[mscocco]

Villages agents are sellers agents regardless if they're you, the buyers agent. That means their fiduciary responsibility is to the home seller...not you. That means they want to get the highest price for the home and aren't representing your best interest in trying to negotiate a lower sales price. Disclosures and true comp sales values can always be sticky in this relationship but most agents are pretty straightforward - it's the few bad ones that you have to watch for. If you want to buy a Villages listed resale or new home, this is just what you have to be willing to accept but be knowledgeable going in.

If you work through an MLS agent, ask them if they are a sellers agent when representing you or at worst case, a disclosed dual agent.

It's just good practice to know who's interest the agent is working for when you'll be looking to them for advice....good luck!

[j&b1216]

msocco
yes when we first were 'looking around' with a Villages agent, we were taken back when we were told they work for the home seller not the buyer even though we were looking at houses with the specific agent. Getting used to 'how things are done'. Still can't stand waiting to move there. Another open house at our current place this weekend. Anxious to repeat dancing around the town square listening to Scooter the DJ (our first experience of the nightly music in the squares)

We used a Villages realtor and were extremely pleased. We bought and closed from up north and she took care of EVERYTHING. It could not have gone more smoothly.

[Fraugoofy]

Originally Posted by j&b1216

We have decided to move to the Villages, it is not question of should we but a question of when. The only thing stopping us is selling our home first.
Our question is what are the pros and cons of using a Villages sales person vs an MLS sales person. We know about the houses each one can show us. What we want to know is after the sale. Are there hidden issues to be aware of if you use one vs the other i.e. warranties, information, or whatever. Thanks....Can't wait to get there!!

We purchased our first villa with a Villages realtor from Wisconsin long distance without a hitch. GREAT transaction. We purchased our second villa exactly a year later with a for sale by owner, also again as a long distance transaction. Although we ended up with two beautiful homes, I would highly recommend purchasing through The Villages. We were walked through the process step by step. Everything was explained to us. The second time, not so much. I can not speak to outside The Villages realtors, as I have no experience with that.

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[Waverunner]

Our Villages salesperson was great. He has been with TV for over ten years and was very knowledgeable answering our million questions, etc.

In addition to spending a lot of time showing us new and pre-owned homes, he also recommended a site to put our new house on the market for rental (rented in one week, before we were ready to move in ourselves), gave us lots of advice on rentals too, took pictures for us, got us access to measure windows for blinds ahead of closing, and later recommended a moving company to unpack us when we arrived. He took care of all the paperwork and arranged to have us talk to TV/Citizens about a mortgage. He was there at the closing and walk through to make certain things went smoothly. He holds a customer appreciation party every year and we have listened to the other customers who have shared their great experience stories with us. (No wonder the largest room in the rec center is always full!)

I have no experience with realtors outside The Villages, but I wouldn't hesitate to use the same Villages salesperson again...except I love my house and I am not moving!!!

[Spikearoni]

[QUOTE=Villager Joyce;1463563]I agree. You need both. If I remember correctly, MLS can’t do new homes and Villager agents can’t sell preowned.

As to after the fact, I would say it’s the same as after you buy a new or used car. The salesperson won’t recognize you the next day. You need to be smart and get title insurance, a survey, termite inspection, and home inspection. If you aren’t from Florida, hire a real estate attorney. Things are different from state to state. Verbal agreements mean nothing. Get everything in writing.

It is good advice to hire an independent real estate attorney who is not associated with TV for many reasons. However the Villager sales
reps, may show preowned homes as well as new ones, whereas true real estate agents from outside TV, may not show new ones from what I was told.

[Mrs. Robinson]

Originally Posted by Fraugoofy

We purchased our first villa with a Villages realtor from Wisconsin long distance without a hitch. Great transaction. We purchased our second villa exactly a year later with a for sale by owner, also again as a long distance transaction. Although we ended up with two beautiful homes, I would highly recommend purchasing through The Villages. We were walked through the process step by step. Everything was explained to us. The second time, not so much. I can not speak to outside The Villages realtors, as I have no experience with that.

Originally Posted by mscocco

Villages agents are sellers agents regardless if they're you, the buyers agent. That means their fiduciary responsibility is to the home seller...not you. That means they want to get the highest price for the home and aren't representing your best interest in trying to negotiate a lower sales price. Disclosures and true comp sales values can always be sticky in this relationship but most agents are pretty straightforward - it's the few bad ones that you have to watch for. If you want to buy a Villages listed resale or new home, this is just what you have to be willing to accept but be knowledgeable going in.

If you work through an MLS agent, ask them if they are a sellers agent when representing you or at worst case, a disclosed dual agent.

It's just good practice to know who's interest the agent is working for when you'll be looking to them for advice....good luck!

Originally Posted by fw102807

We used a Villages realtor and were extremely pleased. We bought and closed from up north and she took care of everyhing. It could not have gone more smoothly.

I cannot impress upon the unknowing public enough, that Villages' agents are not Realtors!
They are simply licensed agents -- period!
They do not have to abide by any Code of Ethics, as do Realtors who are required to belong to their local board or association and the National Assn. of Realtors, as well.
I have said it many times . . . there is a difference!

Realtors are MLS agents; Village agents are not.
Realtor.com is an interntional site which anyone can view.
However, only Realtors' listings will appear on Realtor.com and the site is automtically updated within seconds whenever a change is made through the MLS; the information is current.

Also, you will not find many, if any, Realtors who work as a dual agent in today's world.
Most Realtors today work as Transaction Brokers which means that have to be fair in dealing with both buyer and seller and divulge all pertinent facts to the perspecive buyer and vice-versa.
It is incorrect to think that Transaction Brokers work for the seller; they do not.

