Look at exactly what the new law will do to your real estate in St George Utah!

New Real Estate Laws

CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — A recent class-action settlement by the National Association of Realtors in March brings to light some changes for both home buyers and sellers in the real estate market. Fortunately for buyers and sellers in Utah, most of the required changes are already being done by local realtors. Here are nine things you need to know about the settlement.

Promotional image courtesy of Washington County Board of Realtors, St. George News

Does the settlement force real estate agents to slash their commissions? 

No. The settlement has nothing to do with commission rates. There are no standard or fixed commission rates in the industry, a policy that has always been in place and will continue indefinitely.

Traditionally, when a house is sold, the listing agent (the seller’s agent) gets their negotiated fees from the sale’s proceeds. Out of this payment, they also cover the buyer’s agent’s fee.

This method of paying buyers’ agents started in the 1990s in response to consumer advocates to ensure that buyers, too, had representation in real estate transactions. Before the 1990s, the concept of “buyer beware” prevailed, leaving buyers without representation and vulnerable to exploitation. 

Does the settlement require sellers to no longer pay a commission to the buyer’s agent? 

No. According to the settlement, details about how much a buyer’s agent will be paid cannot be listed on the Multiple Listing Service. However, this doesn’t mean that sellers can’t compensate the buyer’s agent. They’re still allowed to do so outside of the MLS through other means like direct marketing, negotiations or discussions with real estate professionals.

Not being able to list commission details on the MLS doesn’t take away the importance of compensating the buyer’s agent. Offering a commission to the buyer’s agent can be crucial in making your property more affordable for many buyers who wish to have professional representation on one of the largest investments of their life.

Without a commission offer, if buyers must cover the cost of professional representation themselves – on top of their down payment and closing costs – the dream of homeownership could become unattainable for many.

Will buyers need to sign a formal agreement with their agent

Yes.Starting in July, pending court approval, home buyers will be required to sign a formal buyer-broker agreement prior to touring properties with a realtor. The agreement will clearly define the compensation that the buyer’s agent is to receive.

Utah realtors have been required by Utah law to use buyer-broker agreements for years, so this isn’t much of a change. Signing an agreement with a buyer’s agent, which includes compensation terms, formalizes the relationship, ensuring clarity on the services provided.

Will the settlement lower housing costs?

Promotional image courtesy of Washington County Board of Realtors, St. George News

No. If a real estate commission were lowered by 1%, would a $500,000 home automatically be worth $495,000? No. A seller would not reduce the sale price to $495,000 simply because the commission was lowered. The market value of the home is dictated by the real estate market itself.

Housing costs have soared over the past several years due to an underbuilding gap of more than 5.5 million housing units in the U.S. The housing shortfall has been exacerbated by an even larger decrease in the supply of entry-level single-family homes, or starter homes (1,400 square feet or less), according to Freddie Mac.

Until there is an all-of-government approach to a historic lack of inventory in communities across the country, the dream of homeownership will remain out of reach for millions of middle-class Americans.

Are commissions in real estate transactions fixed? 

No. Commissions have never been fixed and never will be. The range of a commission can vary significantly, spanning from as low as a flat fee of $300 for listing services to as high as 7%-8%, with numerous options in between. Real estate commissions will continue to be negotiable under the settlement terms.

Alternatively, homeowners have the option to sell their property independently at no cost. The current landscape offers an unparalleled level of consumer choice, with a multitude of diverse business models available.

It’s worth noting that consumers should not be compelled to pay for services they neither desire nor utilize. In the realm of real estate, homeowners have the freedom to decide whether to engage a real estate agent, just as they have the option to handle their taxes without hiring a CPA or fix a leaking faucet without calling a plumber. The power of choice remains firmly in the hands of consumers.

How does the MLS benefit consumers? 

UtahRealEstate.com, or the MLS, remains the preferred choice for most consumers primarily due to its unparalleled accuracy, extensive reach and overall superiority. UtahRealEstate.com is one of the largest MLS’s in the U.S., serving more than 8 million consumers each year.

Utilizing the MLS typically results in sellers finding qualified buyers in the shortest possible timeframe and maximizing their financial returns from the transaction. In the end, the consumer benefits significantly.

Why do 9 in 10 home sellers hire a realtor? 

The Wall Street Journal suggested that the real estate market is not a genuine free market, but a “rigged game” that pads the pockets of realtors at the expense of consumers. Critics argue that the role of a real estate agent is merely to fill out “paperwork.” Yet, 9 in 10 home sellers today hire a real estate agent to sell their home.

Why? Because the process of buying or selling a home often represents the most significant financial transaction in people’s lives. As the real estate landscape has grown increasingly complex and litigious, people rely on realtors to guide them through legal contracts, disclosure law, property security and negotiations.

Promotional image courtesy of Washington County Board of Realtors, St. George News

Do real estate agents make too much money? 

It is ironic that class-action attorneys, who stand to make 30% to 40% of any judgment or settlement, are accusing realtors of charging a 5% to 6% commission. Class-action attorneys will take hundreds of millions of dollars from their clients at the end of the day, leaving them with just a fraction of the winnings, sometimes just a few dollars. Remember, there are more than 500,000 plaintiffs in the Sitzer-Burnett lawsuit.

A report by TLR, a Texas-based organization that discourages non-meritorious lawsuits or outrageous claims for damages, examined eight years of consumer class actions in federal court and found that consumers received only a tiny fraction of the money awarded in cases while plaintiff lawyers frequently claimed a bigger share of the settlement than their clients.

While attorneys make millions, the median annual wage for real estate sales agents was $49,980 as of May 2022, according to the most recent statistics by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Will realtors continue to play a crucial role in real estate transactions? 

