Friday, August 19, 2022
Chuck Marunde, J.D., Broker/Owner 360-775-5424


iRealty Virtual Brokers


Broker/Consultant

Washington State

SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • Search MLS
    • Sequim MLS
    • Sequim MLS Map Search
    • Port Angeles MLS
    • Port Townsend MLS
    • San Juan Islands MLS
    • All Islands MLS
    • How to Search the Sequim MLS
  • Videos
    • Sequim Videos Q&A
    • Buyer Videos Part 1
    • Buyer Videos Part 2
    • Buyer Videos Part 3
    • Buyer Videos Part 4
    • Living in Sequim Video Channel
  • Books
    The Coming Real Estate Crash

    The Coming Real Estate Crash

    The Sequim Real Estate Trilogy

    The Sequim Real Estate Trilogy

    Sequim Real Estate Videos for Buyers: The Ultimate Video Guide for Sequim Washington

    Sequim Real Estate Videos for Buyers: The Ultimate Video Guide for Sequim Washington

    Escaping California to the San Juan Islands

    Escaping California to the San Juan Islands

    Get Healthy

    Get Healthy: Increase Natural Immunities, Cellular Energy, Deep Sleep & Decrease Blood Pressure

    Manage Your Energy

    Manage Your Energy Not Your Time

    Real Estate Brokerage From Bricks and Mortar to High Tech Virtuality

    Real Estate Brokerage From Bricks and Mortar to High Tech Virtuality

    7 Myths of Selling Your Home

    7 Myths of Selling Your Home

    Buying Your Retirement Home

    Buying Your Retirement Home

    The New World of Marketing for Real Estate Agents

    The New World of Marketing for Real Estate Agents

    Sequim Real Estate For Buyers: Free eBook Updates Forever

    Sequim Real Estate For Buyers: Free eBook Updates Forever

    24 Secrets of Buying a Country Home

    24 Secrets of Buying a Country Home

    Sequim Real Estate: A Buyer’s Guide

    Sequim Real Estate: A Buyer’s Guide

    Living Off The Grid iin Alaska

    Living Off The Grid in Alaska

    Buying and Selling Real Estate

    Buying and Selling Real Estate

    Trending Tags

      • Sequim Real Estate for Buyers (Free eBook Updates Forever)
      • Sequim Real Estate: A Buyer’s Guide (Paperback)
      • Escaping California to The San Juan Islands
      • Buying & Selling Real Estate in The Rain Shadow
      • Real Estate From Bricks & Mortar to High Tech Virtuality
      • The Seven Myths of Selling Your Home
      • Buying Your Retirement Home
      • The New World of Marketing for Real Estate Agents
    • Agents
      • Professional Buyer’s Agent
      • Flat Fee Listing Broker
    Tetralogy
    No Result
    View All Result
    • Login
    • Register
    • Home
    • Search MLS
      • Sequim MLS
      • Sequim MLS Map Search
      • Port Angeles MLS
      • Port Townsend MLS
      • San Juan Islands MLS
      • All Islands MLS
      • How to Search the Sequim MLS
    • Videos
      • Sequim Videos Q&A
      • Buyer Videos Part 1
      • Buyer Videos Part 2
      • Buyer Videos Part 3
      • Buyer Videos Part 4
      • Living in Sequim Video Channel
    • Books
      The Coming Real Estate Crash

      The Coming Real Estate Crash

      The Sequim Real Estate Trilogy

      The Sequim Real Estate Trilogy

      Sequim Real Estate Videos for Buyers: The Ultimate Video Guide for Sequim Washington

      Sequim Real Estate Videos for Buyers: The Ultimate Video Guide for Sequim Washington

      Escaping California to the San Juan Islands

      Escaping California to the San Juan Islands

      Get Healthy

      Get Healthy: Increase Natural Immunities, Cellular Energy, Deep Sleep & Decrease Blood Pressure

