Real estate changes in Novi Michigan

Here are is recent change to the way local Metro Detroit realtors are operating.  With the recent death of Arkansas realtor  Beverly Carter many Metro Detroit female realtors are taking a look at how they do business.   A female Realtor has many challenges that Michigan male realtors do not have.  To me it is no problem to go and meet anybody that calls me on the phone to see a home.

To a female realtor that can be very dangerous.  The suspect in Beverly Carter’s case picked her out because ”she was rich and worked alone“.   He had poised as a home buyer.  She took his call and went out to show him the home that he wanted to see.   Most realtors work alone so the suspect was right.  Where he was wrong is that realtor’s are rich.  Most realtors do not carry large sums of cash.  Our business is by check.  So the only cash we may have on us is our own personal cash.  

Did you know the median gross income of a realtor is $34,100.  It is worse for an agent that is in the business two years or less.  That amount is $8,900.  Everybody thinks a real estate agent gets all of the 6% of the real estate commission.  What they forget about is  that the realtor splits that 6% commission between the buyers agent and the sellers agent.  So that breaks it down to 3% each.  But that is before the real estate companies percentage.  If you are a low producing agent the real estate company takes have of that.  So a low earning realtor only gets 1 1/2 percent of that six percent.  Then they have to pay Uncle Sam the taxes owed.  Then all realtors are independent contractors.  So they pay for their phone, gas, and all their advertising costs.    So let’s dispel the notion that all real estate agents are rich.  The majority are just making end meet.

Let’s get back to what the changes are.  If you are calling a female realtor and want to go out to see a Novi home for sale they may require you to come to the office first.  They may ask for much more personal information to verify who you are and that you are not some psychopath.  It is a smart move for them to do.  I do not want to see any of our local realtors hurt.

We had a realtor in our office that was stalked and her family threatened.  The stalker had just seen her picture in a real estate magazine and started stalking her.  It was a scary few months for her until the stalker was caught and sent to jail.  So do not get upset when asked for more information.  We want our local ladies to be safe.