Real estate agents have a duty of care towards the clients they deal with in a property transaction. In most transactions, our first responsibility is to the home seller who will usually be paying the costs involved in the sale, but this role can reverse if an agent is acting on behalf of a home buyer. In these circumstances, the agent has a duty to disclose his contractual position to both parties. Irrespective of where our primary responsibility falls, we have an obligation of disclosure, and a responsibility to ensure that all parties to the transaction are treated fairly and equitably.
The relationship between agent and client is known as a ‘fiduciary relationship’. A fiduciary duty is the highest standard of care in equity or law.” As a company, Tommy’s has its own minimum standards of client care but in simple terms, it’s merely a case of treating people how we would expect to be treated if our roles were reversed and we were the clients. Client care, in our opinion, embraces the following important issues:
MINIMISING STRESS
Tommy’s salespeople will do all things possible to offer a stress-free service which will include giving homeowners as much prior notice as possible of impending buyer inspections. We will respect your home and its contents as though it were our own property and will observe any security requirements. We also give an absolute undertaking that we will offer advice on whether to accept, reject or counter any offers received without undue pressure to conclude a sale at any given time.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Conversations between a homeowner and Tommy’s agent will always be in total confidence with a clear understanding between parties as to what information can and should be divulged to prospective purchasers. This, of course, must be tempered by the legal obligations of both parties to divulge any adverse features of a property that may influence a buying decision. We believe the reason for selling is confidential information and if divulged to a purchaser may prejudice the homeowner’s negotiating position.
NO BROKEN PROMISES
Having agreed on a marketing plan, Tommy’s undertake to promote your property with top-class photography, professional flyers and via selected websites and advertising media to give the best possible media mix. Open homes will be conducted by arrangement and will be professionally managed. We will undertake to maximise the selling potential of your property to the best of our ability.
TOTAL TRUST AND HONESTY
Any business partnership requires total trust and honesty; a partnership between a homeowner and Tommy’s agent is no exception. This involves the parties having a united understanding of the targeted sale price, regular communication and a full disclosure of buyer comments, whether they are good or bad.
BEST PRICE POSSIBLE
This is the objective of both homeowners and your appointed Tommy’s agent. We will discuss the various methods of sale and identify a selling method that we jointly agree is likely to achieve the best financial return possible. As stated above an agent’s first responsibility, in most transactions, is to their vendor client but this does not negate their responsibility to home buyers. Confidentiality, trust, honesty and minimising stress are equally as important in our dealings with potential buyers. Special care is taken in keeping offers confidential, particularly where there is more than one potential buyer for a property. Tommy’s has a system that ensures that where there are multiple offers on a property, this will be disclosed to all buyers thereby offering an equal opportunity to all concerned. In these instances, to ensure fairness to all potential buyers, negotiations are dealt with by an independent agent.
With established practices and policies of client care, there is no compromising on honesty, integrity and full disclosure at Tommy’s. These policies are the ‘Tommy’s Philosophy’, and they have worked for us and our home buying and selling clients; they have been the catalyst for a steady increase in market share over the years. We invite you to call us when buying or selling next and experience the ‘Tommy’s way’ of doing business.