Details For Buyers Agents When Showing My Listings
Updated: Dec 26, 2022
In this post, I wanted to give some more details for showings of my listings specifically geared toward buyers agents.
I. Lockboxes
The homes I list always have at least a few lockbox types, including all homes having a REIN lockbox and contractor lockbox. Some homes also have Williamsburg lockboxes and CBRAR lockboxes, depending on location. I do not have available CVR lockboxes so especially for those agents, it's important to get the contractor box code prior to arriving at the home. Please check the listing for available lockbox types to ensure that you will be able to access the home.
II. Offers & Deadlines
Seller & situation preferences vary, although typically sellers I work with are willing to disclose whether or not we have offers and the number of offers that we have, if applicable. In some cases, sellers are willing to disclose offers in great detail. What the seller is willing to disclose may change over time.
I welcome questions from buyer's agents regarding offers, including but not limited to non-committal questions if desired by buyers. I encourage verbal offers and verbal indications of what buyers are planning on offering, though of course prior to the finalization of a contract all should be in writing. I present offers prior to deadlines close to the time that they come in. If any deadline is provided, while the sellers I work with typically keep the deadline, that's not always the case, & the seller reserves the right to accept something sooner. In some cases, a simple text from buyer's agents stating something like the price, escalation clause (if applicable), the contingencies, the financing, & the closing date of a buyer can keep the seller from ratifying a contract with another buyer prior to a deadline.
While I've dealt with varied offer types, I am most familiar with REIN offers, and secondarily, Virginia Association of Realtors offers. Due to heightened familiarity, I prefer to work with REIN, though I'm wide open to other offer types, and would prefer to learn a new offer type rather than steering a seller away from an offer type that I am unfamiliar with. In the event that you're planning on submitting an offer type other than VAR or REIN, it's ideal to send me a copy of a blank offer prior to you writing one in case there would be a >1 hr gap in between the 2 so that if time allows, I have some time to go through the offer type in advance, especially in a multiple offer scenario with an impending deadline.
In the event that the seller is willing to disclose offer information in the future on my listings, you will find it updated here:
III. Pictures/Video:
1. My listing agreements typically include the following express permission from the sellers: "Seller permits buyers, buyer's agents, and contractors to use photography/ videography for personal reference. Public posts are permitted as long as photos/ videos are not posted with a negative slant that could hurt the sale." I'll let you know if that's not included in my listing agreement on a property if I text you this webpage along with a response to your showing request. 2. If a buyer's agent wants to do things like flying a drone over the property while on the property (as long as you are doing so lawfully including but not limited to Virginia Code & Part 107), let me know and typically sellers I work with will say "yes". Home inspectors & contractors don't need additional permission as long as doing so lawfully. While you are located off the property, i.e. on a public street, no additional permission by buyer's agents is necessary for aerial photography as long as abiding by the law when doing so (i.e. you may still need FAA/ATC authorization in some cases in restricted airspace). The same ruling by sellers on public posts being permitted under positive or neutral circumstances applies. 3. If a buyer's agent, contractor, buyer, or home inspector wants to take thermal imaging of a property, they can do that without any additional permission necessary, with public posts still allowed as long as neutral or positive in nature. 4. While no additional permission is necessary for inspectors or contractors, if a buyer's agent wants to take photos or video of a crawlspace using a remote control device (a crawl bot), please request permission and I will pass that along to the sellers. Typically the sellers will agree to it. In this case, please do not post the videos publicly, and I would love it if you could let me know if you see any issues. 5. For more details on how pictures/video can be beneficial for you as a buyers agent, your buyers, and my sellers, go here.
IV. Refreshments
While certain as-is properties are excluded, I typically have snacks on the countertop and drinks in the fridge for you and your buyers primarily. You & all who come in with you are welcome to them. In the event that you ever see that the snacks/drinks are low or gone, please let me know so that I can replenish the supply. If you ever see that the trashcan is full from them/other items like shoe covers, please let me know.
V. Shoe Covers
My listings typically have shoe covers available at the door closest to the lockboxes. Please use them or remove your shoes while in the home. For any home with shoe covers available, if you see that the floor is dirty, please let me know.
If the home is being sold as is, shoe covers may not be present. In those cases, please try to not add further dirt/debris to the home.
VI. Showings by Adam if You're Unavailable
In the event that you're ever unable to see a property that buyers want to see in a timely manner, whether in person or via video, & you don't have another agent from your company who can show it to them, let me know. I'll often be able to show it to your buyers or arrange for another agent from my firm to show it to your buyers. It's best in these circumstances especially to have a written exclusive buyer brokerage agreement with your buyers established prior to showing so that there is no confusion that I or agents from my firm that fill in for me represent the seller. My company also has a policy against dual agency, and I've never practiced dual agency in part because of it.
Some agents like myself like to limit those agents filling in for them based on agent quality so that they don't have someone brand new do a showing for them or someone without a good camera phone doing a video showing for them. Here is more on my video showings, here are the majority of my former sales/current listing(s), & here is a selection of my reviews with links to additional reviews.
VI. Inspections/Estimates Prior to Offers
In the event of a multiple offer scenario, sometimes buyers I have represented have wanted to make a more competitive offer by waiving the home inspection contingency. In some cases, buyers perform a home inspection prior to initial offer, especially if they have a few days before an offer deadline. In the event that your buyer would like to perform a home inspection &/or acquire contractor estimates prior to the time of offer, sellers I work with are typically open to inspections/contractor estimates prior to offers if desired. Even if a certain time limitation is present in showing instructions for general showings, some exceptions may be granted on a case by case basis for a longer period of time than that which is in the listing description. In the event of a home inspection prior to contract ratification taking up a longer time period than that which is in the showing instructions, there may be cases where other agents need to show the property to their buyers during the home inspection. The home inspection in those cases can keep going unabated, but please be courteous with other buyers/agents showing at the same time.
VII. Questions
You can never ask me too many questions that could help to facilitate a transaction. I tend to ask more questions than typical myself when I represent buyers. Feel free to text or call at 757 879 9651 any time of the day or night. I turn my phone to silent when sleeping so you won't wake me. You can also email me at agarrett@ggrva.com . If you'd like a quick response and don't text, rather than emailing, you may want to email 7578799651@tmomail.net which goes directly to my texts. If doing so, it's best to CC my primary email (ggrva). Here are my hours, and please note that I take off on Sundays save limited urgent matters.
