What Is A Commission Advance?

by Commission AdvancesExpress Cash Flow Blog PostsReal Estate

Key Takeaways:

  • Commission advance is getting the commission before closing
  • Commission advance is not a loan
  • It is commonly used to bridge the gap between closings
  • The price of commission advance varies wildly depending on how companies’ policy

1. Commission Advance definition:

By definition, a commission advance is a financial service whereby you sell a portion of a pending commission for a fee. In exchange, funds are advanced to you before closing. It’s not a loan. It’s simply access to the commission you’ve earned without the wait! Get your commission whenever you want.

2. Win-Win Pricing:

The fine print may vary, but the essence of each is the same. The first step is getting a property under contracts. Once you’ve done that, congrats, you are now potentially eligible for an advance. So let’s consider how the pricing works.

The one-size-fits-all model: 

Each company has different policy. Many have opted for a simple fixed pricing structure to avoid headaches. The telltale sign is a pricing slider on their website. This has both pros and cons. At first glance, while it seems to provide an easy estimate of how much a commission advance will cost, this one-size-fits-all pricing model leaves no room for negotiation. In fact, top producers can easily enjoy a much lower rates if their productions history is taken into the account. What if a realtor is just having a rough quarter and cannot fit in the pricing model? He/she will be denied immediately.

The Custom Pricing Model: 

Every transaction is different, so why have a one-size-fits-all? Custom pricing model use a risk-based pricing plan to review each commission advance request. That means the production history, details of the transaction, and closing dates, as well as other verifications are taken into consideration to create a tailored solution for that one advance. The question is: why do a lot of work just for a simple advance? It’s simple: once you look deeper into the case, the underwriter can see the agent as a real estate professional, not just a number in a spreadsheet. By adding the human factor to the mix, this model can approve more cases and also lower the rates significantly for top producers. It’s simple, the lower the risk, the better the rates.

Express Cash Flow is one fine example of custom pricing model. Once an application is submitted, ECF proprietary AI Modeling analyzes over 200 attributes to create a custom risk profile for your unique situation. Then, an underwriter will thoroughly assess the case to create a custom pricing model tailored to your needs. Some of the primary attributes to look at are:

  • Your production history
  • Details of the transaction
  • Expected closing date
  • Verification & review of all publicly available information

The result is up to 30% reduction in advance fee and a faster processing time since everything is automate in the beginning and the underwriter only need to review the information at the end.

 

3. Get your money faster!

If you are approved, you’ll be presented with an offer of an advance on your commission. You will receive the commission advance agreement via DocuSign that you and your broker will sign (or by you, if you are your own broker). You will be funded within hours via wire and not ACH. A good commission advance company will be able to fund you the same day. You should expect simple paper work, no credit checks, and most importantly, no massive stack of loan documents to sign. At Express Cash Flow, the entire process from Application to Funding can take place within 4 hours. There are no partial holdbacks like some other companies.

 

4. Paying back the advance:

Technically, when you get funded, everything is taken care for you. The advance is automatically paid back when the escrow or settlement company closes. The amount is equal to the advance plus the fee. That means you never pay anything out of pocket. You get the much-needed liquidity to grow your business and thrive.

 

5. What if escrow falls out?

It is nothing to worry about. While doing market research for commission advance, we found out most companies are smart enough to give the advance to those who are likely to close the deal. After all, advance companies want to make money and avoid any foreseeable risk. At Express Cash Flow, after more than $3 billion property worth of advance, we have a 99.5% closing rate of all advances. Our AI underwriting model optimize the process and reduces the risk of deals falling through. Even if the deal falls, you can simply switch your advance to another escrow for a minimal fee (no hefty penalties or immediate payback requirements).

