FAQ

General Questions:

Who should I contact when I have a question?
You can email, call, or text any of the Managing Brokers at our five offices. They are commonly available from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, 7 days a week.
Am I only allowed to contact the Managing Broker from my home office?
No, you can contact any of the Managing Brokers at Skyline Properties. We work together as a team to ensure our agents can always get the assistance they need.
How do I update my account information or change my payment method for Skyline Properties?
Many of the forms to update agent information, automatic payments, commission plans, etc. are available in the Accounting section of the Resource Center. If you can’t find what you need, you are always welcome to contact your office administrator for assistance.
I forgot my login or password. Who do I call?
Please contact your office administrator for all Skyline hosted services. They are happy to help.
As a new broker, what classes am I required to complete before I can take a listing or write an offer?
Prior to taking a listing or writing up a contact, you must attend the New Broker Orientation #1 training course. These classes are held monthly, and you can view the training calendar to find the next available class. We also recommend you complete the Matrix, Listing Input, and Transaction Desk classes offered by the NWMLS as this will give you access to the core technology used by real estate brokers in our region.
If I have a question about Authentisign, Transaction Desk, or the Matrix, who should I call?
These services are offered by the NWMLS. They are the best resource for these kinds of questions. Call 425-820-9200 to speak with one of their representatives.
Can you show me how to use Transaction Desk?
The MLS provides classes and videos on their website that goes over every nuance of the Transaction Desk process. They are your best resource for correct information and less frustration.
What is the standard computation of time?
5 days or less do not include the weekend or legal holidays. More than 5 days includes weekends and legal holidays. If the time period ends on a weekend or legal holiday, it moves to the following day that is not (except for possession date). Time period expires at 9:00 pm.
I am having issues with a broker from another company. What do I do?
If you have reached a place where you cannot communicate with your fellow broker, you can do two things to make the transaction move to closing:

1. Call your branch manager and go over the issues you are having.
2. Call the branch manager of the other company, describe the issue, and ask for assistance with the problem at hand.

Can I represent the Seller or Buyer only and do it myself with no other Broker? Do I have to put it in the MLS? (ex: FSBO)
There is a way, but please contact your Branch Manager for specific instructions on how to do this. Also remember that since it’s not in the MLS, you must file a 1-ULS Form with MLS within 3 days of closing.

Marketing:

Can I create my own branding and market myself under this branding/logo?
Yes, as long as the branding complies with the Real Estate Advertising Guidelines pamphlet published by the Department of Licensing. This PDF can be downloaded and reviewed on your computer. As a precaution, always speak with a Branch Manager before spending any time or money on your own branding and advertising.
Can I use Realtor® as my title on my business cards and advertising?
No. The title of Realtor® is a trademarked term only permitted for use by members of the real estate lobbying group NAR, which requires yearly dues from any agents or brokerages associated with them. As Skyline Properties is an independent firm, we do not require our agents to pay these fees.
Recommended titles are Real Estate Broker or Real Estate Agent.
How do I purchase a URL (www) and mask/forward to my complimentary Skyline Website?
Great Question. The first thing to do is visit www.godaddy.com and create an account. After creating an account, you will want to search for the URL (www) that you are most interested in - an example would be your first name and last name .com - if that is taken you can always get creative such as Broker(insertyournamehere) etc... Once you have purchased your URL you will want to reach out to the godaddy customer support team at 480-505-8877 and tell them you want to forward your newly purchased URL to your current Skyline website - they will do this for free but you will need to provide them with the URL for your free Skyline website. Once you have given them the Skyline URL they will forward your paid URL to this site. Now on your business cards, social media sites etc... you can use your custom www. instead of your long Skyline Properties URL.

Processing:

What address should I use on my Form 40 - Commission Disbursement?
All Skyline brokers should use the Puyallup Processing Department's address on their Commission Disbursement form, no matter which office is their home office. This will ensure that your commission check can arrive and be processed without any unnecessary delays. Here is the address:
2930 S Meridian, Ste 340
Puyallup, WA 98373
When do I get paid my commission check?
If your sale paperwork is complete, and your funds have been sent to processing in Puyallup, we pay out commission checks when the funds are received from escrow (if by 2:30pm that business day).

