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As a buyer I recently viewed a condo unit from property guru. I liked the unit but the seller agent mentioned that it was being sold with tenancy for 1 more year. So I will need to continue staying in rented property for 1 more year before moving in. Hence I thought of engaging a buyer side agent to help check if there are potential complications or legal issues in this. But the seller agent is not agreeable to engage buyer agent(unwilling to share commission) as the viewing was not arranged by the agent. He requests me(buyer) to pay commission for my agent. Is this normal? Except for the viewing nothing else was arranged by me. Do I have any other way to deal with this?
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6 Answers

Jay Lim 林俊哲
Good Morning Lavanya Annamalai, for private residences (e.g. condo) in Singapore, it is common practice for seller agent to split the commission with the buyer agent. Although splitting the commission is the industry practice, there are also buyers who are willing to pay a fee for an agent to represent them and to facilitate the transaction.

However for your case, it boils down to the timing when the information is conveyed. As the seller agent was under the impression in the beginning that you are communicating directly with him, bringing a 3rd party in afterwards changes the underlying agreement hence agents may not be receptive towards it.

I suggest you explain to him clearly on your reasons to engage a buyer agent to see if he is receptive. If it does not work out but yet you are still very keen to secure that unit, feel free to reach out to me and have a chat.

In good practice, after you have engaged a buyer agent, he/she should only be the only point of contact for you while reaching out to potential listings/sellers agents. This is to avoid any miscommunications for all parties. And in time-sensitive scenarios when you have to contact the seller agents directly, do inform the seller agents from the beginning that you have an agent representing you and that you are reaching out for _____ reasons. Read More
2
Dear Lavanya,

It is important to convey all related transactional information up front before arrangement of any viewings, and given that in this case, there was no mentioned of buyer's agent involved since the beginning, how will you feel if you are the seller agent and have to suddenly have your income cut by 50% with an unrelated agent who just appeared to share the commission? Sale with tenancy is quite common in the market these days therefore I am unsure what checks of potential complications or legal issues you have concern about, but I suppose you can also check with your lawyer on this subject matter.

I have been in the real estate business since 2009, with more than 13 years of experience serving the Singapore real estate market.

I am very active in the residential segment of Singapore real estate market, having transacted hundreds of deals from HDBs to private condominiums and landed properties in Singapore, and have handled many unique cases in sales and purchases as well as rental deals.

Over the years, I have also established a network reaching out to more than 9,400 expatriates, bringing my market presence to both in and outside of Singapore. This has created an additional exposure when I manage my client's portfolios, on top of the conventional on and offline platforms, where other estate agents are relying on. This has allowed me to consistently convert leads into results.

With an evolving market, where change is the only constant, I have also been investing in upgrading of my knowledge and skills sets to improve myself and meet the demands of current and future market.

We are offering our clients a complimentary first consultation without obligations (Absolutely FREE!). Schedule for your FREE session today!

Warmest regards,
Geryl Lim
Associate Group Director
Salesperson Registration No. R014783H
Email: geryl.lim@orangetee.com / geryl7772@gmail.com
OrangeTee & Tie Pte Ltd 430 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh #01-01 OrangeTee Building Singapore 319402
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2
Hi Lavayna

You can handle it yourself.

Request (from the seller's agent) for a copy of the tenancy agreement, stamp duty certificate, inventory, the draft OTP (Option To Purchase) and get your lawyer to check (you will still need a law firm to do the legal work for the purchase anyhow)

Ravin KNIGHT FRANK
Hp 9798-5917  Read More
1
Hi Lavanya,

Selling with tenancy is a very common transaction in Singapore. If you feel unsafe and wanna be sure, you could always liaise closely with your law firm and let the conveyancing manager do the vetting of the paperwork like OTP and tenancy agreement on your behalf. By the way, feel free to let me know if you need any contact for a mortgage broker too.

Regards
Aaron
 9730 8455 
aaronchong2774@yahoo.com.sg Read More
1
Hi Lavanya,

1) There is nothing wrong with the seller's agent end. You have to engage a professional to represent you in the first place to protect your interest.
2) For a property selling with tenancy you will have to check the detail of the tenants that they are legal to stay in Singapore during the tenancy period.
3) You have to get hold of the tenancy agreement, valid stamp duty certificate, and inventory list to protect your interest.
4) If it is possible, you might need to engage a company to do all the condition checks on the unit to ensure that all defects are properly recorded and acknowledged by both parties.
5) So that you may claim damages when the tenant handover the unit to you.
6) You might have to check with your lawyer on the tenancy agreement to see whether it is properly drafted to protect your interest.
7) Your lawyer should be the best person to advise you about the risk or any legal complications of this arrangement.

Hope the above answer your main concerns, but if there are more query, please feel free to contact me at 90110636  , or email: ling.ck7@gmail.com if more information is needed.
I'll be glad to assist.

Best regards
Ling CK
 90110636 
ling.ck7@gmail.com
https://R056727F.propnex.net/
https://www.facebook.com/Homesellerbuyer

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Any response to our answer does not reach us.
The best way to get a follow-up is to Whatsapp or email us directly. Read More
1
Robbie Chen Chee Howe
Hi Lavanya,

There is no fixed rule that states that Buyer need not pay commission to their Agent. In fact, I had gotten commission from Buyer for private condo before. Hence, it is fine if you wish to engage a Buyer agent to act for your interest in your purchase.

I am experienced and well-versed in both HDB and private transactions. I will be able to assist you in your property plans. Please get in touch with me for a more in-depth discussion.

Should you need require further assistance in matters relating to property, please contact me at my mobile 9748 6305  . I will be happy to assess and share with you the possibilities for you in the current market.

Thank you.

Best regards,
Robbie Chen
 9748 6305 
PropNex Realty Read More
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