6. How much of my commission can I advance?

You can advance up to 75% of your *net* commission. Your net commission is determined by calculating the total gross commission, and then removing the portion due your broker, plus any office, TC, franchise or referral fees, i.e. the money that would be going into your pocket. So if you have a $500K transaction with a 2.5% commission and are on an 80/20 split, your gross commission would be $500K*2.5% or $12,500. Your net commission would be $12,500*80% or $10,000, and we would be able to advance 75% of that ($7,500). You can take less than this if you’d like, but $7,500 would be the maximum advance amount

 

 7. Is there a minimum advance amount and a minimum fee?

Yes. Statutory guidelines dictate that the minimum advance amount is $2,500, so you’ll need to be earning a net commission of at least $3,000 in order to qualify for an advance. The minimum fee, which usually applies on advances of up to $5,000 for less than 30 days, is $400. Please note that this for every outgoing wire, so if you want $5,000 for 25 days or $2,500 for 2 days, the fee will still be $400. Proper planning can help you get the most efficiency out of our fee structure.

 

Summary of Benefits of Using Express Cash Flow:

  • Get to 75% of your commission on the same day
  • No credit checks
  • No out of pocket charge
  • No hold-backs, no hidden fee
  • Agent friendly pricing
  • Personalized service

We know you don’t all need a commission advance, but we could all use a little extra cash every now and then, and we hope you think of Express Cash Flow whenever the need arises.

Apply for commission advance today.

 

Confidential Commission Advances

Confidential Commission Advances

by Commission AdvancesExpress Cash Flow Blog Posts

What are Confidential Commission Advances?

Confidential commission advances for top producers might seem like an oxymoron, but it happens more often than you think.  Express Cash Flow has done advances on over $3 billion worth of properties nationwide.  The minimum number of transactions to qualify is 8 in the last 12 months but our average client does much more than that.  A confidential commission advance is used when you need some discretion with regard to your advance.  As a real estate agent or broker, you need to view yourself as operating a business and most businesses have lines of credit when business is slow or revenue is delayed.

Confidential commission advances could be used for a number of reasons: staging the property, payroll, general business expenses, your broker doesn’t allow them, paying for minor improvements to the property, marketing, delays in one or more transactions, etc.

How Does a Confidential Commission Advance Work?

A confidential commission advance will work if you’re a top producer with a lot of listings and a couple of transactions in escrow.  On the initial application Express Cash Flow requires you to upload a few documents on the www.ExpressCashFlow.com website, there is no long application form to fill out.

Once you pass Express Cash Flow’s underwriting criteria then you will sign the Express Cash Flow Factoring Agreement with the particulars of the transaction.  Express Cash Flow will not disclose the transaction to your broker, the escrow company, or of course your clients.  Upon closing, the repayment will occur within one day of receiving your net commissions via wire.  If there is an issue or a significant delay in repayment your broker or escrow officer may be notified.

Pricing and Timing:

Pricing for top producers averages approximately 8% a month for the outstanding balance but could be lower depending on the situation.  Express Cash Flow funds within 2 hours.

Personal Story:

Tom the Agent works for Compass and has closed over $20 million in transactions in the last 10 months but during the holidays his 6 listings stayed on the market much longer than expected.  Tom has one transaction closing in 60 days so Express Cash Flow did a confidential commission advance for $10,000 for a fee of $1,600 closing in 60 days.  He provided his production history; the purchase agreement escrows contact information and his other listings.  Within 2 hours he signed the Express Cash Flow agreement via DocuSign and Express Cash Flow funded the $10,000 into his business account.  Once the transaction closes, he will repay Express Cash Flow $11,600 via wire or check deposit to a large national bank.  There is no pre-payment penalty, in fact the fee will be reduced if paid off early.  There are no credit checks during this process and this type of financial relationship is built on trust and open communication.  If the transaction falls-out of escrow Tom is expected to tell us and replace it with other pending transaction.

Who do we work with?

We work with agents nationwide but mostly in California that work at Compass, Coldwell Banker, Keller Williams, First Team, Berkshire Hathaway, Sotheby’s, Intero, Re/Max and other national and local brands.

Final thoughts:

If you have any question about obtaining a commission advance visit our FAQ section at www.ExpressCashFlow, call 844-818-2274 or email us at [email protected].

 

Attractive blonde young woman at the wheel in her new car

Realtor Tips – Buy vs Lease Vehicles

by Commission Advances

Realtor Tips - Buy vs Lease Vehicles
Realtor Tips – Buy vs Lease VehB

Realtor: Buy vs Lease

A typical realtor makes well informed decisions when it comes to the vehicle they are going to drive.

In today’s economy, if car dealerships had it their way, everyone would be leasing their vehicles.

