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Sad to say, I am definitely unhappy with buyer's agents I've been in contact with since relocating.
Signed a contract with one. They turned out to be so immature and unprofessional, that although we did try to work with them for awhile, we eventually gave up in disgust and just waited for the contract to run out. Horrid experience.
Another one - we visited a couple of their listings at open houses and found some serious discrepancies in their property descriptions (like a house advertised as a 2 bedroom turned out to have 1 bed in an open loft and another in the living room. That's a '0' bedroom in my opinion, or a "1" at best if you don't require walls or a door in a bedroom. Anyway, when we met this agent in person there was noticeable evasion in answering some questions about certain properties and the market. Strike 2, but at least this one didn't get a contract out of us.
I wish I knew how to find a good buyer's agent.
Frankly I've had more luck with selling agents. I'm perfectly positioned to buy a home right now in terms of approval and credit scores, but I'm extremely leery of signing a contract again. I'd want a clause stating that I could terminate the contract at will (in writing of course).
I've moved around a lot and this is the first time I find myself living in an area where buyer's agent contracts are used. I'm used to finding a good agent and working with them exclusively until the right property is found. I don't think reasonable people need a contract for that. I've never stopped using an agent for no reason. I've only stopped using an agent in very specific circumstances where they were behaving in ways that were truly unprofessional or in one case, really strange (was insanely jealous and aggressively pumped us for information if a seller's agent said anything to us while she was out of earshot. No, I'm not kidding. )
So if anyone has proven suggestions for how to find an honest, down-to-earth, professional, level-headed buyer's agent in an area where contracts are used, please share!
Those are just a few of the things I'd ask if I was looking for an agent for myself. Also, I personally would not sign a Buyers Broker Agreement until I had met the agent and we had looked at a few (as in 2 or 3 houses) together. That should give both of us a chance to decide if we want to work together. Then I'll consider signing a BBA. Otherwise, I'll continue to interview other agents.
Thanks, Gretchen, for this advice.
I'm getting a little antsy because we are hoping to buy in late summer/early fall and are frankly nervous about not being able to find a good agent to help us.
Too bad none of you good folks here on C-D forum live in my neighborhood!
I really feel bad that some of you guys (Boomerang & Suzie02 in particular) have had such bad experiences with buyers agents. Not all agents insist on using Buyers Broker Agreements, but we're "encouraged" to. I think after agents get burned a few times by disloyal clients they're more inclined to use BBA's. (Wish all our clients were like you, Boomerang, but alas, we've all had someone that we work with for months, previewing properties for them, taking extra photos, getting HOA/CC&R copies, etc only to have them come to town unexpectedly on the ONE day we've taken off in the past 6 months and buy a house through another agent. It hurts!)
I know a lot of agents will disagree with me on this, but I personally do not think anybody should sign a BBA before they've had a chance to decide if this is the right agent for them. BBA's should not be used to hold the buyer hostage. If there's no clause the agreement allowing you a 2 week trial period with that agent, then I'd insist that a clause be handwritten in that would allow for that.
There are a lot of hardworking agents out there . . . and then some that aren't. I think the r.e. industry is better served by having more accountability. If an agent doesn't provide the level of service expected by the client, then the client should be free to hire someone that can do a great job.
I have never and probably will never make anyone sign a BBA. I am trusting in people, probably too much, but that is who I am. I work extremely hard to make all of my buyers as comfortable with the buying process as possible. I have never had one complaint about me, that I know of. Yeah, sometimes I will get burnt and have someone go to a new home community and buy directly with them after showing them a bunch of homes, but I can't take it personally. I think in the end, the people who work the best, have the highest integrity and care for their clients, will be on top. Those agents will never have to have anyone sign a BBA, because the client would be well taken care of.
If you are a Realtor and you think you will not get burnt by buyers, think again, you are in the wrong business. You can't control everything in life, so stop trying. (By the way, I don't think buyers intentionally try to stab Realtors in the back, most of them anyway) It is my opinion that the ones who need clients to sign a BBA, are the ones who are afraid that they won't do that good of a job. That is my 2 cents.
Would you work w/ a seller w/o an "EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO SELL" listing agreement? If not......then why not a buyer listing agreement[BBA]? Just curious.............
Last edited by OCNYISHOME; 05-03-2008 at 05:40 AM..
Reason: addition
Sad to say, I am definitely unhappy with buyer's agents I've been in contact with since relocating.