If a buyer is seeking a newly built property, by all means speak to a Villages' agent because you have no choice. However, in seeking out a resale, personally, I recommend seeking the help of a Realtor/MLS agent who is not working on behalf of the seller/developer. They are very knowledgeable, most of them live in The Villages and they are required to abide by their Code of Ethics.

I do recommend that you, the OP, read all four pages of a previous thread, "TV Sales vs Outside Realtor" which you will find informative.
You can find that thread by using the "Search" function at the top of every page.

Good luck in whatever you do and best wishes when you finally get in your new home!

[zmarkp]

The agent is just a middleman. Study both mls and vls listings first. Then schedule 3 homes a day to see. Any more will fry your brain. Take good notes and pix. Nothing beats boots on the ground and after a while you will get a good feel for things. Most successful agents are fairly competent but none are your best friends. It is a different story when you are selling but that's another thread. Good luck!

Realtor or not, we used a Villages "agent" and there was no way the transaction could have gone more smoothly. She took care of everything and we only had to sign the papers and send them back. She sent us photos, measurements, let our friend in the Villages in to see the house, answered all of our questions and took care of the home inspection and sent us the results. The Villages "agents" work for The Villages and want a positive result.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by fw102807

Realtor or not, we used a Villages "agent" and there was no way the transaction could have gone more smoothly. She took care of everything and we only had to sign the papers and send them back. She sent us photos, measurements, let our friend in the Villages in to see the house, answered all of our questions and took care of the home inspection and sent us the results. The Villages "agents" work for The Villages and want a positive result.

Being a licensed realtor doesn't make a person moral.
Being a Villages agent doesn't make a person immoral.

The Villages use their own agents because they have found it to be the best way for them to represent themselves and to control the representation,IMHO. I am a huge fan of Jim McLaughlin, the agent who guided us through the sale of two new homes here, but showed us used ones too.

I am a huge fan of how The Villages do business, requiring a big down payment and not using FHA or VA financing for new homes. You can read into that what you want.

Originally Posted by graciegirl

but showed us used ones too.

first time I have heard them referred to as used

[Henryk]

Originally Posted by fw102807

We used a Villages realtor and were extremely pleased. We bought and closed from up north and she took care of EVERYTHING. It could not have gone more smoothly.

I have to agree. Robert's cousin moved before we did, and we used the same realtor. A flawless, stress-free closing. The most work we did was show up for our picture IDs and mailbox keys!

[Mrs. Robinson]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Being a licensed realtor doesn't make a person moral.
Being a Villages agent doesn't make a person immoral.


The Villages use their own agents because they have found it to be the best way for them to represent themselves and to control the representation,IMHO. I am a huge fan of Jim McLaughlin, the agent who guided us through the sale of two new homes here, but showed us used ones too.

I am a huge fan of how The Villages do business, requiring a big down payment and not using FHA or VA financing for new homes. You can read into that what you want.

You are correct.
Being a Villages' agent doesn't make a person moral.
It works both ways.

Let's call a spade a spade . . .
The Villages uses their own agents because that is the way they make the most money.
I'll say it again for the millionth time; they are greedy and are not providing the best service for the person who is selling their home.
There is no argument you can give, to support otherwise; it's the seller who is paying the consequences for the Villages not cooperating with other agents and Realtors.

You favoring how the Villages does business is not representative of giving full service to the client -- the hand that actually fed the developer initially.
That's a real slap in the face!

In addition, to not give a veteran the opportunity to get a VA loan to purchase a home here is downright un-American!

Originally Posted by Mrs. Robinson

You are correct.
Being a Villages' agent doesn't make a person moral.
It works both ways.

Let's call a spade a spade . . .
The Villages uses their own agents because that is the way they make the most money.
I'll say it again for the millionth time; they are greedy and are not providing the best service for the person who is selling their home.
There is no argument you can give, to support otherwise; it's the seller who is paying the consequences for the Villages not cooperating with other agents and Realtors.

You favoring how the Villages does business is not representative of giving full service to the client -- the hand that actually fed the developer initially.
That's a real slap in the face!

In addition, to not give a veteran the opportunity to get a VA loan to purchase a home here is downright un-American!

I am very sorry that you feel this way but there are many of us who do not view the developers as greedy and are very happy with what they have provided. People are free to use The Villages agents or MLS realtors unless they want new construction. Anyone who is not happy with these choices simply needs to look elsewhere.

[vintageogauge]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Robinson

You are correct.
Being a Villages' agent doesn't make a person moral.
It works both ways.

Let's call a spade a spade . . .
The Villages uses their own agents because that is the way they make the most money.
I'll say it again for the millionth time; they are greedy and are not providing the best service for the person who is selling their home.
There is no argument you can give, to support otherwise; it's the seller who is paying the consequences for the Villages not cooperating with other agents and Realtors.

You favoring how the Villages does business is not representative of giving full service to the client -- the hand that actually fed the developer initially.
That's a real slap in the face!

In addition, to not give a veteran the opportunity to get a VA loan to purchase a home here is downright un-American!

If a buyer does not use both they are only hurting themselves. It's not a big deal to look at homes on the MLS one day and a Villages Real Estate representative the next day. It's not going to change so you might as well be happy with it and if not you won't see all of the homes available. In our case, Beth Pope our Villages rep. showed us re-sales that fit our criteria as well as new homes as we were not sure what we wanted. The MLS agent we chose found only one home that he said met our criteria, I left word with him that we would like to see the home, waited two days and he never replied. This MLS agent may not be representative of all MLS agents but in our case there was no comparison between the two, TV won hands down, Beth found us exactly what we were looking for and we are very pleased with it and the transaction itself.