Last week, I got an email from a home buyer who had been told by a builder’s representative that because she was unagented when she first saw the property, the builder would refuse to pay an agent’s fee if she later returned with an agent in tow.

You can read the article here: www.thinkglink.com/Builder_Wont_Recognize_Buyers_Agent.htm

In my mind, this is bad business. Builders — if this is your policy, you’re not winning any friends. Apparently, I’m not the only one who thinks so. I got this email this morning in response to the column:

Your Q&A builders & buyers reps: I took my buyers to a builder & he later tried to convince them not to pay me a commission. My buyers refused & he did pay the commission, slightly less than what it should have been. But we didn’t make an issue of it. Will I deal with that builder in the future? Not likely.

Sept. 28, 2006.