Why do I need a Buyer's Agent?

When you are looking for a home, wouldn't it be great to have someone looking with you? Someone that knows how to find what's available? Someone who is trained and skilled at real estate negotiations? Someone who knows the neighborhood and the prices for the area? Someone who represents you and your interests? Of course you do. That's what a buyer's agent is.

If you had an important legal case against another person, would you ask your opponents attorney to represent you too? No, you would have your own attorney to listen to what it is you wanted and have them represent you and your interests. That is basically what a buyer's agent does. You choose a Buyer's Agent by entering into a Buyer's representation Agreement. This document is a contract between you and your agent and authorizes them to represent you and work for your interests. As of August 2024, an agent MUST have a signed representation agreement with you before they are allowed to show you any properties. This agreement can be for 1 single showing, a few showings, a few days or weeks or for a few months. Your agent will work for you to help you find the homes that best meet your checklist of requirements. Once you find the perfect home your agent will prepare the offer/contract and submit it to the listing agent/seller. Your agent will likely be offered compensation from the listing broker or the seller but it's "possible" no compenstion is being offered to your agent. In that situation you would be required to compensate your own agent.

Does it cost more to use a buyer's agent? In most cases you will actually SAVE MONEY, because your agent will know how to negotiate the best possible deal for you and can often get builders to throw in upgrades or discounts that are not advertised to the public. Your buyer's agent has access to archives of sales records and statistics for every neighborhood in the area and knows exactly what every home is worth.

Although it is possible to call the agent that is listed on the sign in the yard and use them to handle the transaction, you need to remember this....... The listing agent, by law, represents the seller and the seller's interests and cannot give you information that would give you an advantage over his client, the seller. In most cases, you will not save money by using the listing agent to handle the deal for you as the buyer.

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The information contained on this page and website was written and produced by Dave Turnquist and is the sole property of San Jacinto Properties. No unauthorized reproduction or use of this information is permitted without the expressed written consent of Dave Turnquist, Broker/Owner of San Jacinto Properties