Listings:

I have a new listing coming on the market soon. Can I showcase this home on Facebook BEFORE I’ve listed it on the MLS?
No. The NWMLS monitors social media sites on a regular basis and the penalties are heavy if caught advertising homes prior to having a listing agreement and posting on Matrix.
Can I help my seller fill out the form 17? (usually in cases where language is a barrier or seller doesn’t know how to interpret the question)
No. It is the responsibility of the seller to fill out the form based on their interpretation and the knowledge they have. If necessary, they can seek the services of an interpreter or attorney.
My client keeps getting calls and wants me to remove their information from the listing. How do I remove my clients name and number from MLS?
PLEASE use Form 7B and upload it to MLS. Just an FYI, we get fine notices from MLS EVERYDAY on this.
Can I list my number under the “Seller’s Number” field in the MLS?
No. You can use zero’s instead and have seller sign a form 7B and upload it to the listing supplement.
I am leaving the country for a month. What do I need to do with my current offers and listings?
We highly suggest and recommend you find a broker in the company to manage your business while you are gone. Also, work out a payment plan in writing so you both know what the compensation will be for the variety of things your co-worker might be doing for you.
My listing has expired and now a broker wants to write an offer on it.
Contact your seller first, make sure that they are still willing to sell. Provision is made on Form 1A Paragraph 4, that within 6 months, if the Buyer was brought through the Advertising efforts of the Listing Broker, including MLS, a commission will still be paid.

Buyers:

My buyer wants a discount on my commission. What should I say?
a. I am a professional real estate broker and as such, provide a large variety of services to assist you in your search for a new home
b. Getting you a home is the most important thing we need to focus on, let’s talk about this in detail after we find you a home.
c. The commissions are paid by the seller, not the buyer.
My buyer went to a new construction site, signed in and was shown properties by the site broker. I wrote up an offer and the seller will not honor the selling office commission. What do I do?
a. If your buyer signed in and you were not in attendance at the first showing, there is a strong likelihood the seller has a reduced commission plan in place if the broker does not show up with the buyer.
b. You can ask for the commission to be re-instated, but the likelihood of this is very slim. Train your buyers to not sign in when previewing new construction home sites.
I have lost the last 4 offers. What am I doing wrong?
You most likely have not done anything “wrong”. There is an art to structuring your offer to compete with a variety of other types of offers. We teach a class on this and all branch managers can talk to you on the phone, go over the proposed offer and make suggestions to structure your offer so your buyer has a better chance of succeeding in getting the home they want.
How do I waive everything?
You can’t on one form, if you want to waive items they must be addressed individually.
How do I get my client out of this transaction and keep his EM even though we waived everything?
Generally you can’t. Every situation is different however and you may need to speak with your Managing Broker on this. Please be advised though, if your Buyer wants to waive EVERYTHING and then wants to get his earnest money back, you as the Broker need to advise that client and make sure that they understand the ramifications of waiving everything, we can try but probably not. Please have your Buyer seek Legal Counsel.
Why should I include Form 22EF Evidence of Funds in a transaction, whether you’re representing the Seller or the Buyer, where Buyer is relying on non-contingent funds (cash in the bank) such as a down payment or a full cash offer?
According to paragraph (a) in the purchase & sale agreement Buyer is representing to the Seller that Buyer has sufficient funds to close the sale and is not relying on contingent funds, e.g. a loan, the sale of a property, or gift. Without proof that Buyer’s funds are readily available the Buyer is fraudulently inducing the seller to enter in to an agreement. Form 22EF Evidence of Funds is the Seller’s reassurance that Buyer will provide the necessary proof.
What form should I use if my buyer’s financing failed?
Form 90I Buyer’s Notice of Termination (Financing Unavailable). This must be accompanied with a letter from the lender in writing which shall include (a) the date Buyer’s loan application was made, including a copy of the loan estimate that was provided to Buyer, (b) that Buyer possessed sufficient funds to close; and (c) the reasons Buyer was unable to obtain financing by Closing. You can find this information on Form 22A Financing Addendum page 2(5).
How do I try to negotiate repair items more than once?
Once you ask for repairs on 35R and the seller comes back with less than your Buyer wants, if you counter again, you will lose the first items that you asked for unless you reiterate them again, then you are finished.
My buyer wants to re-negotiate the price, just because. What do I do?
Your job is to present issues and concerns in writing for your buyer. Write up the request and present in to the seller. If you have released all of your contract terms, the buyer has no leverage to negotiate a price reduction.
My buyer does not want to buy their home anymore and they have released all of the contract conditions. They want their earnest money back. What do I do?
If all contract elements have been released, you need to be straight forward with your conversation and let them know that they have released the earnest money to the seller and there is nothing more you can do. The buyer can buy the home or lose some or all of their earnest money deposit.
My client purchased a home with another broker after working with me for 6 months. Can I sue the buyer for my commission?
Not unless you had the buyer sign a Buyer’s Agency agreement.