358: Who Actually Has to Sign? How to Protect Your Business

Have you ever closed a deal only to find out you had the wrong person on the buyer rep agreement? Or listed a property without confirming who actually has legal authority to sell? This episode is your reminder that verifying identity in real estate transactions is not optional, and the stories in this one will make sure you never forget it. We are diving into a topic that sounds logistical but is actually one of the most important things you can do to protect your business: making sure you have the right signatures on the right documents from the very beginning. From buyer representation agreements to estate listings, from fraud prevention to identity verification, we are sharing real stories, real mistakes, and real solutions. Katy kicks things off with a wild story from a colleague whose buyers turned into a commission battle because a college daughter signed a buyer rep agreement with a Zillow agent while mom and dad were out of town. The result? A 50/50 commission split and a hard lesson learned. Alissa shares her own recent experience with a couple where the husband flat out refused to sign, plus the story of how a cash-paying dad showed up at closing and threw off her compliance paperwork entirely. We also get into estate sales, listing fraud on vacant land, power of attorney misconceptions, and why asking for a copy of someone's driver's license is never overstepping. Here's what we cover in this episode: - Why the buyer rep agreement is only as strong as the names on it - How to find out who will actually be on title before you start showing homes - What to do when only one party in a couple signs your buyer representation agreement - The procuring cause nightmare that the buyer rep agreement was supposed to fix - A first-hand story about a husband refusing to sign and how Alissa handled it - When a dad swoops in with cash at closing and suddenly you have the wrong buyer on paper - How to protect yourself when listing inherited or estate properties - Why you should ask for a copy of the will and contact the succession attorney before you list - What happens when a succession is not complete and your listing cannot legally sell - Vacant land fraud: the growing scam where someone pretends to be the seller - The truth about power of attorney and why you cannot do a POA for a POA - Why asking for a driver's license is not rude; it is just good business - How to use your broker as a buffer when clients push back on signing - Toasting Syed, a Realtor in Virginia who came to the US in 2022 as a US Army ally and grew from 2 transactions to 12 under contract for 2026 Key Quotes & Takeaways: - "The question isn't necessarily who's the buyer. Who do you see on the title? Who is going to be on the title?" Katy - "No one tosses up a fuss who is legit. If you say I need a copy of your driver's license and they say no, just push back. These are legal documents. I must verify your identity." Alissa - "If you cave at their first request, which goes against how you run your business, they are going to run the rest of the show." Katy - "This rep agreement is getting signed. It's the law." Alissa - "Clear, sincere communication matters more than perfect English." Syed (via Katy) Products, People & Previous Episodes Mentioned: - Episode 190: Wire Fraud and Real Estate Fraud with Nikki (title attorney) (hustlehumblypodcast.com/190) - Episode 317: Realtor Safety (hustlehumblypodcast.com/317) - Hustle Humbly Community (hustlehumblypodcast.com/membership) Want to toast someone on the show? Send us a voice or video message with your name, who you are toasting, and why! Email it to [email protected]. Leave us a review at http://ratethispodcast.com/hustlehumbly Get your FREE Database Template: http://hustlehumblypodcast.com/starthere Email Templates 101: http://emailtemplates101.com Agent Systems 101: http://agentsystems101.com All Resources: http://hustlehumblypodcast.com Submit your topic ideas and toasts to [email protected] Music: Straight A's by Connor Price → https://connorprice.shop/ The Good Life by Summer Kennedy → https://soundcloud.com/summerkennedy/the-good-life Be The One by Matrika → https://uppbeat.io/t/matrika/be-the-one