How to view homes if you don't want to take on a buyer's agent (commissions, fee)
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If you know what area you want to move to, having a buyer's agent makes sense. I'm looking in several different states for a specific kind of property and cannot take on that many buyer agents. Also, if I suddenly see a listing I want to see, I don't have the time to research a buyer's agent to see if it's someone I want to commit to. I just want to see the property asap.
Explain your situation clearly and concisely to the listing agent, then make the appointment to see the home: "Hello, my name is Amelia Osborne. I would like to make an appointment to see 34 Lake St. I do not have an agent, but if I decide to move forward, I will be getting one, and I do not want dual agency. When can I see the home?". If you made that call to me, I would meet you at my office, copy your drivers license so I know who you are, and take you to see the property. I wouldn't ask for proof of funds at that point, but some do. So, take 5 minutes, create a redacted bank statement, and you will be able to use that for all future viewings in all states and with all agents.
5 minutes, a couple of photocopies, a clear and direct phone call, and you will not have any problems.
Explain your situation clearly and concisely to the listing agent, then make the appointment to see the home: "Hello, my name is Amelia Osborne. I would like to make an appointment to see 34 Lake St. I do not have an agent, but if I decide to move forward, I will be getting one, and I do not want dual agency. When can I see the home?". If you made that call to me, I would meet you at my office, copy your drivers license so I know who you are, and take you to see the property. I wouldn't ask for proof of funds at that point, but some do. So, take 5 minutes, create a redacted bank statement, and you will be able to use that for all future viewings in all states and with all agents.
5 minutes, a couple of photocopies, a clear and direct phone call, and you will not have any problems.
Sounds good, thanks! (what do you mean by redacted?)
When we were looking (in NJ) for houses a few years ago, we didn't have an agent and had the listing agents show us houses. Of the maybe 5 we saw, 1 was difficult, but we had the pre-approval letter for the agents to show that we were serious. If we had moved forward with a purchase, we would likely have used the listing agent as a dual-agent.
I recently called a local listing agent to ask to see a house around here. She was quite rude, demanding to know whether I was a serious buyer, if I've ever owned a home before, and if I am "qualified," etc.
I'm a senior retiree who is more than qualified and who has bought and sold several homes, once on my own. I would be paying cash from the sale of my current home (I did not tell her any of this). I was insulted and felt really patronized so I did not insist she show me the home. I dropped it.
I do not want to sign on with a buyer's agent just to view a property. I know exactly what I'm looking for and I do meticulous searches online before even considering asking for a viewing. I'm not a casual looker. I want to be able to phone a listing agent for a particular home and, if after viewing it, I'm not interested in that particular property, that's it. I'll wait till the next interest comes along, and that may take weeks.
I know agents do not want to waste their time on unqualified or nonserious buyers. Can anyone here advise me how to approach a listing agent simply to view a property, no strings attached and no questions needing to be answered? Is it unfair of me to expect to be able to do this?
That's what I do with the agent who will eventually represent me if I decide to make an offer, but she hasn't asked me to sign any forms yet. She's shown me several homes.
Why waste 99 peoples time for no pay when one person could be paid to show you 100 places?
I would agree with this, if we were looking intensively in one area.
We have several areas in several different states we have in mind, as well as in our current state (this is a retirement home we're looking for, so we have a wide latitude). Even in our own state, the area of interest varies widely.
I don't want to lock into one buyer's agent who handles one area and another agent who handles an area 50 miles away, etc. The other thing is that we are in no rush to buy, but if the "right" property came long, we'd jump on it. I don't want to complicate our lives at this early stage by having so many buyer's agents taking our profiles and sending us listings, 90% of which I know will not fit the bill for what we're looking for.
In the "old days," you could simply phone a realtor and ask to see a property and they'd meet you there. In fact, when we bought our last two homes (not all that many years ago), that was the case. Now it seems like you have to sign in blood with an agent to even get to see a place. (I particularly disliked the "talking down to"). I understand their concerns; I would not, as a realtor, want to drive a bunch of miles to show a property to someone who's not a serious buyer, or who is unqualified.
OTOH, when you go to view for purchase (peruse) virtually anything else in this world, you do not have to show proof of funds or be so committed that you'll sign with some kind of agent. Seems like agents may be doing less and less, compared with the "old days"?
When we were looking (in NJ) for houses a few years ago, we didn't have an agent and had the listing agents show us houses. Of the maybe 5 we saw, 1 was difficult, but we had the pre-approval letter for the agents to show that we were serious. If we had moved forward with a purchase, we would likely have used the listing agent as a dual-agent.
Maybe I'm misunderstanding something, but I find it a conflict of interest for an agent to represent both the buyer and the seller. It doesn't seem ethical. Someone works for me and me alone on my behalf, or not at all.
How would you "prove" to a listing agent that you would be a cash buyer?
a bank letter stating that you have the funding in place to make a cash offer... it does not have to state exactly what you have, just that it is enough.
One guy I know got his bank to give him a few each one for a different price range..
If you know what area you want to move to, having a buyer's agent makes sense. I'm looking in several different states for a specific kind of property and cannot take on that many buyer agents. Also, if I suddenly see a listing I want to see, I don't have the time to research a buyer's agent to see if it's someone I want to commit to. I just want to see the property asap.
That would be a headache as most agents are in a localized area.
There are going to be rude agents. I would call and say, "I am from out of state and a cash buyer. I am interested in viewing this property listed at X address. May I make an appointment to view it?" If they ask if you are represented by an agent just say clearly, "I prefer not to have one. May I make an appointment?"
Be dry and to the point. And playing devil's advocate, they probably get tons of calls from people that aren't qualified or approved or just want to see and trying to deal with only serious buyers. We get tons of complaints on this thread from sellers that are tired of showing their homes to non buyers and blame their agents for not weeding out the buyers.
However that agent sounded rude and hope you don't encounter any more.
I guess the agents you're meeting at properties who aren't asking you questions don't mind making an appearing on the 6 o'clock news one day. You might think you're sweet and innocent so you don't want to answer any questions, but the world is not a sweet nor innocent world, and there is no way I'm risking my life because you might sound serious on the phone... though, since you haven't even narrowed down which state you want to retire in, I would not consider you a serious cash buyer by any means. Not narrowing down a city is one thing, but not narrowing down a state means you have no idea what you're looking for, though you think you do.
Sounds good, thanks! (what do you mean by redacted?)
Redacted just means you black out your account number, address, and anything else that could lead to identity theft.
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