Unlicensed Real Estate Assistants
Across the country, more and more real estate businesses are utilizing unlicensed employees or personal assistants to help with routine tasks. Consideration must be carefully given to the assignments given to these unlicensed individuals.
WHAT MAY THEY LEGALLY DO?
In general, they may engage in any office activities that are not specified in Section 440 of Article 12A of the New York State Real Property Law.
Some of these general office activities that may be performed by an employee, secretary or a personal assistant who does not hold a real estate license are:
- Answer the phone, forward calls, and take messages.
- Arrange appointments, by telephone, for the licensee.
- Follow up on loan commitments after a contract has been negotiated and generally secure status reports on loan progress.
- Assemble documents for closing.
- Write ads for approval of broker and place approved classified advertising.
- Type contract forms for approval by broker.
- Compute commission checks.
- Place or remove signs from property.
- Order items of repair as directed by the broker.
- Prepare flyers and promotional information for approval by broker.
- Schedule appointments for licensees to show listed property.
- Gather information for a comparative market analysis.
- Gather information for an appraisal.
- Monitor licenses and personnel files.
- Perform secretarial and clerical duties such as typing of letters and filing.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?
HOW SHOULD PAYMENT BE MADE?
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Why Are Nyc Real Estate Fees So High
There are a ton of reasons why real estate commissions are so high in NYC. For starters, there are typically two agents on each deal compared to just one who represents both buyer and seller in London. Therefore, a total commission of 6% is usually split equally between the listing agent and buyer agent .
Sellers typically agree to pay a fixed commission at closing even if a buyer is unrepresented. If a buyer does not have a buyers broker, the listing agent usually collects the entire commission. Because sellers foot the commission bill for buyer brokers, most buyers in NYC have a buyers agent since its technically free and built into the sale price.
Because most buyers have agents, sellers are therefore pressured to offer high commissions to buyer agents in order to attract buyers. This chicken or the egg causality dilemma is very successful in keeping commissions high and ensuring the continued relevance of the 50,000 + agents working in NYC.
Fortunately, there are more reduced commission options today for sellers than there was just 5 years ago. While traditional FSBO remains a popular option, its shortfalls remain. For starters, FSBO sellers cannot list their homes in RLS, the inter broker database used by buyer brokers to search for and send listings to clients.
What Are Some Possible Issues With Nyc Buyer Rebates
As commission rebates are 100% legal and tax-free, there’s really nothing to worry about when it comes to getting a buyer rebate in NYC. On the rare occasion that a buyer has a bad experience getting a rebate, it’s usually because they worked with an unprofessional agent. While most agents and brokers who offer NYC buyer rebates have fantastic reputations, there are a few bad ones out there. For example, we’ve received many reports of Hauseit misleading buyers and providing subpar service.
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Are You Entitled To A Reasonable Commission
The seller is not obliged to compensate the broker if he voluntarily produced a buyer. The seller must understand that the real estate broker is working on their behalf in return for compensation. Also, the seller must have shown that he accepts the services of the broker.
If the agreement between the parties does not specify the amount to be paid as commission, the broker will receive fair and reasonable compensation for his labor. If a contract was not signed, the broker is entitled to a reasonable amount of compensation worth his effort for setting up the deal.
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Things To Know About Low Commission Real Estate Agents In Toronto
Imagine, you hire a low commission real estate agent in Toronto, who offers you for example 1% commission , but that REALTOR doesnt offer you extensive marketing strategies and maximum exposure, what will happen? You merely have a listing on MLS system, but you dont have the proper exposure.
Less exposure means less showings, and less chances of getting the Top Dollar for your condo or your house. Whereas, a full service Toronto Real Estate Agent, might offer you a bit higher commission, but also offers you services such as Staging, Printed ad or Digital Marketing and ads, targeted Marketing, Open Houses, and so on so forth. Staging is among the items that helps your house or condo sells quicker for Top Dollar.
Again, the commission and marketing strategies are not One Size Fits All. It depends in your Micro Market, your potential buyers, your asset class that whether it is a townhouse, or a house or a condo apartment in downtown Toronto, and also the services that your Toronto REALTOR is gonna provide you when listing your property.
