Are real estate buyers required to use a realtor in Iowa?

[allen riggs]

Does anyone know anything about purchasing land in Iowa? I sent mailers and a realtor responded and said I have to have representation to purchase land? I can't seem to find anything doing google searches.

[retipsterseth]

allen riggs - I've never done anything in Iowa, so I can't speak to the legitimacy of that claim... but I can say, I've heard back from plenty of realtors in my time who have gotten my mail, and they've told me all kinds of crazy (and completely inaccurate) things, so I think you're right to question this. I would continue trying to verify the accuracy of this statement through a few other sources (preferably those that are not other realtors).

[richardbiechler]

allen riggs are you in Iowa?

[allen riggs]

Seth Williams Thanks Seth, I did more research and discovered that Iowa is no different than most states and buying and selling real estate requires no representation. Thanks for your reply!

[allen riggs]

Richard Biechler Hi Richard, I am not in Iowa. Thanks!

[dl7573]

allen riggs, glad to hear it wasn't true.  I don't have the experience with land flipping that Seth does, but can confirm from personal experience exactly what he said about taking realtors' reactions to your direct mail campaigns with a grain of salt.  

I posted on this forum several months ago about how I happened to send mail to a tax delinquent owner who had his property listed on MLS (unbeknownst to me).  The owner left me a polite message, essentially saying that if I wanted to make an offer on the property, please contact his realtor.  Just minutes later, before I had any chance to respond, I received an extremely aggressive voicemail from the realtor, cursing me out and threatening to report me to my state Attorney General's office for illegal business practices...for sending an unsolicited mail piece to a state where that's perfectly legal.  Based on the owner's asking price and days on market (and his realtor's behavior), I didn't even bother to make an offer, but the realtor's reaction to someone who's sent a letter stating they would like to buy his client's property was still beyond baffling to me.

Unfortunately, there is a portion of the realtor community that harbors a personal vendetta against anyone who practices flipping, wholesaling, or any other activity that circumvents their role.

[allen riggs]

David Ludwig Interesting. I guess they don't like sharing. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[jawollbrink]

Seth Williams Agreed. After about your third land deal you will know more than 90% of all realtors. And the scary thing is that the average consumer believes nearly everything that they say.