Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
As I go through property listings, I find the ones interested however when I sent out request for more info, I get different agents handling the sale of the properties. Now i have more then dozen agents in touch with me. Is that how the house search supposed to take place? Or is it possible to choose one agent and let him/her handle whatever I find? Thanks,
You are dealing with junk sites like Zillow, Trulia, Homes.com, Realtor.com, who are shopping your information to anyone who will pay for it, like flesh-peddling.
Get a buyers agent to work for you.
You want a buyer's agent. A buyer's agent represents you and looks out for your best interests. These other agents you're contacting only have a fiduciary responsiblity to their client, the seller. One nice perk is that your buyer's agent will setup showing appointments for you and deal with all the listing agents. I'm sure right now you have all these agents calling you constantly and bugging you.
Most agents will be happy to represent a buyer. Ask some friends for a recommendation. Perhaps, call some local real estate offices and ask to speak with an agent. Make sure to interview 2 or 3 in order to find one that's the right fit. Be very clear about your expectations up front and you'll be very happy in the end.
As I go through property listings, I find the ones interested however when I sent out request for more info, I get different agents handling the sale of the properties. Now i have more then dozen agents in touch with me. Is that how the house search supposed to take place? Or is it possible to choose one agent and let him/her handle whatever I find? Thanks,
Either look yourself like you do, or pay an extra 3% for an agent doing the same for you.
Depends on your income level, which option makes more financial sense to you.
Announcing your interest in buying property online, is like announcing online that you want to buy a new car ... then, trying to avoid getting overrun by eager salesmen.
Your best bet is to identify a local agent that you feel comfortable with ... and let them run interference for you. You can still do all the online research you want and pick out homes you might be interested in seeing. If you aren't satisfied, find another agent. But, as you have quickly become aware, you can't work with 'all' the agents at the same time.
I found an agency's MLS search that I liked and requested a Buyer's Agent. She worked with me closely. When I saw something I liked, I e-mailed her and she did all the checking, going out and taking pictures, getting answers to questions I had. It was great. I dealt with her only. By the end of my search, she and I were so closely in tune that the same day a property hit the MLS, our e-mails crossed saying that this was the one. And it was. Buyer's Agent. Only way to go.
How do I find buyer's agent? Do I pay a fee? I can deal with couple of agent's same time as long as the number is in 2-3.
There are several ways to find a buyers agent.
You can ask your friends or family or co-workers for referrals for an agent.
You can go to your local CD forum for the area in which you are interested and post: "I need recommendations for a good buyers agent in ....." You will get many DMs.
You can go to Open Houses and speak to agents. Many agents hold open houses only to find buyers to work with.
You can do a Google search for a real estate agent in your area.
How buyers agents are paid.
Most commonly the buyers agent is compensated by the listing agent for the property, from the listing fee which is embedded in the purchase price. So, while buyer agency is not "free," generally you will not pay more than the purchase price out of pocket for an agent.
If you want to buy a home where the listing agent is not paying much for a buyers agent, or a home sold by the owner without an agent where the owner will not pay your buyers agent, you may have to pay your agent directly. Where I live and work, this is fairly uncommon and I have never had to ask a buyer for compensation.
How to select a good agent.
Meet in person and trust your gut.
Ask a few questions to determine how well you fit with the agent.
Are you a full-time real estate agent? For how long? You want a full time agent who is focused on real estate and on you.
Will I be dealing with you, or be handed off to someone on your team? If I will work with your team, tell me about the people who will be serving me. Will I always have easy access to you if I want to talk to you?
Can you afford to be in the business? This is important. You should never hear whining from your agent about the cost of gasoline, cell phone, paper, or other minor expenses.
What areas or towns do you work in? Many agents can work a broad area but few can work everywhere their license allows and still be effective.
Will you show me homes listed by agents from other companies?
Do you make more money or bonuses if you sell homes listed by your company?
Will you only show me listings from your company first, or all homes that meet my criteria at any time?
Do you use buyer agency agreements? Why or why not? Never sign an exclusive agency agreement that will not allow you to terminate at any time prior to finding a property. Don't be tied to someone who you find you don't care for or find is not responsive, etc.
How will we communicate? Phone, email, text, etc? How often? You should feel comfortable, and communication should be focused on you, not just routine marketing garbage pumping the agent.
"Tell me about a couple of transactions where you think your buyers got great deals." Don't bother asking an agent what average percentage they negotiate off the listing price. It is a meaningless stat that has nothing to do with negotiation skills.
Can you refer me to other service providers; inspectors, lenders, surveyors, attorneys, etc? Can I use my own service providers?
Ask for references from satisfied buyers who the agent has represented recently and in the past.
As I go through property listings, I find the ones interested however when I sent out request for more info, I get different agents handling the sale of the properties. Now i have more then dozen agents in touch with me. Is that how the house search supposed to take place? Or is it possible to choose one agent and let him/her handle whatever I find? Thanks,
Find a good local agent and deal with them ONLY. All the trash sites you have been combing through will bother you until the cows come home purple if you allow them to continue. When they contact you again tell them no thank you and not to contact you again and send all of their email contact to the spam folder.
Either look yourself like you do, or pay an extra 3% for an agent doing the same for you.
Depends on your income level, which option makes more financial sense to you.
There is zero guarantee that not using a buyer's agent will save you money. And if the person is inexperienced, which it appears the OP is, it could end up costing you even more.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
