Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the BuyersTaxi.com program are below.
If you have additional questions, simply contact us by phone at (530) 566-4576 or by e-mail at Mark@TriStarChico.com.

1) What is BuyersTaxi.com?
BuyersTaxi.com is an innovative home-buying program offered by Tri-Star Realty. We believe the program offers unprecedented and unparalleled value to home buyers. The program is designed for you to save as much money as possible on the purchase of your home. Basically it works like this:

A) You Get Pre-Approved for a Home Loan This is an important step to understand what you can afford and make sure that your offer is taken seriously by the home seller. Please be sure to check out our Flat Fee Loans page to see how we can assist you in obtaining financing. We are confident that our loan program is likely your most cost-effective option to obtain a home loan. B) You Use Readily Available Resources to Find and Tour Homes Readily available resources include our Search the MLS page, open houses, listing agent tours, BuyersTaxi.com tours, etc. Please view our Tour Homes page for more detail regarding your options to tour homes of interest. C) Tri-Star Realty Represents You in Your Real Estate Transaction Just contact us for a Buyer Agency Agreement form. We will provide guidance on offer price and terms, prepare and present your purchase offer, negotiate on your behalf, coordinate all inspections, coordinate with your lender and escrow, complete required documentation, and otherwise move your transaction to settlement. D) We Give You a Cash Rebate of up to 2% of the Purchase Price of Your Home It is just that simple. Getting a cash rebate on your home purchase does not get any easier than this.

2) What Do You Mean “Up To” 2% of the Purchase Price of Your Home?
We have a minimum fee of $2,000 for buyer representation. Typical commissions offered for a buyer’s agent are 2.5-3%. As long as the commission provided by the listing agent is $6,000 or more, we rebate you 2% of the purchase price of your home. If the commission provided by the listing agent is less than $6,000, we rebate you everything over our $2,000 minimum fee.

3) Can You Assist Me In Getting Pre-Approved For a Loan?
Yes. To get started, just click the Flat Fee Loans tab on our website. We work with over 30 lenders and offer very competitive rates. The best part is our fee structure. We charge a flat fee of $2,500 to procure your loan. Our fee structure is not based on a percentage of your loan amount. Contact us today and we will assist you in evaluating available loan programs and obtaining a home loan that effectively meets your needs and financial situation.

4) If I Use BuyersTaxi.com for Tours, Am I Obligated to Use You As My Agent?
No. Our home tour program is simply a service to get you into the homes you want to view. However, we would be delighted to represent you as your buyer’s agent; and rebate you back up to 2% of the purchase price of your home. By choosing Tri-Star Realty you not only receive the cash rebate, but also benefit from expert advice and negotiation assistance.

You will pay for home tours only if you request BuyersTaxi.com to show you homes. We have ready access to nearly all the homes listed in the MLS and have extensive expertise to answer your questions and provide you guidance while touring homes. Our charges for home tours are as follows

Single Home Tour $50.00 4-Hour Tour $150.00 6-Hour Tour $200.00

We acknowledge that it may seem surprising to pay for a home tour at all, but we believe that you will agree that our fees are very affordable when compared to the 2.5-3% commission typically paid to a buyer's agent.

5) Why Do I Have to Pay for a Home Tour?
You don’t have to. We provide the first home tour (maximum of 4 hours) free of charge. After the free home tours, additional home tours are provided for a flat fee. We believe our fees for home tours are very affordable, especially when considering the Buyer Cash Rebate program we offer. If you wish to tour homes without our assistance, you can likely view homes by attending open houses or by requesting a private tour from the listing agent. To determine if and when an open house will be held, or to obtain the contact information for the listing agent, simply contact us by phone or e-mail and we will get right back to you. If you wish to participate in our Buyer Cash Rebate program, it is very important that you inform all real estate agents that you intend to have Tri-Star Realty represent you in your real estate transaction. You must notify the agent upon initial communication and before you view the home.

6) Is BuyersTaxi.com a Licensed Real Estate Brokerage?
Yes. BuyersTaxi.com is a program offered by Tri-Star Realty, Inc., a full-service real estate and mortgage brokerage. Our Chico office (DRE Broker License No. 01708120) services Butte, Glenn, Yuba, and Sutter counties.

7) Can I Use BuyersTaxi.com If I Am Currently Working With A Real Estate Agent?
If you are already working with a real estate agent to represent you in the purchase of a home, we recommend that you continue working with your agent to view homes and make an offer. If you feel that your real estate agent is not adequately servicing your needs, we recommend that you discuss this situation with your agent and try to reach a resolution. In the event that you have ended the relationship with your agent and wish to consider BuyersTaxi.com to service your needs, just give us a call.

8) How Do I Find Out How Much Money I Will Get Rebated?

Your rebate depends on the purchase price of the home and the buyer’s agent commission offered by the listing agent. Buyer’s agent commissions are typically 2-3% of the purchase price. The MLS does not allow us to provide the commission offered by the listing agent to the public through our MLS search page. However, our office has access to this information and you are welcome to call us and ask.

9) When Will I Get the Commission Rebate?

We typically credit your rebate toward your closing costs during the escrow process. This way you pay less “out of pocket” costs for the purchase of your home. If the rebate amount exceeds your closing costs, we provide you with the excess by check after closing. You will typically receive a check for the excess within 2 weeks of the close of escrow. This is our typical structure for payment of your rebate. We are able to coordinate an alternative arrangement at your request. For example, you may wish to apply the rebate toward payment of the listing agent’s commission in exchange for a lower purchase price. A lower purchase price could save you money in property taxes.

10) Do you drive me around in a yellow PT Cruiser for home showings?

No. For all home showings, the buyer and our agent drive in separate cars and meet at the subject property.

11) Will I get a cash rebate on my home purchase if the property I am purchasing is not listed in the MLS and/or is ‘For Sale By Owner’ or ‘For Sale By Builder’?

Our ability to provide a cash rebate on a home purchase is limited to situations where a “cooperating broker” commission is offered to a real estate brokerage. If a “cooperating broker” commission is not offered and/or can not be negotiated, we are not able to offer a commission rebate. However, many properties offered for sale by owners and/or builders do offer a “cooperating broker” commission. Negotiations with sellers who do not advertise a “cooperating broker” commission are addressed on a case-by-case basis.