Taos Real Estate

I'm not picking on any one broker or brokerage, but I am expressing a complete dislike of the tactic of offering "bonuses" to brokers bringing a buyer for a property.  Typically, they offer a flat dollar amount for a bonus over the normal shared commission in the listing, and it's for a buyer produced before a certain date or for a full price contract.  There are other variations, but those are the most common.

I just received one of these offering a $10,000 bonus to the broker bringing the buyer for a home in my MLS.  Now, in fairness to the listing  broker, it could be at the insistence of the seller, but it's still a terrible tactic in my opinion.  Basically and logically, it's expecting a broker's behavior to change based on an offer to "sweeten the pot."  What else would you expect?  If they're offering that much money to me to produce a buyer, then they must be expecting some different behavior from me as a buyer broker.

Either or both, I'm supposed to push my buyer toward a certain property, or I'm supposed to get them to pay more than it may be worth, depending on the nature of the bonus offer.  Logically and ethically, if this property meets the criteria specified by my buyer, including price range, then I'm going to show it to them...period.  Offering me more money is soliciting me to take more affirmative action to get my client to buy THAT  property.  Sorry, but this is just plain unethical.  I can't think of any ethical reason for me to accept such a bonus.

So, if you're my buyer client in the Taos real estate market, be assured that I'm going to pass any such "bonuses" directly to you.  I never want one of my clients to look back and wonder if there was some ulterior motive in my advice.

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