The Homebuyer Centre is running an open evening for estate agents interested in exploring the opportunity to represent their buyers as well as sellers.
It is in Windsor on Thursday, July 7, and is free to attend.
Hosted by MD Tim Hammond and estate agency trainer Richard Rawlings, the presentation will explain how to add a new revenue stream to your existing estate agency revenues.
Hammond, who is also CEO of the Association of Property Finders and Buyers Agents (APFBA), claimed: “Buyer agency has now become big business with dozens of new entrants to the market every month.
“However, the vast majority of relocation agents, whilst operating a profitable business, simply don’t have the intensive local knowledge or access to the high numbers of buyers that estate agents do.
“So we decided to find a way of helping estate agents offer the service themselves – with no conflict of interest and an effective business model that also delivers additional regular instructions to the agency.”
Rawlings said: “Every agent should be able to offer buyer representation as most currently only sell to about 4% of their applicants. Yet all the skill sets required to represent buyers are already in place. This is a no-brainer.”
The Homebuyer Centre has already licensed 65 agency offices around the UK and is seeking to recruit further partner agents in London and the South-East who will be granted exclusive territory in their respective location.
You can reserve your free place at the seminar at https://hbcwindsor.eventbrite.com/?ref=ecal
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Comments
On 24th Jan 11 Marke Rowe said:
Hi,
We were one of the first to sign up with The Homebuyer Centre and just to clear up a misconception that I'm sure everyone will be asking;
There is no conflict of interest and without going in to to much detail, whoever instruct you first i.e the buyer or the seller is then "your client".
So, if the seller has instructed you to sell their property then you must inform the potential Homebuyer Centre client that you are instructed to that client first therefore you cannot collect two fees.
I must also say that the support from Richard and Tim has been outstanding. It would be great to expand the buyer network across the country and the "buy in" isn't as much as you think, especially when you measure the amount of support and guidance that they provide.
As you can see above, I like the idea and have bought into it, there are some other advantages that I could see in the service also, so if anyone wants to email me from an Agent point of view, please feel free!
mark@rowepropertyservices.co.uk or mrowe@thehomebuyercentre.biz
Did anyone ever go back to him to see if it worked out ok?
Just read that thread again, it was better the second time round. Who was the high profile partners that signed in the end. Anyone know?
Must try it when the next offer comes in.
I remember that one, It was a good read
James: This 'story' has roots which goes back some seven months or so. The last time it was aired, it attracted some 130-odd posts (including a fair sgare from yours truly...); Richard Rawlings got all hot and bothered and did neither the subject company nor his own reputation any favours, and Tim Hammond tried valiantly NOT to tell anyone who questioned the concept to go **** themselves!
You can see the original stroy here:
http://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/news_features/Estate-agents-to-launch-as-buyers-representatives
(you will also see that I eventualy pretty much found Mr Hammond's boiling point... ;o) )
James,
As far as I am aware, if the 'buyer' purchases a property already listed with the agent, there is no fee payable by them. They are simply buying a property through the agent in the 'normal' way. Therefore no conflict of interest.
The suggested attraction is that potential vendors know that there are highly motivated buyers on the agents database..
Please note I am yet to establish if I am interested in taking this further, so I am not involved with the organisation.
Could someone please explain how there is no conflict of interest when the agent is paid a proportion of the reduction they get for the buyer, by the buyer?
And indeed how the agent is supposed to attract lisitngs from new sellers when they fully declare that they are being paid by buyers to get the sellers house on the cheap?