For starters, the shorter term life cycles of leases guarantee more transactions will happen, keeping dealer volume high.  When a customer returns a vehicle on lease to the dealership, multiple transactions happen.  In addition, customers enjoy the perks of a short term lease, such as a full manufacturer warranty, and customer loyalty is always the goal.  This is the dealer’s best case scenario.

Do Your Homework

Any realtor looking for a new ride will want to map out goals ahead of time.  Having a plan of what you want will help avoid the pitfalls of an unethical salesperson.  If you are going to consider a lease, keep in mind that realtors drive more than almost any other profession.  In fact,  National Association of Realtors (NAR) estimates the average realtor driving in excess of 30,000 miles annually for business alone.

Dealerships often offer leasing as an attractive option due to a lower monthly payment, but this can be misleading. The monthly payments may be lower and tempting, but so is the annual mileage allotment.  Exceeding this mileage allotment will result in extra payments, and possibly even a higher payment than the purchase option.

Let’s see which real estate agents should NOT lease:

Any agent who drives more than 17,000 miles per year. NAR estimates that its own agents average about 30,300 miles annually for business-related driving. If you do that much driving from open houses to showings, or if your lease is not set up correctly (cannot afford the payments of high mileage lease), don’t get talked into leasing a car. Since leasing companies charge between 15 – 30 cents per mile you drive over their standard limit of 10,000 miles annually, a 7,000 mile overage could end up costing as much as $2,100 at the end of the lease.

The Decision

If you are not into changing cars every three years, and would like to buy one and drive it until you are ready for a change.

If pre-owned is an option. You can save several thousands of dollars on a one-year-old, low mileage pre-owned vehicle.

It’s practically impossible for buyers—who on average only buy three to five cars in a lifetime—to keep track of it all and be informed enough so no one takes advantage of them. There are many loopholes and facts to be aware of and so make sure you do your homework before going into the dealer.

About Us:

Express Cash Flow provides commission advances for real estate agents and brokers.  Check us out at www.ExpressCashFlow.com or call us at 844-818-2274.

Commission Advance

Top Commission Advance Tips

by Commission AdvancesExpress Cash Flow Blog Posts

 

What Is A Commission Advance?

Why should you have to wait for your commission until the closing day to get paid when you could use a commission advance instead?

  1. No Credit Checks–Look for real estate commission advance companies that don’t require a credit check. Advance companies provide you with funding based on a contract of sale and a pending commission, which you sell to them.  Your Purchase and Sales Agreement is the collateral for your advance.
  1. Same-Day Approval– The approval and underwriting process should be quick with any advance company.   The longer process is usually gathering DocuSign signatures and getting confirmation from brokers and escrow companies.
  1. Simple Application– Advance companies usually have an online application. The advance company you choose to work with should offer a quick application and a very concise and clear list of documents that can be uploaded.

What Do You Need?

The documents for a commission advance are simple:

A. Purchase and Sales Agreement
B. Driver’s License
C. Bank Account Information
D. Broker and Escrow contact information
E. Summary of Closed Transactions

  1. Multiple Commission Advances – Every advance company is different but usually you can have up to 2 or 3 advances at one time. Some commission advance companies tranche or fund in 2 payments because the agent requests a large advance amount. 
  1. Listing Advance vs. Commission Advance – some companies offer Listing Advances, which is when there is no identified buyer but only a listing agreement with the seller. Traditionally at least 2 or 3 listings in order to qualify for a Listing Advance.  A commission advance is when a broker or agent receives a portion of their commission prior to closing.

Find a commission advance company that fits your needs and works with you.  Some regional franchises may have different underwriting procedures due to state rules, but most nationwide advance companies like Express Cash Flow provide excellent service.  Check them out at ExpressCashFlow.com.

#CommissionAdvance, #Real Estate, #Realtor, #businessCredit, #BusinessCash, #BusinessCashAdvance

Home Seller Factors

by Commission AdvancesExpress Cash Flow Blog PostsHome Owners

Working as a home seller can be a frustrating experience, given how long it can take for a sale to close before finally being able to take the commission you’ve earned for your work. But by preparing yourself for several different possibilities, you can lessen the frustration by being aware of what issues might pop up over the course of getting to the sale. Here are a few Home Seller Factors that might come up in the process.

