VLS Agents: Does it matter?
 

I know many of us have had experiences with VLS agent, be-it excellent, good, average, or bad.

My question is: Does it matter who your agent is?

I don't mean their personal attention and service. I mean do some agents get better access to information or potential sales access (first call or "dibs") for their clients based on either their seniority, size of their team (some are families working together), or their sales history of bringing dollars to The Villages? Are they all on even footing as far as inside information and access to serve their clients? First-hand insight preferred, please.

:popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:

They all get the information at the same time. Now an agent can decide when and if they tell you the information.

I was happy with the one experience we had with a VLS agent. We wound up deciding on a home via MLS, but it it was the home not the agent that determined it.
I don't love the fact that they don't share their commission with a buyer's agent, so you either have to trust them not to screw you, or you have to pay your own agent out of your own pocket. Having said that, I have never heard anyone complain about the net result of using a VLS agent.

bad bad n and real bad stay a way go mls

I'm not asking about VLS vs MLS. I'm asking if there are any real differences in advantages between VLS agents. Do some get better, more, or faster information or get other internal advantages due to their seniority or team size or gross sales numbers? Are ALL the VLS agents on equal footing or are some "more" equal than others?

Experience in VLS and the TV area in general is a must. Plus you want someone who is in your age bracket helping you. We dumped the 20ish year old person who didn't understand and picked someone closer to our age.

Just my two pennies worth.

How exactly might they screw you?

It sounds like you may be confused about the process or VLS? I have it on fairly good authority, that both the Listing and Selling representative get paid on VLS sales (like any real estate office would do). I'm not exactly sure what you mean by a "Buyer's Agent"? In order to receive a "Commission" in Florida, you must be a Licensed Broker (unless your selling for a Developer, from their own portfolio, like new homes in TV). Where does a "Buyer's Agent" get into the equation?

If VLS is like any other Multiple Listing service in the USA, the answer is "yes" unofficially and "no" officially.

A Listing Broker will always know what properties they have coming online and a good one, will let his/her friends know about it, before it hits the wire.

"Officially", it's bad business practice and contrary to good employee relations to do such a thing ... not that it doesn't happen between friends.

We changed VLS agents three times based on their ability to understand our needs. Our decision was also based on the number of home sites they procured in any offering. Three of us received the lots we wanted with them in a handful of lots. This was their typical pattern. They all have access to the same information, however, some have better approaches in place.

VLS agent
 

I think that it matters very much which VLS agent you choose. Agents like Frank and Judi DiPietro have brokered a LOT of sales here and have a very large, very loyal following that will contact them directly with a new listing.
There is an old expression that goes (loosely) : "20% of the agents are hard workers that produce 80 % of the sales." This might apply to Frank and Judi.

We bought 6 months ago. When all said and done we had 3 different VLS realtors. First one who we really liked unexpectedly retired , second guy was awful so we requested another , third guy was great and is who we bought our new home with ……

MLS splits commissions between the buyer’s agent and sellers agent unless you just used the sellers agent for the transaction.

"Shares", not necessarily "splits". I've been in 100's of transactions, less than 70% were a "split".

No, I'm with a "top" agent (wins annual awards, cars, etc) and have lost out on 9 "lotteries" the past few months. There is no preference.