Yes. Realtors are experts of the real estate transaction – a process that, for most consumers, is rare and filled with complexities. For instance, agents advise clients on disclosure law, competitive bidding situations, earnest money deposits, property security and stipulated deadlines.

Some oversimplify the vital role of real estate agents, who engage in an intricate, regulated and state-licensed activity that demands ongoing education and training. Remember, realtors only get paid if the house sells.

15 thoughts on “Look at exactly what the new law will do to your real estate in St George Utah!

  1. Bobbyhaics

    Hello! Company Political Science a completely new scientific political system, which has never been seen before in the history of mankind. The document contains 10 pages of detailed description. You can buy this sex-free document for 950$, payment bitcoin. To obtain and pay for it, go to the proxy-tunneled self-hosted site, click Visit Site, register without using personal data, make payment and download the document. Thank you in advance.

    Self-hosted website: https://az1jgrh.localto.net/
    If pages don’t load – refresh.

    Reply
  2. Marioguesy

    Bitcoin (BTC) might just be the golden opportunity of our era, poised to skyrocket to $200,000 in the upcoming year or the one following. In the past year alone, BTC has witnessed a staggering 20-fold increase, while other cryptocurrencies have surged by an astounding 800 times! Consider this: a mere few years ago, Bitcoin was valued at just $2. Now is the time to seize this unparalleled chance in life.
    Join Binance, the world’s largest and most secure digital currency exchange, and unlock free rewards. Don’t let this pivotal moment slip through your fingers!
    Click the link below to enjoy a lifetime 10% discount on all your trades.
    https://swiy.co/LgSv

    Reply
  3. Marioguesy

    Bitcoin (BTC) might just be the golden opportunity of our era, poised to skyrocket to $200,000 in the upcoming year or the one following. In the past year alone, BTC has witnessed a staggering 20-fold increase, while other cryptocurrencies have surged by an astounding 800 times! Consider this: a mere few years ago, Bitcoin was valued at just $2. Now is the time to seize this unparalleled chance in life.
    Join Binance, the world’s largest and most secure digital currency exchange, and unlock free rewards. Don’t let this pivotal moment slip through your fingers!
    Click the link below to enjoy a lifetime 10% discount on all your trades.
    https://swiy.co/LgSv

    Reply
  4. Johnkdo

    You probably have established relations with a Latin lady, she is going to want to test you on the place you’re and with whom you might be for the time being. These tools are available on LatinFeels website, Latin Date Woman, and LatamDate relationship site, so you may verify them out without spending time searching for such websites. Although a face-to-face date is a natural development of relationship Latina ladies, do not rush it. It’s a legit on-line dating net site, the place you may develop a robust relationship and find your future wife. Beautiful, passionate, and vibrant; Latin ladies make superb companions for these in search of a fulfilling relationship. Considering the number of customers of Latin dating sites, try to make your account stand out. With their clean brown pores and skin, darkish hair, and striking options, they definitely stand out from the gang. With the assistance of built-in messaging options, you can safely talk with gorgeous mail order girlfriend and make their hearts go pitter-patter with ease.

    1 travel assets so you may visit Central America and love your world. That’s the best number amongst all Latin American international locations, other than Mexico (technically situated in North America). Truth be advised, Latin women are very large in bed. But are those qualities actually unique to Latin brides and might you find the identical qualities in American women? When it comes to relationships, Latin ladies could be a bit complicated. We are able to assure that you will discover a whole lot of gorgeous and good Latin ladies matching your preferences and wishes! There are 10 million extra women than males in Latin America. So if you like what you’ve realized about Latina ladies courting from this put up, we encourage you to take the first steps toward discovering your soulmate in South America. South American women tend to marry older men. You might have a selection of over a dozen South American countries and a few extra within the Caribbean to fulfill Latin women. The great information is that traveling actually far earlier than you are in a position to meet one of them is now not wanted.

    All you must do is to register on one of such Latin dating platforms. However, earlier than delving into the world of Latin women, it’s vital to understand what to count on and the way finest to method the whole thing. 4. What are the very best Latin international locations for dating? We’ve got provided you with three most reputable and efficient Latin matchmaking websites: LatinFeels, Latin Woman Date, and LatamDate. What we do care about is if you’re willing to be taught or simply go to the dance flooring and have a superb time. You’ll be able to expect to know all of the juiciest gossip in city from them, so attempt to pay attention and show them you care. While you join our platform, you fill out a Compatibility Quiz that helps us get to know extra about you and populate your dating profile with useful information about you. This video offers so much information on the right way to strategy a lady who doesn’t understand the language you converse. Whenever she calls them, they’ll expect you to speak to them as properly, and this implies having to be taught her language.

    Whether she’s ready to talk about certain issues about her or simply needs more time. The most effective you can do is let her speak. As cliché as it may sound, attending to know her is possibly one of the best ways to maintain the relationship alive. It may result in discovering attention-grabbing new elements that could doubtlessly improve your relationship in unexpected ways. So, if you discover an internet site that has a support staff, you may understand that this platform values and respects its prospects. So, do not be afraid and talk with a wide choice of fantastic Latin brides! So, remember to make use of those filters if you’re searching for a sure type of a Latin girl. How Can I Gain Insight into the Expectations of Latin Women Relating to Dating? They usually have a free registration process latamdate scam and may will let you look by the catalogs with brides. Most of the time, a good and correct webpage does not have commercials and pop-ups that may also bring confusion to the client. Latin girls have the peculiarity of loving all the pieces and everybody. Just sing up and create an account, when you dream of meeting and sizzling loyal Latin ladies.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Marioguesy Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *