Buyer Broker Agreement? What this heck is that? Most agents don’t ask their potential buyers to sign anything. It is too…well…you know…uncomfortable. Hmmmmmmm.

A professional is viewed as a professional for a reason. They value their own time and energy as well as their clients. Of all the paperwork required, I often wonder why the Buyer Broker Agreement isn’t one of them.

Personally, I take anywhere from 10 to 30 phone calls per day from my listing signs. Most of these individuals do not have an agent or they are not happy with their agent’s performance. When someone calls without representation, I also extend an offer of my services, but there is a catch, they must be willing to sign a buyer broker agreement. Why? It is the right thing to do. I often hear agents griping about how people run them ragged and use them up and then go and buy from someone else from a sign or perhaps a for sale by owner. In my opinion, this is the agents lack of educating their clients on the value they, the agent, brings to the deal.

Even though I have a high energy level and run at high speed most of the time, there are times when it can still catch up to me. Prioritizing, organizing and actually roping in time, is certainly a challenge. One of the ways this can be done is to fully commit to my clients and like a good marriage, why would the commitment only be one sided? After all, if I was committed to my husband and he was not committed to me, it seems a bit unequal, unfair, and even unhealthy to continue in such a relationship, doesn’t it?

Many people talk about commitment as if it is stomach gas. First they feel committed, then they don’t. I don’t think commitment is a feeling at all! True commitment is a conscience decision to follow something through to completion and give it your all to make it work.

I met a man once that wanted to do business with me. He continued to talk about his high level of commitment and integrity. He didn’t talk about it in a way of saying he valued integrity, he talked about how he had integrity. When it came time to do business with this man I asked for the terms we had agreed to in writing. He became angry and said his word was his word and he didn’t need to put it in writing. He told me I was questioning his integrity and he didn’t like it. In return, I simply stated that everyone that I knew that had integrity, didn’t have a problem putting it in writing. That was the end of that conversation!

The next time you are selecting an agent...make sure there is a match and then ask for their commitment in writing!