Welcome to 1% Broker!
We represent buyers like you and rebate up to 1.5% of the sales price from our commission. This means if you purchase a home for $1,000,000, your rebate is likely to be $10,000 or $15,000, depending on the service option you select. (See minimum commission.)
1% Rebate Option (Default)
Our most popular selection, we rebate 1% of the sales price to you and enable you to search for homes online. We handle everything, like a traditional Realtor, except we ask you to attend open houses on your own when possible. If you can’t, we are happy to make appointments for you to visit them.
1.5% Rebate Option – Start Offer
We rebate 1.5% of the sales price to you. This limited support option is for developers and very experienced buyers who do not need many of the services listed below. Buyers will not receive the consultation or guidance provided with the 1% Rebate and this option is therefore not recommended for first time home buyers.
Our Services
1% Rebate
1.5% Rebate
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Rebate
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We rebate 1 – 1.5% of the sales price to your closing costs or as a reduction to the purchase price. This means if you purchase a home for $1,000,000, your rebate would be: 1% Rebate Option – $10,000 Sellers agree to pay a fixed commission, usually 2.5%, to a buyer’s agent when their property is listed on the MLS. Unfortunately, if the commission is lower than that, it will reduce your rebate accordingly. Please see our minimum commissions below. |
Customized MLS Search
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Every home listed for sale by a Realtor is on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). We will enable you to:
Real estate sites like Zillow and Trulia often have inaccurate and delayed information. Our MLS Portal lets you to do your own searches with the same real time data Realtors use. |
Property Updates via Email
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Whenever a new listing comes on the market that matches your criteria, you will receive an email with photos, a description and other information. If there is an alteration to a listing, such as a price reduction or a change to its status (active, pending, sold, back on market), you will be updated within 4 hours. Our goal is for you to have the most up-to-date information possible. |
Realtor Open House Notifications
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Many Realtors hold an open house shortly after listing a home for sale. Weekday Open Houses: The “Realtor caravan” occurs on a weekday, generally between 11 – 2 PM and the days vary by area. We are one of few brokerages that provide this open house information to our clients. Weekend Open Houses: TheMLS.com is a the best way to learn about upcoming open houses in Los Angeles County. Homefinder is a useful site to search for weekend open houses both in and outside of the Greater Los Angeles area. NOTE: Nearly all open houses are public and buyers are welcome. It is important to be aware of a principle called “procuring cause,” which may allow a Realtor you speak with to later claim that they are entitled to a commission for telling you about a property that you eventually purchase. To protect your rebate and ensure that we can represent you on a home purchase, it is helpful if you can advise other Realtors that you are already working with a broker. This early disclosure eliminates any future issues. |
Smartphone MLS Search
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Search the MLS right from your phone!Download our free HomeSnap app now! Simple. Easy. Free. |
Offer Preparation
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We use standard California Association of Realtors (CAR) forms to prepare your offer and will email it for your review, changes and electronic signature. We ask that you provide the following:
Once completed, we will compile the entire offer package and submit it via email to the listing agent. |
Escrow Management
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Once your offer is accepted, you are “in escrow” and we will send you an Escrow Roadmap to help you anticipate what is necessary and to be expected for a successful close of escrow. The clock is now ticking and you will have a small team of people working for you. This team includes your lender, your escrow officer, a physical inspector (and perhaps a structural and/or geological inspector) your title insurance officer and others. We view ourselves as the head of this team and it is our job to help you coordinate all of the necessary inspections and monitor the progress of your service providers to be certain your interests are protected. We can also provide you with a list of inspectors and other service providers of whom we think highly, as well as request an estimated closing cost statement from escrow so you will be familiar with all costs prior to your closing. |
Home Search Consultation
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Searching for a home can be as easy and fun as going shopping… or as agitating and stressful as, well, going shopping. It depends on the person. We want to make this experience as productive and enjoyable as possible and can help you identify priorities, while at the same time not focus too narrowly so that you miss out on a desirable property. We are available to guide and assist you as much as you like, every step of the way. |
Property Appointments
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We ask our clients to visit open houses when possible, but some homes can be seen only by appointment. We are pleased to arrange appointments for our 1% Rebate option clients and accompany you to see homes. Either your designated Realtor or one of our “field agents” will meet you at the property. We have field agents throughout southern California to serve clients that are considering a property that is far from our office in Santa Monica. Once an offer is accepted, your designated Realtor will visit the property during the home inspection. |
Comparative Market Analysis & Offer Consultation
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Prior to making an offer, it is essential to be familiar with recent comparable sales. Sold listings are more useful than active or pending listings because market value is only determined when a buyer and seller complete a transaction. TheMLS.com enables users to search and view sold listings to do their own comparative market analysis (CMA) and we encourage our 1.5% Rebate Option clients to make use of this feature. We are pleased to prepare a CMA for all of our 1% Rebate Option clients. Hopefully there will be a handful of recently sold, comparable properties to make an “apples to apples” comparison, but in markets with low inventory, we often need to make adjustments for differences between the two properties. These could include:
We will look at the subject property and “comp” side-by-side and make additions or subtractions accordingly to help you develop a comfort level with the market value of a particular property. We will prepare your offer and discuss your rights and obligations under the contract. We will answer all of your questions, even some of the ones you don’t ask, and will strive to give you a sense of comfort and predictability with what is to be expected throughout the transaction. Aside from price, a seller’s primary concern is whether a buyer can perform under the terms of the agreement and minor details often make the difference as to whether or not an offer is accepted. For this reason, it is important that your offer package be well written and contain:
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Accompany to Inspections
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Once your offer is accepted, a thorough home inspection is essential to determine the condition of the property. You may wish to ask friends if they have a home inspector they like or we are happy to recommend a home inspector to you. 1% Rebate Option – We will be present at your home inspection and consult with you about the inspector’s findings. You may wish to do additional, more specialized inspections such as a geological, structural, plumbing, electrical, chimney, mold or a sewer line inspection. We have worked with dozens of service providers and will help you find the best ones to fit your needs. 1.5% Rebate Option – We do not accompany buyers who select this option to their home inspections. We recommend our 1% Option to those clients who would like this service. |
Due Diligence Consultation & Negotiation
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Significant issues are often discovered during the home investigation “due diligence” period. We can guide you through this process and help get questions answered: This includes yours as well as our own. We can also recommend specialists who will offer expert opinions and provide estimates to address all concerns which may arise. These include:
We help organize these members of “your team” to provide all of the information you need and then strategize as to the best way to get the seller to make the necessary repairs and/or provide you with a price reduction. |
HOA Document Consultation
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The seller of a condominium is required to provide you with information about the homeowner’s association (HOA). This includes:
Buying a condo is like becoming a co-owner of a corporation and we can consult with you regarding important issues discussed in these documents and other considerations which affect the HOA’s financial health and sustainability. |
Minimum Commission
1.5% ($8,500 min.)
1% ($8,000 min)
Depending on which option you select, our commission will be 1.0% or 1.5% of the purchase agreement price or the minimum commission, whichever is greater. |