      Manage Your Energy

      Manage Your Energy Not Your Time

      Real Estate Brokerage From Bricks and Mortar to High Tech Virtuality

      Real Estate Brokerage From Bricks and Mortar to High Tech Virtuality

      7 Myths of Selling Your Home

      7 Myths of Selling Your Home

      Buying Your Retirement Home

      Buying Your Retirement Home

      The New World of Marketing for Real Estate Agents

      The New World of Marketing for Real Estate Agents

      Sequim Real Estate For Buyers: Free eBook Updates Forever

      Sequim Real Estate For Buyers: Free eBook Updates Forever

      24 Secrets of Buying a Country Home

      24 Secrets of Buying a Country Home

      Sequim Real Estate: A Buyer’s Guide

      Sequim Real Estate: A Buyer’s Guide

      Living Off The Grid iin Alaska

      Living Off The Grid in Alaska

      Buying and Selling Real Estate

      Buying and Selling Real Estate

      Trending Tags

        • Sequim Real Estate for Buyers (Free eBook Updates Forever)
        • Sequim Real Estate: A Buyer’s Guide (Paperback)
        • Escaping California to The San Juan Islands
        • Buying & Selling Real Estate in The Rain Shadow
        • Real Estate From Bricks & Mortar to High Tech Virtuality
        • The Seven Myths of Selling Your Home
        • Buying Your Retirement Home
        • The New World of Marketing for Real Estate Agents
      • Agents
        • Professional Buyer’s Agent
        • Flat Fee Listing Broker
      No Result
      View All Result
      iRealty Virtual Brokers
      No Result
      View All Result
      Home Buyer's Agent

      Real Estate Brokers Missing the Point

      Chuck Marunde by Chuck Marunde
      August 19, 2015
      Reading Time: 4 mins read
      0 0
      0

      Real estate brokers around the United States seem to be missing the point, at least from a client perspective. If you read the regular stream of articles published about how real estate brokers must change, and about the so-called “new brokerage models” that are supposed to give consumers better service or more choice, you’ll notice (if you have the discernment to see what is behind the curtains) that the emphasis is always on money, not the consumer’s best and ultimate interests. This subject may be a bit deep for most people just searching for a home online, but not for my readers. My readers are smart and sophisticated, and they like to know how things really work. If you read this blog, you know my personal passion is summed up in a little word called “truth”. Unfortunately in the real estate industry, many real estate brokers don’t understand how their own business model or corporate culture can play against consumers like you. As a result, they miss the entire point–serving your best interests, all the while claiming (and sincerely believing) they do put you first. It’s not necessarily the fault of real estate brokers you and I know–good people. They don’t always understand, because few of them have a background in business development, marketing and sales, real estate law, and customer service. They fall into the trap of believing the talking points of their brokerage. As a result, they miss the most important focus of all–how to best serve YOU as the client.

      Real Estate Brokers and Discounts

      Redfin is a example of good intentions gone awry. Redfin was created because real estate brokers thought by reducing real estate commissions to 1.5% on the listing side and 3% on the selling side (total 4.5%), and by offering buyers an additional refund of part of the commission, and by paying their agents salaries, they could give consumers like you something you really want. 

      Reducing fees always seems like a good idea to consumers, until you realize where the focus is NOT. The focus is NOT on attracting or hiring the most experienced professional real estate brokers in the business–it is about hiring real estate brokers who will work on small salaries. New and inexperienced real estate brokers may be attracted to a small salary with little room for career progression, but when you hire a listing agent to sell your home, do you really want that real estate broker? Of course not. You want the best who can most effectively market your property, who has the experience to negotiate the best price, and much more.

      Real Estate Brokers and Seller Beware

      There are many other discount real estate brokers out there, but many of the brokers who offer discounts do not have the highest level of experience to list at a realistic price, market effectively, negotiate the best price, and handle all the legal duties to protect clients. What does this mean? It can mean they charge a total of 4.5% to the seller, but it also means they may only get $345,000 for the seller instead of what they should have gotten, $375,000. The seller thinks he is saving money on the commission, but lack of professional experience on the part of real estate brokers can cost far more than the commission.

