Your seller is under contract, but the buyer has gone quiet. Maybe they are dragging the deal out past due diligence with no real intent to close. Maybe they have vanished completely. Either way, your seller is stuck in a holding pattern. In this BIC TIP, Stephen Long explains an option many brokers overlook: if…
Every broker eventually meets the client who wants something they cannot have. In this BIC TIP, Stephen Long addresses a specific and serious version of that: a seller who wants you to withhold a material fact and gives you an ultimatum. Hide it, or you are fired. Stephen’s answer is refreshingly simple: go with getting…
Imagine this. You are a buyer nearing closing day on your dream home. On the way to the bank to wire your funds, your phone rings. The voice sounds exactly like your closing attorney. The wiring instructions you received were wrong, they say, so use this new information, and do it today so you close…
What exactly is probate, and when does it matter to a real estate broker? In this BIC TIP, Stephen Long gives a quick overview. If you list estate property, understanding probate is the difference between a smooth closing and a seller in breach of contract at the closing table. Probate in Plain English When someone…
Today is the day. Most North Carolina brokers know it, but every year some find out the hard way. In this BIC TIP, Stephen Long reminds brokers that June 10 is one of the most important deadlines in their career, because it is the continuing education deadline. Eight Hours, Two Parts Every year, North Carolina…
How long do you actually have? In this BIC TIP, Stephen Long explains two rules every North Carolina broker needs to know cold: the record retention rule and the delivery of instruments rule. The easy way to remember both? Three is the magic number. Keep It for Three Years Under the record retention rule, brokers…
The forms, they are a-changing. In this BIC TIP, Stephen Long gives North Carolina brokers a quick heads-up on upcoming forms changes. The most notable updates affect two documents you use constantly: the listing agreement and the Offer to Purchase and Contract. If compensation language has been giving you headaches, help may be on the…
Yes, the lender prepares figures. Yes, the attorney prepares the statement. Everyone has eyes on it. In this BIC TIP, Stephen Long reminds brokers that none of that lets you off the hook. As a real estate professional, you are expected to review the closing statement and make sure the math adds up. Many Eyes…
Do you measure up? In real estate, at least? In this BIC TIP, Stephen Long takes on square footage, one of the most common sources of trouble for listing and buyer agents alike. His message is clear: the tax card is not an accurate source, builder blueprints are not an accurate source, and brokers should…
Email and text like your messages might one day be read in a court of law, because they could be. In this BIC TIP, Stephen Long shares a habit he teaches every agent: whenever you have an important conversation with a client by phone or in person, follow it up in writing. A text or…
Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them. That old teaching rule is the spirit behind this BIC TIP. Stephen Long shines a light on the Realtor Professional Services Disclosure form. It is not a form the Real Estate Commission requires, but if you are…
Can a buyer bring an inspector to a house before there is a contract? In this BIC TIP, inspired by a thought from Stephen Long’s good friend Dean Sitton, the answer is yes, it can be done. The key ingredient is seller permission, and the safest version is a non-invasive inspection. Due Diligence Lives in…
