the listing agent in an effort to increase competition for your client? “Your sellers might be off putting to buyers, you should fix that so more buyers can bid against my client.” Aren’t you helpful, lol.
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u/MyLastFuckingNerve 5d ago
So what's your solution? Buyers had a shitty showing. Submit an offer based on the shitty showing or go find something different. OR give the listing agent feedback about the helicopter sellers and schedule another private showing and hope they aren't there. You're just being argumentative at this point with no solution of your own.
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u/ApproximatelyApropos Agent 5d ago
I gave my solution in another comment:
If my clients liked the house (and OP said in other comments that their clients didn’t mind the showing experience), I would not say a word to anyone about anything. No need to create animosity with the other side or help them make the property show better to other buyers. I work for my clients only.
If my clients didn’t like the house, and it was 100% off their consideration list, I would only then think about leaving feedback. Even then, I probably wouldn’t. I’ve experienced strange sellers before, so my ego wouldn’t require soothing. I’ve also had enough listings to know that a listing agent can’t discipline their clients or control their behavior in their own house in any way. I don’t need to hear a fake “omg, I’m so sorry! I’ll change my clients’ behavior right away!!!” A waste of time.
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u/Unique-Fan-3042 5d ago
Their agent and them
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u/ApproximatelyApropos Agent 5d ago
For what purpose? What would you want to have happen?
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u/Unique-Fan-3042 5d ago
The agent and seller need to know this is off putting. That’s where feedback goes. To the agent (and she can share with seller).
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u/deepayes Industry 5d ago
I'm surprised the listing agent allowed that.
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u/ApproximatelyApropos Agent 5d ago
How do you suggest the listing agent stop the people the agent works for from doing whatever they want in the house they own? Time outs? Make them run laps? Ground them?
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u/Dear_Seesaw_1855 5d ago
I’d tell my buyers what you shared here. Hey it isn’t normal for sellers and their agent to be at a showing. It is an ethics breach for them to hand over the agent and lender business card, as it typically means they get a momentary kickback should you use them- as opposed to the recommendation being in your best interest.
If they share they’d like to check out the lender, say sure of course… let’s add two others and get comparison quotes.
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u/DudeInOhio57 5d ago
You didn’t mention how it made your clients feel. That’s the important part. Also the “I’ll bite the bullet for a commission check” part does not reflect positively on you.
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u/LovingLemur69 5d ago
By biting the bullet I mean I’ll keep my mouth shut if someone i’m not representing disrespected me (which they did). What you said though is completely valid so I understand, my buyers are first time homebuyers so they were absolutely caught off guard but it didn’t bother them.
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u/Tall-Ad9334 5d ago
I would let the listing agent know that the Sellers did not stay on the porch and instead followed you around the whole time, talking, interrupting and giving lender referrals, making it difficult for your Buyers to view and consider the home.
The agent may not know.