House For SaleHouse For Sale

Top 7 Realtor Marketing Tips

by Commission AdvancesExpress Cash Flow Blog Posts

Any business is dependent on marketing in order to grow, and real estate is no different.  In order to maximize the return on your marketing, you want to make sure that you are reaching the right audiences as efficiently as possible.  

Below are some tips to help you optimize your marketing and reach your real estate goals faster.  

  1.  LinkedIn – In recent years, LinkedIn has become the ‘de facto’ platform for professionals to network. Its 300 million user base consists of just about every professional in the commercial real estate, residential real estate, finance, investing, or legal fields you could want to meet, and it offers a powerful marketing and engagement system with blogging, group discussion boards, and search functions. Combined with ultra-targeted advertising, LinkedIn is an important focus for any business in 2016.
  2. Realtor.com – Claim your profile online at Realtor.com.  Post your picture along with your contact information.  This is usually near the top of search engine results because Realtor.com is such a well-known brand, so you want this profile, which is rightfully yours, to reflect your own individual real estate agent branding.  You may also want to consider some of the tools available on your local trade industry’s website, like the ones available on CAR.org  http://www.car.org/tools/
  3. Your Website – Your website is the foundation for all of your digital marketing efforts. If a potential client goes to your website, you want them to be impressed and you want them to contact you.  Your website should funnel all interest and inquiries into either an inbox or voicemail that you check regularly and can respond to quickly. You can look at using Listingbook, Top Producer, Placester or WiseAgent.
  4. Referrals – Referrals are the lifeblood of any successful real estate business. You can work harder than anyone else out there, but if you don’t have a “sales force” of satisfied clients and trusted referral partners, you will quickly fall behind the competition.  The best referrals can come from CPAs, attorneys, mortgage professionals and even other real estate agents that serve other areas.  Think about a commission rebate for your referral, possibly 1% back is a traditional amount.  You might also consider joining a business networking group like BNI, Le Tip,Toastmasters or a local Chamber of Commerce.
  5. Tap your network via email – There are a number of software programs such as com,Campaigner.com or Constantcontact.com you can utilize to optimize your network. Whether you are using a high priced contact management software or simply keeping track of your contacts in a spreadsheet, being top of mind is key.  One of the most cost effective ways to continually be top of mind is to add value to your network via email.  While you always want to be thought of as the real estate expert in your network, you don’t always need to talk to people only about real estate.  Safe, topical emails that keep you in front of your friends and clients will always frame you in a positive light.
  6. Facebook – Everyone these days is on Facebook. It can be used for just about any purpose, whether it is your client who just bought a new house throwing a party to show off their new kitchen, or the vacation a friend just took based on the referral you gave them to get hooked up with a Home Equity Line of Credit, Facebook is a great way to intertwine your business and personal lives.  Just be sure that you know your audience… you wouldn’t want your Facebook activity to rub potential clients the wrong way.  You can also join Facebook group related to your industry, neighborhood, community, alumni associations or anything else you’re passionate about.
  7. Working Capital – This might be the most important tip of all! You need to constantly be in front of your network, and while email and social media are great for this, there is still something to be said for face time, usually over a meal or drinks.  As the successful realtor that your network assumes you are, you should be able to pick up the tab without thinking twice about it. This means always having cash or credit available, regardless of when your deals are closing.  You’ll also need cash available to consistently send out the marketing pieces that are so important for building a brand.  If you don’t have a good sized war chest available to meet these cash demands when they arise, you may want to consider utilizing a commission advance company such as ExpressCashFlow.com.

Lastly, remember to keep in mind that while you want to market as much as possible, you also want to post an appropriate number of times for the platform you are using.  You would never show up at someone’s door multiple times uninvited in a short period of time, just like you shouldn’t post on Facebook about your business multiple times in a short period of time.  Similarly with LinkedIn.  Posts can be more frequent on Twitter, since the nature of Twitter is to keep up with real time, but you should always make sure that your posts have a lot of value.

About Us:
Express Cash Flow provides commission advances for real estate agents and brokers. Check us out at www.ExpressCashFlow.com or call us at 844-818-2274.

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