Here is one that trips up plenty of brokers. Under North Carolina Real Estate Commission rules, oral buyer agency is still recognized. But Stephen Long, The Notorious BIC, reminds you that if you are a REALTOR member, that option is off the table. Two sets of standards apply, and the stricter one wins for REALTORS….
You will hear it in every sales business on earth: the fortune is in the follow-up. Stephen Long, The Notorious BIC, puts a simple question to every broker in this tip: how are you following up? Because the people in your database who want to buy, sell, or invest are usually not ready right now,…
Here is a question Stephen Long, The Notorious BIC, hears often: “The seller is not offering any compensation to a buyer’s agent, and my buyer does not want to pay me out of pocket. How do I handle that on paper?” The good news is that buyer agents need to get paid, and there is…
There is an age-old adage in real estate: list to last. Stephen Long, The Notorious BIC, explains that the saying is not just a catchy rhyme. There is real math behind it. If you want a business that lasts, listings are the engine that keeps it running. One Listing, Multiple Deals When you work with…
Are you a Pop-Tart agent? You know the type. The phone rings, someone wants to see a house, and just like a Pop-Tart out of the toaster, you pop right up and head out the door. Stephen Long, The Notorious BIC, gets it. Eagerness is a good thing. But in his experience, taking the time…
Want a 100 percent listing appointment conversion rate? Stephen Long, The Notorious BIC, has the secret, and it is shockingly simple: tell the seller exactly the price they want to hear. Done. Listing signed. Of course, there is a catch. That approach will get you the listing. It will not get you paid. Winning the…
If you are going to farm internet buyers, Stephen Long, The Notorious BIC, wants you to walk in with your eyes open. In his experience, it is roughly 100 to one: about one hundred internet leads before you find a single person who is ready to transact. Internet lead generation is a long-term game, and…
Plenty of brokers build their business plan around expired listings. Every morning they open the MLS, pull the listings that expired today, and race every other agent in town to the seller. Stephen Long, The Notorious BIC, says the real opportunity may be sitting further back on the shelf. Like a fine wine, seasoned expired…
What is in a name? According to Stephen Long, The Notorious BIC, the answer is simple: compliance. This tip is a reminder that North Carolina brokers should do business under the name as it is printed on their real estate license, even if everyone in town knows them by a nickname. Your License Name Is…
Picture it: your seller just finished a gorgeous renovation, and then the city calls to say it needs to come out. That is the nightmare Stephen Long, The Notorious BIC, warns about in this tip. The culprit is a common mix-up among brokers: confusing the general contractor threshold with the permit requirement. They are two…
One form to rule them all. Stephen Long wants brokers to understand that any buyer agent compensation offered in the listing agreement is just an incentive. Think of it like a carpet allowance. When it is time to go under contract, the compensation gets set in the offer or on a Form 220, and ultimately,…
Here is a little reminder that surprises a lot of folks: in a real estate transaction, it is typical for buyers to make offers to sellers, but a seller can make an offer to a buyer too. Stephen Long explains that both buyer and seller are parties to the contract, so either party can draft…
