Of all the questions we receive, we find this one question to be the most important question that we hope the buyer’s do their due diligence to answer. This property purchase will most likely be the most expensive purchase to date and it is important to take the time and think about the best form of representation available to you as a buyer. Lets discuss the primary question as well as a few of the sub-questions associated with this topic.
“Why Use a Buyer’s Agent?”
“What If I Call the Listing Agent Directly?”
“What If I Represent Myself?
“How Much Does It Cost?”
“Why Use a Buyer’s Agent?”– What a great question! Lets take a step back and think big picture about the overall housing market.
Who does a seller use to sell a home? They use a Listing Agent to market their property and sell it for the best terms, most money, and to have the SELLERS best interest in mind.
Would it be a good idea to hire your own, equivalent representation by selecting a trained Buyer’s Agent whose job it will be to find you a home for the best terms, least money, and to have YOUR best interest in mind?
“What If I Call the Listing Agent Directly?” We have run into a few buyers who have felt it the best choice to call the list agent directly. But lets take a step back and think of the relationship at play.
First, please watch our video on this exact subject as we feel it is VERY important to protect yourself as a buyer. Lets revisit the Listing Agent’s role: sell it for the best terms, most money, and to have the SELLERS best interest in mind. Do you, as a buyer, feel it would be a good idea to initiate a conversation with someone with these duties to the seller?
Think of it as if you were going to court. Would you think it a good idea to go over to the other parties attorney and start asking them questions about the case or to represent you in the same case?
“What If I Represent Myself? This question is best answered with another question. If you were to go find the perfect house today, and you wanted to write an offer, would you feel confident on all aspects of buying a home, including theBuying process, financing, purchase contract protections, state mandated disclosures, inspection rights and title insurance then you may be a good fit for self representation. This list does not incompass another important aspect of the buying process, which is helping you learn more about the areas of interest, helping determine a value to offer, contract negotiations, contract protections as well as protection throughout the whole transaction. There are countless articles discussing the reasons for and against hiring a Buyer’s agent, and we always recommend reading these to get a better understanding. In these cases, we just ask for an opportunity to sit down with you and really discuss the pros and cons of this decision to figure out if it the best choice for you.
“How Much Does It Cost For Me to Hire a Buyer’s Specialist with The Gold Key Experts?”
We get this question all the time… and the reaction of our clients is always amusing. They ask the question, knowing we are the top team in the country for ERA and the #1 team on Zillow, so I guess they expect such great representation to come with a steep price tag. Our Response..”In nearly all cases the only expense to you as a buyer is $195, and this is paid at closing.” This is normally met with a smile and the response “Where do I sign up?”