Rural Broker Dilemma
By Jim Palmer Jr.

 Have you had a hard time finding a broker who is willing to travel out to the country to help you look at rural property?  That can be very discouraging for buyers! Most brokers won’t commit to shuttling you around to look at raw land unless you’ve seen the ground first which means they will hand you a list and let you fend for yourself. That’s okay, but it poses some problems, such as when you are on a wild goose chase (out in the boonies) and come across an armed grizzled local who is tired of running people off  when they trespass.  The other truth to the matter is that most real estate brokers are directionally challenged and can’t read a map any better than the buyers they send out to beat the bush on their own.

When that happens, the listing broker often gets the call and feels obligated to show their own listing because they owe that duty to their client (the seller).  Savvy listing brokers can be downright blunt with looky-lou buyers in terms of the interrogation to determine if they are serious qualified buyers.

Here is a recent example that may explain why; A buyer calls the listing broker to make an appointment to view a remote property that is an hour and fifteen minutes from the broker’s office.  Broker drives to the property which is out of cell phone range for a good portion of the trip.  As broker gains elevation and pulls into the driveway of this remote cabin his phone buzzes, signaling that he has a new text message.  The text message is from the buyer who callously informs the broker that her husband had to work late and they won’t be meeting the broker there.  The broker grumbles and turns back toward his office and realizes that the flaky buyer has just wasted 3 hours out of his day that could have been used for scheduling more profitable activities.

So when you find that a broker is reluctant to commit to jump and run on your say-so, don’t be surprised.  Give them some assurance by checking in early and often, so they know their time will not be wasted.  Better yet, sign a Buyers Representation Agreement so they know they’ll get paid for their efforts.  They might fall out of their chair when you are the one who suggests that.