MLS Agent Recommendations
 

We're coming down for a lifestyle visit. While I've talked to a couple of MLS agents, I'm not set with a specific MLS agent. Does anyone have any recommendations for a buyer's agent? I have a specific VLS agent showing me homes. Thanks

Hiring a buyer's agent is optional. I wouldn't pay an agent to help me buy a house. You may need an MLS agent who represents the seller to visit some houses.

You sure you don't mean Villages Sales Rep? There's a difference.

All Villages Sales reps are licensed real estate agents. It may have been different years ago, but not now.

I have a Village Sales Person to show me the Village new houses and their listings. I don't have a MLS agent to show me the MLS listings, that's why I'm asking about the agents for MLS.

Personally, I would ask the VLS agent to suggest an MLS agent. They don't have access to the same listings, but a good, experienced, and honest VLS agent should be able to suggest someone they know. Note that the MLS agent will want you to sign a buyer's agent agreement, but you are not required to sign one.

I agree. Ron Clark's wife, Karol Clark has got to be dependable, ethical and reliable just from interactions on Facebook.

Karen Kamperman worked hard for me. Would use her, again, in a heartbeat.

Visit a few open houses to look for an agent.

For buying MLS I conect with a service which gets some commission kicked back to them. They keep some and give some to me, about .6% of the sales price. It's illegal in some states for agents to kick back directly to the buyer but not to kick back to a firm. Nor is it illegal for a firm to pay me.

I expect negative comments from the peanut gallery on the forum but I have done it and it was all above board.

Who I like as a MLS, may not work for you. I have found open houses give a general feel for the person onsite. Those who spew, reason one should never buy new because of__________. Are off my list immediately. Pretty much every VLS knows MLS. Not all MLS know VLS, because they are 350 plus

First - welcome to The Villages! (in advance)

Here's what we did, maybe it'll be helpful to you. The MLS listings are available to the public by simply going to Zillow or Realtor.com online. You can use their map to select a few areas you'd like to look in, and then zoom in on those areas to pick a couple of houses you'd like to look at. Let your VLS agent know in advance about this, give them the list.

VLS agents #1 priority is to get you into The Villages. Period. Full stop. Their NEXT priority is to get you into a VLS-listed home. But if getting you into The Villages means you buy an MLS-listed property, then that's what they'll help you do.

They'll set you up with the agent who listed the MLS property, and arrange for a showing. The VLS agent MAY NOT show you the house. But they can help you set up the appointments, and even suggest a cluster of homes on the list to visit day 1, another cluster day 2, to get you as many homes on your list as they can.

Of COURSE they will try and show you some VLS homes. That's part of their job. But at least our agent was very accommodating when it came time for us to buy.

Ira Miller has a unique set of skills, as he worked for The Villages for years, then switched to the MLS side (over 20 years of combined experience), and he has a contractor's license, as well as a home inspector's license. He also has his own YouTube channel.

IM Realty - Your Central Florida Real Estate Experts

Yes
 

Why not just use Zillow? I wouldn’t pay someone to steer me towards their buddy’s listings.

Jim McCallum 414-690-7535 . He found us the home of our dreams, sold our old house & my parents house. 3 closings in one month!