To Call or Not to Call the Sign
By Todd Lamppa & Andrew Cornish
Some studies show that the most effective advertising is the good old-fashioned real estate sign in the front yard. However, while this may be effective in garnering interest for the seller, a valid question is whether or not calling the number on the sign is in the best interest of a prospective buyer. As a real estate professional who specializes in buyer advocacy, I am of the opinion that it is unequivocally not in their best interest. More specifically, a listing agent (the person whose name is on the sign) is likely to have won the listing contract by either being an intermediary (conduit of paperwork between the buyer and seller) or a seller’s agent (an advocate for the best interest of the seller). In either of these scenarios, the buyer who calls the name on the sign is not getting someone to be their advocate. While this may be news to many buyers, what may be potentially more eye-opening is that the ability to have a buyer’s agent is available to a buyer at no cost to them. This reality is the result of a vast majority of listing agreements in the Teton County market area that provide that a seller will compensate the agent working for them as well as the agent representing the buyer. While this may not be completely intuitive at first, some thought on the subject provides that most sellers recognize that a fair deal is the best all-around result, and that they are actually increasing their market exposure by providing compensation to agents who are looking out for their buyer’s best interest. Herein lies the issue: The buyer who “calls the number on the sign” is actually foregoing this opportunity for representation and giving the entire commission to the agent who is looking to maximize the seller’s profit. Buyers are best served by having a real estate professional in their corner. When starting your real estate search, look for the representation that is due to you with the Cornish | Lamppa Realty Group. Who’s in your corner?