      If you’re a buyer, you might be thinking, “well I like the idea of paying less for a home,” but this is a double edged sword. Real estate brokers who work for discount houses or corporations who focus on building their brokerage rather than placing you at the center of the Universe have less experience, and they often list a home way too high, demand too much in unreasonable negotiations, and buyers can end up paying too much for a home. I saw this happen when a buyer from outside the area paid about $150,000 more for a home than its fair market value.

      None of these new real estate brokerages have taken off, because they do not attract the best in the profession, which means consumers are not best served. Traditional bricks-and-motor brokerages are in trouble, too, and many have closed their doors, merged, and consolidated during this recession. 

      They all have the wrong focus. They are focused on almost everything except YOU. A real estate brokerage built entirely around you would be dramatically different than any of the traditional or discount brokerages out there. It would be built from the ground up with your best interests at the center of the Universe. Every single aspect of the business. Now that would be a business that consumers like you could love, because there are no hidden agendas, no underlying profit motives that can play out against your best interests, no motive to get you to pay more for a home than it is worth, and all the technologies, software, and customer service would also be designed and used only if it helped with the goal of putting your best interests first in every way.

      Why is this such a passionate interest for me? Because I have been immersed in the real estate industry going back 37 years, and I am intensely focused on what is true, and filtering through all the hype and agendas that are contrary to serving clients without compromise. Ten years ago, I decided to build a real estate brokerage that puts your interests as a client first without compromise, and to do so with the highest standards, experience, and professionalism. This business model has been a smashing success, although a mystery to my colleagues in the real estate business.

      My brokerage is iRealty Virtual Brokers, also registered as Sequim and Port Angeles Real Estate. And I’m having the time of my life. So are my clients.

      Last Updated on August 19, 2015 by Chuck Marunde

      Tags: Real Estate Brokers
      ShareTweet
      Chuck Marunde

      Chuck Marunde

      Chuck grew up in remote Alaska, graduated from the University of Alaska with a degree in Economics and Teacher Certification, and after teaching high school for two years, went to law school at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. He served four years as a Captain and JAG in the USAF at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas. After practicing real estate law for 20 years in Washington, Chuck founded iRealty Virtual Brokers covering Sequim and the beautiful Olympic Peninsula. He is the author of 2,200 real estate articles and a dozen real estate books, and he produced over 100 real estate videos. Chuck combined his love for real estate and technology to create a massive Internet presence, and his articles and videos and books have been viewed by millions. Chuck is a well recognized real estate expert and his counsel is sought by other brokers and practicing attorneys around the country. Buyers from New York to Hawaii and from Florida to Alaska seek him out to retain him as their buyer's agent, and home owners around the State of Washington seek him out because of his new Flat Fee Listing Service. 

      Related Posts

      Chuck Marunde
      Buyer's Agent

      Chuck Marunde Shares Personal Note

      December 31, 2020
      6
      Buyers Agent
      Buyer's Agent

      How Does a Buyers Agent Work?

      September 9, 2020
      7
      Sequim Real Estate Market
      Buyer's Agent

      Sequim Real Estate Market

      August 23, 2020
      5
      Exclusive Buyer's Agent
      Buyer's Agent

      Exclusive Buyer’s Agent – The Most Experienced in the Northwest

      July 5, 2020
      2
      Sequim Buyers Agent
      Buyer's Agent

      How Can a Buyer Find a Home in Sequim?

      December 16, 2019
      3
      Buying Real Estate Now Before It’s Too Late
      Buyer's Agent

      Buying Real Estate Now Before It’s Too Late

      October 19, 2019
      4
      Next Post

      Dramatic Difference in Sequim Listings

      Moving to Sequim

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

      "I wish I read this before selling my
      home. I could have saved $50,000." Andy 

      Search 2,200 Articles by Category

      • Trending
      • Comments
      • Latest
      Buyer and Seller

      What if a Buyer and Seller Talk to Each Other?

      August 5, 2022
      10 Best Places to Retire

      Why is Sequim One Of The 10 Best Places To Retire?

