You can pick your own agent.

First off, buyer contracts are absurd in my opinion. Especially if it is a "top dog"...what does he have to worry about? If you're good, most people will stick with you, with or without a contract!

He is right that most short sales do not result in a successful close, but he's wrong in not showing them to you. As long as you fully understand the process and the time that it entails, then go for it!

Good luck :-)

You hired him, you can fire him. All you need is a release of contract. You can also go with whoever he selects for you, if you trust him. By the way, Short Sales aren't taking that long any longer. Did one in 3 weeks up in Castro Valley Hills. Also, with Short Sales, unlike REOs, there's very little competition, so you can get a really good deal. If I were you I wouldn't stay away from Short Sales, especially if they are approved.

Why would you want to eliminate 1/3 of the available houses in the market by not looking at short sales?
As long as you understand the full picture with short sales, the opportunity as well as the risk, then find yourself an agent who will work with you. You are the client, by the way. And, short sales can & do close escrow. I just did one, with three more in escrow!
Congratulations on getting into the housing market. This is the best time I have ever seen!
Cheers,
Linda Baker
408.712.3432

I love these " top dog " realtors who can't be bothered to show you short sales. I am mainly a buyers agent who shows my buyers ALL properties that meet there price and criteria.
If your agent isn't servicing you correctly then get out of the contract and go with and agent that will give you FULL service.
There are quite a few good agents right at your finger tips here on trulia, just check out their profiles and a few of there answers, then interview the ones you feel will meet YOUR needs.
Don't settle for less this is one of the biggest investment you are going to make, do it with someone that will give you FULL SERVICE.

Regards,
Allyson
408-705-6578
allyson@homesbyallyson.com

Sweet pea, your REALTOR is bound by law and ethics to "follow your lawful instructions." If you instruct him/her to show you short sales, then they must. If they say no, dump 'em, and you owe them nothing further, unless you've agreed otherwise in your agency contract. He wants to refer you to someone who'll pay him a referral fee for your business, and that's fine, the way it works well, but you are not obligated to him past the agreement you have with him. Read your agency agreement with him and see what/if it says anything about referrals --probably doesn't.

Now, if he has worked with you long enough, has been kind, diligent and trustworthy enough, spent a substantial amount of time and gas working for you, that you'd like him to at least get a stipend (the referral fee) for the time he's spent with you, then do that. But if he hasn't served you well, and hasn't earned the referral, then find your own. If you want him to get the referral, but the first person he sent you to, you don't like, ask him to make another referral. you're the boss.

to repeat myself: You're the boss! Be benevolent, kind, and judicious in it, but you are the boss.

Dude, get a new agent! Your Top Dog sounds like a real woofer.

That really sucks!
BTW:
It's a contract. You can keep it or terminate it, and do what feels right.

If he refuses to show you what you want to see,
he is possibly in violation of the contract that you have with him (breach of contract).

See an Attorney.



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Best wishes to you,
Fred
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