Should I look at a different realtor? (agents, agreement, closing)
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I have been looking at buying a condo just for the past month or so have I really gotten intrested. I found a realtor via a website who called me and seemed to be all ears. She was very easy to talk to and I was excited about working with her. She set me up with a search site that sends me listings as they come on and she has called me a few times checking in. I was approved for a mortgage and am ready to get serious. I will admit we have not even met in person yet, I asked her via email the other day if I could meet her to look at a place and she send me paperwork/documents to go over before we meet that bascially will make her my exclusive agent meaning I cant work with other agents for a set time frame. I told her I was not sure about siging these yet and since then it seems she is too busy to even meet;everyday I am avail. to look at places she says she is booked to max or its "a wash" yet she is avail. on days I am not. She sent me a listing the other day that I was very intrested in seeing. She said if you are intrested in seeing any of these listings please let me know. So I responded on Saturday and never got a response back. My price range is low for the area and what I want go quick if you dont act fast.
Should I start over with a new realtor? Does she not take me seriously? FYI I am 25 years old/first time homebuyer.
It does sound like this agent is too busy to work with you, so it may be best to interview another couple of agents. Make an appointment to go to their office and interview face to face.
You've learned some questions to ask already, and you know that you have to act quickly. Now you need to find a "good" agent who can act quickly with you.
Don't look for an agent who has zero business because that may not be a good sign. The agent should be busy with clients, but should treat every client as if they are their only client.
and since then it seems she is too busy to even meet...
First... call the LISTING agent for that one specific property you liked.
Arrange to have a walk through.
Don't sign anything that day... just go home and mull over your impressions of
1) the property itself and
2) your experience of being in person with THAT agent.
Lots of great advice already given so I will just co-sign
1. Find someone that will be a good fit for you before signing anything. Make sure that the two of you are a good fit. You may find an agent being the top producer in their region and you just don't click for some reason. For whatever reason, you need to click with your agent.
2. You agent should be your advocate and your teacher. One of our jobs is to educate you on the process of purchasing real estate and coach you through the process. I find that a quality that great agents have is the ability to teach/coach their clients. We do many more transactions in a year than a typical Buyer will do in a lifetime. It is a daunting process and your agent should be there to assist you all the way to the closing table.
3. I loved what Captain Bill stated - A good agent should treat their client like they are their one and only client. That is how the good agents get referral, after referral, after referral
Good luck to you and I know you will find your first property soon and it will become your home even faster!
I have been looking at buying a condo just for the past month or so have I really gotten intrested. I found a realtor via a website who called me and seemed to be all ears. She was very easy to talk to and I was excited about working with her. She set me up with a search site that sends me listings as they come on and she has called me a few times checking in. I was approved for a mortgage and am ready to get serious. I will admit we have not even met in person yet, I asked her via email the other day if I could meet her to look at a place and she send me paperwork/documents to go over before we meet that bascially will make her my exclusive agent meaning I cant work with other agents for a set time frame. I told her I was not sure about siging these yet and since then it seems she is too busy to even meet;everyday I am avail. to look at places she says she is booked to max or its "a wash" yet she is avail. on days I am not. She sent me a listing the other day that I was very intrested in seeing. She said if you are intrested in seeing any of these listings please let me know. So I responded on Saturday and never got a response back. My price range is low for the area and what I want go quick if you dont act fast.
Should I start over with a new realtor? Does she not take me seriously? FYI I am 25 years old/first time homebuyer.
Thanks for the feedback
So she's been responsive and helpful as you browse around & learn the market. She provided you with information about homes. Then, when she shows you the paperwork that will make her your agent, the legal framework for her getting paid when she does the job you want her to do, you tell her you don't want to sign those documents. So she has no guarantee that she is going to get paid for the work you want her to do. Why should she spend any more time with you?
Read the papers she sent you. Have the meeting. Ask questions about the forms, the whole agency relationship, what you can expect from her in the way of service. Then decide if you want to sign the papers so she can move forward & help you without being concerned that she might be working ffor free. If you don't want to sign them, don't expect her to work for you.
I use buyer agency agreements but while I present them at our first meeting, I don't require they be signed until after our first day out. I think buyers need to see what value I offer before committing. Some agents won't take buyers out without that document signed. In that case I would sign a one day buyer agency agreement for just the day you go out. If you don't like the agent move on. 2BinDenver does one day buyer agency agreements and that seemed fair to me as a way to protect the agent and still give the buyer an opportunity to evaluate the agent.
If your gut is making you ask this question, then go with it. We didn't and regretted it. We were assigned an agent in a relocation program, didn't hit it off from the start and it just went down hill from there. Since we had limited time, we felt we needed to stick it out vs. starting over with a new realtor. Wish we had started over. He didn't have our best interest in mind, was useless, and was just wanting "to win" - his words in an email to us as some form of an apology.
So she's been responsive and helpful as you browse around & learn the market. She provided you with information about homes. Then, when she shows you the paperwork that will make her your agent, the legal framework for her getting paid when she does the job you want her to do, you tell her you don't want to sign those documents. So she has no guarantee that she is going to get paid for the work you want her to do. Why should she spend any more time with you?
Read the papers she sent you. Have the meeting. Ask questions about the forms, the whole agency relationship, what you can expect from her in the way of service. Then decide if you want to sign the papers so she can move forward & help you without being concerned that she might be working ffor free. If you don't want to sign them, don't expect her to work for you.
This right here pretty much sums up the situation as I read it from the original post.
The agent has given a demonstration of the kind of work that she does. Now that it's time to get serious, she's sent the paperwork to make that happen so that she gets paid for the work that she does, and so that it's clear what everyone's expectations and responsibilities are, in writing - no surprises. This probably should have been done sooner in the process.
The last paragraph pretty clearly describes what the OP's procedure should be now.
Hint, OP. Here, at least, any agent who works for you is going to expect you to sign the same paperwork hiring them; that determines whether they are representing your interests or the seller's interests. Any agent who doesn't expect you to sign the paperwork, is not working for you because you haven't hired them, and thus is representing the seller's interests.
Thanks for the responses they are helpful. But why would I hire someone that is never available when I need to look at units? How do I know she is not going to be this way once I sign the paper and "hire" her? I tried to contact her today but she has no responses. I am still lost on what to do..
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