Welcome to Broker on a Boat, because why not? Stephen Long took to the lake to talk about something a lot of agents have been buzzing about: Zillow Preview. It sounds like a shiny new marketing tool. But for Realtor members, it runs straight into a familiar obstacle, the Clear Cooperation Policy. What Zillow Preview…
It is the age-old adage in North Carolina real estate: one to buy, two to sell. Stephen Long builds on the previous day’s tip to explain what that really means for married couples, and why, in practice, it often looks more like two to buy and two to sell. One to Buy A married person…
Here is a question Stephen Long hears all the time: “I am selling a property for a client, but they were not married when they bought it, and now their name is different. Which name do I use?” The answer is straightforward. Always use the client’s current legal name. Then do a little extra homework…
Hopefully you like getting paid. Most brokers do. Stephen Long has a simple reminder for anyone who expects a commission check: you have to represent someone in the transaction. Represent the buyer, represent the seller, or represent both. The only exception is a referral fee. And here is the kicker: North Carolina does not have…
Stephen Long opened this tip with “do not do drugs.” Solid life advice, but this is a real estate blog, so let us get to the real lesson. The terms of any offer are confidential. They belong to the parties, and they cannot be shared with a third party without the offering buyer’s consent. And…
In case you missed it, Stephen Long has a quick reminder for North Carolina brokers: the new FinCEN rule is in place as of March 1. The good news? There is nothing you have to do for it. The better news? You will look very smart when your client asks about it and you already…
Your license may say North Carolina, but that does not make you an expert on every corner of the state. Stephen Long reminds brokers that when it comes to reasonable skill and care, the NC REC will look at your geographic competency. In other words, did you wander outside the area where you are comfortable…
Listing agents hear it constantly: measure the house. Do not rely on the tax card, do not rely on the blueprints, follow the NC REC residential square footage guidelines. But this tip from Stephen Long is aimed at the other side of the deal. Buyer agents, you are also responsible for the accuracy of the…
If Stephen Long had to boil his broker-in-charge wisdom down to three words, these might be the ones: document, document, document. Whether you are an agent or a consumer, it is up to you to create the paper trail. Phone calls are fast and convenient, but memories fade, details shift, and “I never said that”…
Ah, the dreaded HOA. Stephen Long calls the homeowners association the last unregulated part of the real estate industry, and anyone who has fought a fence approval knows exactly what he means. Within the confines of the law, an HOA can do pretty much whatever it wants. That is exactly why brokers need to handle…
Some tips are oldies but goodies, and this one never goes out of style. If you are the listing agent and your seller is married, you need both spouses on the listing agreement. Not one. Not “the one whose name is on the deed.” Both. Stephen Long, your Notorious BIC, says it plainly: if they…
In a multiple offer situation, everyone wants to win. Buyers and their agents often reach for an escalation clause, the promise to beat the highest competing offer by a set amount, up to a cap. It sounds like a clever tool. Stephen Long calls this one a doozy, because escalation clauses may not be the…