      September 22, 2019
      Prorate Propane

      How to Prorate Propane at Closing

      August 15, 2015
      Terminate a real estate contract

      How to Terminate a Real Estate Contract

      December 31, 2020
      print newspapers

      Print Newspapers Losing Readers to the Internet

      42
      FNMA Killing Transactions by Requiring Private Road Maintenance Agreements

      FNMA Killing Transactions by Requiring Private Road Maintenance Agreements

      31
      Buyer and Seller

      What if a Buyer and Seller Talk to Each Other?

      28

      What Documents Does a Buyer Need to Buy Real Estate?

      24
      Best Sequim MLS

      Best Sequim MLS Site New Features

      August 18, 2022
      Listing Broker

      True Story: Caveat Emptor or Buyer Beware

      August 18, 2022
      NWMLS v OLS

      Why the NWMLS is Far Better Than the OLS for Sellers in the Sequim Market

      August 16, 2022
      Marunde-Books

      Marunde Books: I’m Having Far Too Much Fun Here

      August 15, 2022

      Subscribe to Chuck 
      Marunde's Newsletter

      Popular Stories

      • Buyer and Seller

        What if a Buyer and Seller Talk to Each Other?

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • Why is Sequim One Of The 10 Best Places To Retire?

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • How to Prorate Propane at Closing

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • How to Terminate a Real Estate Contract

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • The Sequim Blue Hole – A Map of Rainfall

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0

      Leaving Comments   I hope you’ll join our community and leave comments from time to time. Please realize that comments, if approved, will be public, so do not use any personal information you don’t want broadcast to the world, and definitely don’t leave a phone number. Comments are not the place to ask Chuck Marunde for help in finding a home. To do that, call or text Chuck.

      Neither Chuck Marunde nor iRealty Virtual Brokers offers legal advice on this site. Please Read Our Legal Disclaimer

      If you’d like to view how we protect your privacy, see our Privacy Policy.

      iRealty Virtual Brokers

      iRealty Virtual Brokers reaches out to buyers around the United States with thousands of online articles, MLS sites, apps, real estate books, videos, and much more specifically to help buyers find all the answers to their questions. We also now offer a flat fee commission listing service that saves sellers tens of thousands of dollars.

      iRealty Virtual Brokers
      125 Olympic Ranch Ln
      Sequim, Washington 98382
      360-775-5424

      Search the entire NWMLS in Washington State:

      Sequim-Homes.com

      The largest independent real estate blog in the State of Washington with over 2,200 articles totally focused on our client’s best interest, their needs and their curiosity. All free and 100% reliable. I’m here if you need me, 

      © 2006-2022 iRealty Virtual Brokers and Chuck Marunde

      No Result
      View All Result
      • Home
      • Search MLS
        • Sequim MLS
        • Sequim MLS Map Search
        • Port Angeles MLS
        • Port Townsend MLS
        • San Juan Islands MLS
        • All Islands MLS
        • How to Search the Sequim MLS
      • Videos
        • Sequim Videos Q&A
        • Buyer Videos Part 1
        • Buyer Videos Part 2
        • Buyer Videos Part 3
        • Buyer Videos Part 4
        • Living in Sequim Video Channel
      • Books
        • Sequim Real Estate for Buyers (Free eBook Updates Forever)
        • Sequim Real Estate: A Buyer’s Guide (Paperback)
        • Escaping California to The San Juan Islands
        • Buying & Selling Real Estate in The Rain Shadow
        • Real Estate From Bricks & Mortar to High Tech Virtuality
        • The Seven Myths of Selling Your Home
        • Buying Your Retirement Home
        • The New World of Marketing for Real Estate Agents
      • Agents
        • Professional Buyer’s Agent
        • Flat Fee Listing Broker
      • Login
      • Sign Up

      © 2006-2022 iRealty Virtual Brokers and Chuck Marunde

      Welcome Back!

      Login to your account below

      Forgotten Password? Sign Up

      Create New Account!

      Fill the forms bellow to register

      *By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
      All fields are required. Log In

      Retrieve your password

      Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

      Log In
      This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.