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Our Tips For Saving On Commission
While New York home sellers may be able to negotiate a lower commission for themselves, it will probably depend on their local market. The same applies to a FSBO sale sellers in a high-demand area may find it a viable approach, but others may want to tread carefully.
New York homes are taking nearly twice as long to sell as the national average, although listing prices are up nearly 16% compared to the same time in 2020. Overall, housing inventory in the state is very high, which could be contributing to the long sale times. New York is really a tale of two markets: the high-priced, high-demand NYC market and the rest of the state, where prices are lower and demand is gentler.
Regardless of where theyre located, New York sellers should consider using a low commission real estate service like Clever to save money without additional effort.
» MORE: Tips for negotiating a lower commission rate
NOTE: For all the options detailed below, the savings will come by lowering the listing agents commission. Regardless of how you sell, youll likely have to offer a competitive buyers agent commission, which in New York is 2.45%.
Number Of Transactions Per Year
Because real estate agents are generally paid on a commission basisin California and elsewherethe number of transactions can significantly impact the agent’s expected earnings each year. In most cases, buyers and listing agents are each paid a 2.5% to 3% commission on the total sale price of the transaction.
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There Are No Reliable Statistics
However, the truth is that there is no official record or statistic for what the average real estate commission in NYC actually is.
The reason is that most brokered sales have their final sales prices and NYC commission amounts recorded in private inter-broker databases like REBNYs RLS Broker Database, MLS Long Island or Hudson Gateway MLS. These broker databases do not publish data on real estate commission amounts to the public.
To make matters worse, most MLS broker databases only record the buyer agent co-broke commission instead of the total commission rate.
This makes it impossible to know how much the listing agent is paid and what the total commission rate actually is.
Buyer agent commission data in MLS is typically no longer visible once a deal closes. This means that even real estate professionals with MLS access are unable to view historical commission data being charged by fellow listing agents in NYC.
Moreover, NYC listing agents will typically avoid publicly answering any questions involving what the normal or average real estate commission is in NYC as it can be a sign of collusion and price-fixing.
Due to the lack of transparency on commission rates being charged by NYC listing agents, its extremely difficult for potential sellers to know how much commission fellow NYC home sellers are actually paying.
Factors That Affect Real Estate Commission Rates In New York City And Tips To Negotiate Lower Fees
Real estate commissions are not set, and there are a variety of factors that can drive rates up or down depending on where you live and what your specific circumstances are.
Knowing what the factors are that affect commission rates in New York City can not only help you determine whether an agent is offering you a good deal, but can also help you negotiate lower rates in some circumstances. Below, we’ve included the most common reasons that real estate agents lower their commission rates nationwide:
Another factor that may affect commission rates, is how common it is for home sellers to negotiate in your area. In New York City, 59% of the real estate agents we surveyed said that it is common for home sellers to negotiate commission rates, whereas 14% said that it was uncommon, and 28%said that it happens only some of the time.
Below, we break down some of the most common factors that affect commission rates and explain how you might use this to negotiate lower rates.
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How Much Do Real Estate Agents Make In New York State
How Much Does the Average Real Estate Salesperson Make in New York State?
According to careerexplorer.com, the average salary for a real estate agent in New York State is around $116,460 per year. Obtaining your real estate license is quite quick and easy. However, having a real estate license does not guarantee a high income. As a salesperson, you are essentially starting your own business. Whether you make above or below the average salary will be entirely up to you.
Earning Potential is Directly Proportional to Dedication
Having your own business has some distinct advantages like making your own schedule and not having to answer to a boss. Getting into real estate means you do not have to be at an office or at a desk from 9-5. It also means that you do not have a set salary or hourly wage. What you earn is directly proportional to the amount of work you put in. Work in the real estate industry means engaging with your community, cold calling and follow up calls with clients, market and listings research, showing houses, and much more. This business is not about selling house is about building relationships.
How much you make in real estate will also depend on if you plan to do real estate sales as a full-time job, part time job or hobby. You may also be interested in getting your license to become and investor, property manager or referral agent. The more you put into your business, the more you will get out of it.
What Real Estate Agents Do Better
It is very hard to make money as a real estate agent during the first few years in the industry. New real estate agents tend to struggle to learn everything needed while building a strong client base, so they either do not have any clients or they cannot close the deals with them. They also tend to accept lower Split with the brokerages to be a part of a well-known real estate brokerage brand.
