Agents/Showings Ettiquette (buyer's agent, Realtor, listing, sellers)

[Chenebe]

I come from outside the USA. Here the practice is for sellers to find a listing agent and list with them. The agents run open homes. Buyers come to open homes by themselves (very unusual to have a buyers agent here) and when they find the home they want, they make an offer through the listing agent.

I am getting a picture that practices are different in the US? Open homes are rare. Buyers agents more common.

I am going to be moving to Washington State in a couple of months. I think I should probably get a buyer's agent because I am unfamiliar with the local RE scene. I plan to rent from 6 months to a year to get familiar with the area. But I want to start looking at houses (to buy) immediately, eventhough I am unlikely to buy for up to a year (unless I see something utterly compelling).

Here where I am from, I can just turn up at an open home and familiarise myself at my own pace. I would feel quite awkward asking a buyers agent to "waste" his or her time going along with me to what could be dozens of houses for an entire year before I am ready to buy. It seems quite rude.

On the other hand, it did take me two years to find my current house, so I do feel I need to look at a few houses anyway, even if I was wanting to buy immediately.

Would any buyer's agent want to take the trouble with a window shopper like me? But will listing agents open a house for me to look at on my own?

[OCNYISHOME]

In NY State, law requires that a buyer understand from the first significant contact who the agent represents. In my areas, you may have the listing agent put in the offer but you need to know that they work for the seller and by law have the sellers best interest in mind OR they become a dual agent which prevents them from advocating or advising either side. Not knowing an area market, you should find a reputable buyers agent, who will have your interest in mind, know the local market, advise and educate as you look at homes. You are not being rude to these professionals...that is how they make their money. Open Houses are more common then a few years earlier as listing agents dusted off some rusty tools to be more competitive in a difficult market.....

[cynmkolohe]

You can certainly start speaking with agents in the area that you are interested in and try to find someone with whom you feel comfortable communicating. Ask the agent to set you up for email updates about new listings, etc.

When you are in the area, you can visit Open Houses hosted by listing agents on your own, just tell the agent who is hosting that you are already working with a Realtor. If you find a home you like, then call your agent and request that he/she arrange a private showing so that you can view the house with your own agent present.

When you are ready to purchase, you will have already developed a relationship with an agent who can represent you and you will have a strong market knowledge because you have been observing trends for several months.

Good luck!

With aloha,

Cynthia