Do you want your realtor to give you advice? (recommendation, documents, agent)

[emotiioo]

I have a realtor I have worked with on multiple properties. She is very very careful to be neutral until I wear her out with showings and indecision (sometimes this happens. Well let's face it. It happens often. I like looking at property.) Then she gets more frank and will make more pointed (but still professional) recommendations. She does not openly advocate, but after she gets frustrated enough with my back and forth she will sort of steer the conversation to a specific property.

I value this. I think she knows her stuff and she has not led me astray yet.

On my first property purchase, I worked with a very flashy and successful "team." I was a bit dazzled by them-- this was in NYC and they seemed to be "movers and shakers." I was talked into a co-op that I ended up losing money on. Come to find out, they got a much bigger commission for selling me that place rather than the one I really thought I wanted.

So, I ask the audience (and prepare for flaming from those who say realtors cannot legally advise this way) do you WANT your realtor to give any input, even subtle input, to your house hunt? Do you want them even to send you listings that you might like? Or do you prefer a totally neutral party who organizes showings and opens lock boxes? (And I am speaking here as a buyer-- of course a seller wants something different.)

[WorldKlas]

I am always interested in the realtor's obervations and comparisons between properties.

[lae60]

I want a realtor to suggest properties that I may like based on my comments on other properties.

I do not want a realtor to say "there is nothing wrong with this property--it has everything on your list, what do you want to offer on it?".

That did happen with me with one realtor, and the problem was the neighbor started in about children as soon as we pulled up. Nope, not living next to that person. Then the realtor argued that any house could have neighbors like that, we do not know all of them from one visit and they could change anyway. Well, sure, but I won't buy a property knowing up front that the neighbor is going to be difficult.

I refused his second day of 'service' and went with a different realtor, who did take me to a house one of the other realtors in his office had listed and bought it. Good decision on my part. I would NEVER have considered that house as the outside photo shows an ugly house. And it was! but totally fixable!

[jaynarie]

With the internet, I can find my own listings to look at. I don't need a realtor for that.
What I do need a realtor for is assessing a home. My realtor was great about giving me the information I needed to know. Whether or not it was priced correctly, how the values in that exact neighborhood have been trending, how the neighborhood's climate is trending (declining/unkempt properties, improving, lots of rentals, etc...), what potential maintenance could need to be done over the next few years (roof, furnace, windows, etc...), and so forth. I used my agent as more than someone to unlock the door. The home I purchased was owned by people my parents have known for 40+ years. My agent was out of town for a family emergency when it hit the market. My mom called them and we (mom and I) went over and looked at it with the sellers. I texted my agent and told him I wanted to make an offer, but wanted to walk the property with him first. Two days later, when he was back in town, we walked through and wrote the offer. I didn't need to see the property again. I needed him to see it so I could get his opinion on my offer price.

[Piney Creek]

Our buyer's realtor rarely gives advice, but when he does we appreciate it (probably because it's a rare thing, so we tend to think it must be important).

Examples of advice:

1. Twice he's given advice about neighbors we might want to avoid, which is probably bending the rules but was much appreciated. One time he blatantly said "I wouldn't choose to live there" and another time he was more subtle, advising us to read a facebook page for that street. (Very good advice, the FB page had some bragging about loud parties and complaints about kids egging cars).

2. He's good about getting us HOA documents, and if we're looking at an HOA that is unusually strict (or sometimes unusually lax) he will find subtle ways to advise us about it. Or simply suggest we really read the HOA rules before choosing that neighborhood.

3. He's particularly good at knowing the history of and future plans for nearby plots of land. He's given us advice to avoid being near a future amusement park and also avoiding being near places where military exercises might create a lot of noise.

4. One time he took us to a home that hadn't been listed. It belonged to a women in his church who died, and her daughter had come in from out of town to renovate and then sell it. She hadn't actually started renovations or set a price when he took us by, and she was there while we took a look at it.

He asked her if he could show it to me because the original owner had painted extensive murals and I'm particularly fond of murals. Finding a buyer who likes murals isn't all that common, so it was sort of an unusual situation. He told told her we would buy the house "as is" so she didn't need to do renovations. It was a stunning house, and a very nice morning. The daughter pointed out a lot of details about the murals, which we really enjoyed, and we spent about an hour telling her stories about her mom, which I think was very special to her.

In the end she decided to do the renovation, paint over the murals, and sell it for more than we could afford. I don't blame her, it really was a lovely house and she will probably get a nice price. But it was the one time our realtor tried to offer advice and also took us to a home before it was listed. I appreciated it (and appreciated seeing how kind he was to the woman, I think she really needed to hear the stories about her mom and feel like she had someone to talk to.)

[scitu8]

I don't call it advice. Rather, I educate. Sometimes I don't even have a showing appointment, I just drive and tour. Particularly if clients are trying to decide which town. Focus on aspects that are important to them I.e. Schools, beaches, boating, lot sizes/zoning, etc...

[MikeJaquish]

Whether invited or desired, or not, the agent who doesn't bother to share what they know had better have a firm grasp on the difference between gossip and material fact.
Withholding material fact? Whether the client wants to hear it or not? Highway to the Danger Zone!

[Volvo Driver]

Always listen to the opinion & advice of a professional realtor. Always.

You don't have to follow said advice, but you sure should be aware of it!

[marino760]

Of course I would want my realtor to give me advice. Their opinion and advice is partially what I rely on if I don't know a town or area. The last thing I want is a realtor that knows there's a crack house on a street and doesn't tell me.

[HighFlyingBird]

In my last move, which was cross country and into a climate/area I have never lived in, I was so glad for my realtor's advice. I think I would have made a huge mistake without her. But she really listened to our needs and went above and beyond to find us the perfect house.