Professional service as needed: Earn up to a 2% rebate
You can earn up to a 2% rebate at closing. As the buyer's agent, we keep a minimum of 1% commission for our professional service and give the rest back to you at closing. All homes that are listed on the MLS qualifies for this cash rebate. Please contact me for any question.
Buyer FAQ
How to get your 2% Rebate?
In order to get a cash back rebate from Realmart Realty, a buyer rebate agreement must be signed. You can provide me with the type of home and area criteria, I can setup home alerts in the MLS system. All MLS listed properties are available for public viewing on various MLS websites as well as Realtor.com. Not only can you be completely self-sufficient in your search by utilizing the tools on the Internet, but you have a better idea of what you want when selecting properties for yourself, this will save time. Once a property is chosen I write and present the offer, handle all the negotiations, arrange for attorney review, schedule inspections, help on mortgage application, appraisal, title search, etc all paperwork thru the day of closing. An agent representing a buyer normally gets 3% of the purchase price. I give you up to 2%, and keep 1%.
Can I get Rebate with new homes builders?
Yes. Getting your 2% rebate when buying a new home is the easiest of all. All the major builders welcome agents, and there are never any discount if buyers purchase directly from builders, so getting the rebate makes perfect sense.
Is Rebate always 2%?
Our personal service fee is always a minimum 1% of the transaction or $3000 whichever is higher. If there is 3% paid to the buyer’s agent, your rebate will be 2%, if the commission is 2.5% your rebate would be 1.5%. The terms of the rebate are spelled out in our Buyer Rebate Agreement. The maximum of your cash rebate is 2%.
Is the Rebate taxable?
Rebate is shown as an adjustment to the purchase price of the home or credit at closing form. Please consult your accountant for professional answer.
How to search for & find your perfect home?
Search for properties online using Realtor.com. Custom property search allows you to save the results of your searches and pick up where you left off, simply by logging in. You can also program it to send you automatic email alerts for new listings that match your criteria. We will also set up automatic alerts depending on your home criteria on the MLS site(s). You will review and only select the ones of interest, this will save time for you and us.
Can I lose the Rebate?
Yes, we will not be able to represent you until you have signed a Buyer Rebate Agreement (you may cancel this agreement anytime). The Buyer Rebate Agreement will protect and guarantee the rebate at closing and our services during the entire transaction. Once you sign a Buyer Rebate Agreement with us, you must disclose, let other parties know you are being represented. If you are asked if you have an agent, the most appropriate response is "YES, I/we have an agent at this time". Never mis-represent yourself to a realtor and/or homeowner or trick him/her into showing you the property, then switch agencies, it’s unethical. We will not be able to represent you if that occurs and you will lose out on the rebate.
After you sign the agreement, we will represent you as your buyer's agent. We will provide you with business cards, and you can use them to show agents and/or give them out at public open houses to inform other parties you’re being represented. If when driving thru neighborhoods you see a home of interest, call us for availability. Only if we are not available and if the home owner(s) are outside, introduce yourself to them and provide them with our business card, ask them to give it to their agent, if any, so an appointment can be made. Always ask them when is the next open house scheduled. You do not need to tell listing agent or seller that you are getting a Rebate, but you must disclose you are represented. We strongly advise you not to knock on people's doors. We also advise that you sign in your name with Realmart contact information at any open houses, and leave our business card to the showing agent.
Are open houses the best opportunity to earn the 2% Rebate?
YES, open houses are your best opportunity. Most new listings (<4 weeks old) have open houses. So if you are in a particular market, the chances are the old listed homes are not what you are looking for. Listings that have significant price change will also have open houses.
Sometimes, open houses are hosted by other agents in the same office. When you are asked to sign any paper or sign in sheet, read carefully before you sign. Always sign in Realmart Realty contact information. Be sure to clarify to the agent that you are working with an agent already and present them with our business cards. Soliciting clients from other agents is strictly prohibited, so if someone tried to represent you after you told him/her that you are already represented, please notify us.
If we deal directly with the listing agent, wouldn't they be willing to give us 2%? Or wouldn't the seller get a discount if we dealt with the listing agent or talked to the seller directly?
The buyer's agent's share of the commission is usually half of the total 6% commission. If you buy a house directly through the listing agent, all of that 3% will go to them, along with the other 3% they are probably getting for listing the property (total of 6%). Even if you deal directly with the seller, the standard 6% listing contract states the listing agent still gets the full commission. No discounts for the seller finding the buyer, even if the buyer is his brother and the agent did absolutely nothing other than sign the listing agreement. The standard 6% Exclusive Right to Sell Listing Agreement is 100% biased toward the realtors. The other factor is that almost all the big brokers don't allow their agents to do the kind of discounts. And even if they were allowed, it still wouldn't work because after the agent split the 3% with their broker, there wouldn't even be enough left to give you 2% anyway. You probably don't know that most agents must share 50% of their commission with their broker at the big name companies. Even if they agreed to work for free, they won't be able to give you 2% rebate.
Another important factor, do NOT ask listing agent to provide you with a rebate, it compromises your negotiation when the sellers know you have a rebate. Let me get you the best price first, after contract is signed, I will disclose your cash rebate to all parties.
What if there's just NO way for me to get inside to see a particular house? Will I still get a Rebate?
YES! There is always a way to see the home, as long as it is available. If the listing agent is not having any open houses, I will show you the home by appointment. You will drive by homes of interest to make sure that the exterior of the home is appealing to you. When you are ready to view the interior of a home, contact me and I will arrange the appointment. Operating this way eliminates time wasted by our agents showing homes that are undesirable from the outside. Because you are helping us work more efficiently, we can afford to reward you a portion of our commission in the form of a rebate at closing. The rebate to our Buyer Client varies depending on the number of homes physically visited by our agents (see schedule below). The maximum rebate is 50% of our commission or 1.5% of sales price (whichever is lower).
| # Homes Visited With Realmart Agent: | Max % of our Commission we will rebate to our buyer: (i.e: $500,000 Home, $15000 Buyer Comm) |
| 3 | 50% ($7500 Rebate) |
| 4 | 45% ($6750 Rebate) |
| 5 | 40% ($6000 Rebate) |
| 6 | 35% ($5250 Rebate) |
| 7 | 30% ($4500 Rebate) |
| 8 | 25% ($3750 Rebate) |
| 9 | 20% ($3000 Rebate) |
| 10 | 15% ($2250 Rebate) |
| 11+ | 10% ($1500 Rebate) |
NOTE: This program is not intended to rush buyers into making a quick decision. It is not designed to punish buyers that view more homes. It is designed to reward the buyers that take the time to do research prior to setting up showing appointments. Please consult a tax professional for tax implications about the rebate.