Have you ever received a letter in the mail from a real estate agency or agent letting you know that they have a buyer looking earnestly in your neighborhood, or maybe even specifically at your property, and you should call them right away?
While some of these may be authentic and the agent is honestly trying to find a property, the vast majority of these are an attempt to get you to list your house with them. It is a more direct way of accomplishing the same thing that a cash buyer "guarantee" does, or one of those handwritten "We Buy Houses" signs does. The goal is to get you to call to discuss selling your property.
We have used direct letters and even phone calls to owners in neighborhoods or streets to find properties that meet our buyers' needs, and it can be an effective way to help when the selection is low on available homes. Here is the difference - we aren't going to ask you to list your house with us. We are simply going to ask you for a specific time we can bring a buyer to see your house, and if agreeable, sign a form that you agree to compensate us for the work we do if the property closes with our specific buyer.
The truth is, when you are not listed for sale and a real estate agent contacts you saying they have a buyer, you ARE NOT required to list your property for it to be shown. Don't be tricked into this for any length of time.
If the agent has a Buyer or even multiple buyers, you can sign a compensation agreement for each buyer and only for those specific buyers. No need to sign a listing agreement.
Manipulation of a process is not a way to start a relationship. It is important that you always receive transparency and honesty when working with or even talking with a Licensed Realtor. In order for a real estate agent to be involved in any transaction, they must represent a party in the transaction. If you receive a letter that states "they have a buyer," then you should know that they represent the buyer and can sell any property of a willing property owner without representing that seller.
We feel it is important to share this information because there has been an increase in these types of letters going out in the market. We've had property owners share bad stories of receiving a letter and being told they have to sign a listing agreement for the agent to bring the buyer. They sign the agreement, then the buyer never shows (changed their mind, left town, etc) or a "Fake" buyer is brought through the house. Once the original intent of listing for that one buyer is exhausted, the owner is locked into a listing agreement! These stories should never have to be told!
To conclude, it is your property and your choice, and any real estate agent can show your house without it being listed, if you allow it, without a listing agreement ever being signed.
Hope this helps, but contact us anytime you have questions!