Real estate agents not only have access to information and resources that you simply do not - they may also have a passion for what they do!
Yes, today it is incredibly easy and convenient to “shop around” for homes online. Heck, I do it myself even when I am not searching for clients of mine. I love looking at the photography, the character, the charm, the decorating, the layout, the updates, the details, the tile, the tub. I just love it. I even like to check out the backyard to see what an evening around the fire pit will be like. I think you get the point.
The unfortunate crux of working in a career that involves commission is that there is an unspoken assumption, maybe even unconscious bias, that we are out to get your business no matter what and under any circumstance. People are generally hesitant to sign with an agent until it is absolutely necessary. Heck, even agents can be hesitant to push this idea. So, even though this has been said before, it is worth noting again, because every time I say this - it is always someone’s first time hearing it!! Yes. Really.
Signing with an agent to represent you as a buyer is a fantastic idea that can cost you nothing! We only get paid after you close on your new home - and - we get paid from the seller’s side. Want to know more? Reach out.
Having a Buyer’s Agent work alongside you during your search will save you precious time. We can help provide perspective and valuable information about properties that can help you make an informed decision.
And my favorite, we have a fudiciary responsibility exclusively to you. If your searching online for homes (which is perfectly fine) & click on a property to “learn more” or “contact an agent”, chances are you may have contacted the agent who is representing the seller. You want your own trusted agent providing you all the information on a property from a buyer’s perspective & touring the properties through a buyer’s eyes.
So, let down your guard. Start looking online at different realtors, look at their website, their social media, read their reviews, look into the brokerage they work with… see if you vibe with them or you like their “approach”. Reach out to them, meet up with them and see if you like their ideas and their communication-style. If you do, add them to your team by signing with them right away. Let them go to work for you! I bet you find the perfect home twice as fast, if not faster. Also, you’ll be prepared to make an offer when you do.
As a general rule, there are some basic duties that every agent *can do* to manage the process of buying or selling. After all, the process is the process. Liking and trusting your agent is what matters most, so take the time to learn more about them before they become your realtor. Talk to us and not just about real estate; we like to talk about other things too.
We could be working together for weeks, maybe months, so it is just as important to me that we are a good match for each other. Believe it or not, I don’t want to sell every house or represent every buyer. Really.
While the referral from your friend’s father’s lawyer’s golfing partner may be worth checking out so is someone else that just feels “right”.
Hi. It’s nice to meet you.
Word to the wise: Whether or not you decide to work with a buyer’s agent, never rely on the seller’s agent to help you as a buyer. If you call the name-on-the-sign in the yard or the “contact me for more information” you see on the listing online, you are contacting the agent that represents the seller! Will they have your best interest in mind as a buyer? Google the term “Dual Agency”.