As the real estate agent becomes more experienced with a proven sales history and a large clientele database, the agent can negotiate with brokerages for a larger Split. As the client database grows, the agent spends less time on marketing themselves and more time on selling properties, which drives up the number of sales. Top producers rarely spend time advertising themselves because their clients spread the word for them.
Being a real estate agent is like running a business. It takes a lot of effort in the beginning, and the outcomes may not meet expectations. On the other hand, consistent work will make the agent skilled in the areas needed for the job, and it will attract new customers. With time and consistent efforts, it becomes easier to attract new clients, and the agent can start focusing on selling properties.
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What Does It Mean To Double
Double-ending a real estate transaction is when one agent representsboth buyer and seller in the transaction. The single-agent receives the entire commission. There is a conflict of interest as the agent cannot satisfy the needs of both the seller and buyer. The seller wants the home to sell for the highest possible price, whereas the buyer wants to buy it at the lowest possible price how can one agent satisfy both these contradicting goals? Therefore, in most cases, dual agency is not advisable or used. Some states have declared this form of real estate commission as illegal.
In New York, double-ending a transaction, or dual agency, is legal.
When Is An Employment Contract Established
An employment contract comes into effect when a property owner lists his/her building with the broker, and the latter goes about to find suitable buyers or tenants based on the owner’s conditions. According to New York Law, if the service of a real estate broker is used without any agreement that limits the earning of a commission, the broker shall be entitled to a commission when he provides a lessee who is capable and ready to sign a lease agreement on the terms of the lessor. This provision can be applied to sales and lease transactions.
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How Much Do Real Estate Agents Make In New York
You might be aware that real estate prices in New York are among the most expensive in the world. Just in Manhattan, the average took an all-time high at $999,999 in the second quarter of 2021. Now, imagine being a real estate agent in that buyer-driven market.
So, heres what you need to know about how much you can earn as a real estate agent in New York.
What Is The Average Real Estate Wage
With the recent craziness in the United States real estate market, no one could blame you for considering a career as a real estate agent. If youre aware of the commission structure used by agents to make money, you wouldnt be wrong if you thought 2020 and 2021 were probably pretty good years to be a real estate agent.
However, you cant base your career decision on a bit of volatility due to a global crisis. Its important to make sure that you are signing on to something that you want to do for the long haul. If you are a real estate agent for several decades, there is a good chance you will see rough times for the market, too.
Are you wondering what kind of real estate wage you can expect if you pursue this profession?
Lets take a look at everything you need to know.
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How To Pick The Best Real Estate Broker To Sell Your Nyc Home
Lets start with how NOT to select a real estate agent: By the numbers.
Exaggerating your apartment’s market value is literally the oldest trick in the book. Fall for a high-baller, and you are setting yourself up for months of price cuts and the attendant frustrations of keeping your place in showing condition and making yourself scarce at a moments notice.
One way to filter out these agents is to develop an accurate sense of what your apartment is worth. Research comparable sales in your building and neighborhood online to make sure your expectations are reasonable.
When interviewing an agent, be sure to ask questions like:
1. How many listings do you currently have?
There is no magic answer, but make sure you understand whats really going on in their business. Lots of listings raises the question of whether the broker has the resources to service more clients. No listings may mean the agent is not successful or it may mean they just closed three deals the month before or tend to work mostly with buyers. Listings can also give you insight into the markets the agent is most familiar with. For example, if they have four listings in the Bronx but no others, and youre in the West Village, you might be concerned.
2. How long have you been working as an agent?
Be wary of hiring anyone with less than two years experience unless they are a junior member of a larger team with lots of experience.
4. What education do you have that prepared you for a career in real estate?
How Can Real Estate Broker Commission Contract Be Implied
The circumstances surrounding the transaction will determine whether a real estate broker commission will be implied. If an express commission agreement already exists, then the contract cannot be implied.
A broker cannot rely on the principle of ratification to claim commission simply because a seller accepted the result of an unsolicited service. Before a contract can be implied to allow the broker to claim compensation, the broker must have provided his services in such a way that the beneficiary understands that the services were being performed on their behalf.
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