Signed a contract with one. They turned out to be so immature and unprofessional, that although we did try to work with them for awhile, we eventually gave up in disgust and just waited for the contract to run out. Horrid experience.
Another one - we visited a couple of their listings at open houses and found some serious discrepancies in their property descriptions (like a house advertised as a 2 bedroom turned out to have 1 bed in an open loft and another in the living room. That's a '0' bedroom in my opinion, or a "1" at best if you don't require walls or a door in a bedroom. Anyway, when we met this agent in person there was noticeable evasion in answering some questions about certain properties and the market. Strike 2, but at least this one didn't get a contract out of us.
I wish I knew how to find a good buyer's agent.
Frankly I've had more luck with selling agents. I'm perfectly positioned to buy a home right now in terms of approval and credit scores, but I'm extremely leery of signing a contract again. I'd want a clause stating that I could terminate the contract at will (in writing of course).
I've moved around a lot and this is the first time I find myself living in an area where buyer's agent contracts are used. I'm used to finding a good agent and working with them exclusively until the right property is found. I don't think reasonable people need a contract for that. I've never stopped using an agent for no reason. I've only stopped using an agent in very specific circumstances where they were behaving in ways that were truly unprofessional or in one case, really strange (was insanely jealous and aggressively pumped us for information if a seller's agent said anything to us while she was out of earshot. No, I'm not kidding. )
So if anyone has proven suggestions for how to find an honest, down-to-earth, professional, level-headed buyer's agent in an area where contracts are used, please share!
Although I am encouraged to use a Buyer's Agreement, I follow practices w/ buyers similar to my Sellers. I only work w/ folks that are realistic, serious, qualified and cooperative and feel the same about me. If it is not working, I suggest they find someone else. Work w/ an agent awhile............you sound savvy enough to weed out the lemons in the long run. You will be with or communicating w/ this individual a massive amount of time and they may not always be easy times so take that time to eliminate. BBA's are a business decision...unfortunately whether it is a listing agreement or a buyers agreement, you are doing the hiring.
We are relocating from the UK to Maine and found an agent in Portland on the internet. We asked for a referral to another town in Maine (Bangor) and the realtor we were referred to did not respond after one week so we asked for another one and the same story. So we contacted our realtor in Portland again and told her the situation and even the other she recommended did not respond. We told each of these realtors in Bangor we are preapproved and will make an offer if we find the right house and even then they did not reply. I always thought the realtor worked for you and they liked selling houses and getting paid! Apparently not. The weird thing is that the houses have not been selling at all since there are no buyers--I can see why if the realtors cannot be bothered to respond to potential buyers!
The exception to this ordeal is the Portland realtor who has been very responsive--too bad the realtors in Bangor did not respond! There is no doubt where we will be buying and who will get the sale!
I appreciate all the thoughtful responses from the RE agents here - thank you.
If nothing else, it gives me hope
Today we looked at agent profiles of local RE offices. Tomorrow seems to be a big Open House day so we're going to make the rounds, and see if we run into an agent that we "connect" with, while we're at it. Fingers crossed.
Just an 'fyi' on our open house jaunt today, seeing if we can meet an agent we're interested in working with as a buyer's agent.
- First house: nobody allowed inside unless shoes are removed. Agent very obviously annoyed when we say no thanks, we won't come in. (I'm not walking around in thin nylons socks on tile/stone floors for anybody. It's cold. That's why I'm wearing warm shoes).
- Second house: we arrive, there's no agent, no signs. We look at the Open House advertisement printed from Craigslist. Right date, right time - but no cars, no lights, nobody home. Hmmm.
- Third house: agent professionally dressed, very low key, seemed quite nice. The best one of the day, as it turns out. The only troubling thing is that we don't sense any energy or drive at all. Not sure she can handle deadlines or multiple clients very well. But, definitely one to consider.
- Fourth house: this agent is abrupt, impersonal, brushing people off. Quick look and we're gone.
- Fifth house: OMG, this agent is driven all right. Too many direct questions obviously fishing for business; an in-your-face take-no-prisoners type. Worse, the house needs at least 100Gs worth of serious repairs and renovation but the agent keeps insisting it has "potential" for us. I see potential in basically sound houses, but I'm not taking on a bona fide teardown that would be better off meeting a bulldozer than my contractor. I need this agent for a buyer's rep like a chicken coop needs a fox
- Sixth house: relief, this agent's decent. Not pushy, not offering to help either, but OK. Not giving me the warm fuzzies I'd like to have about somebody I expect to spend a lot of quality, stressful time with
- Seventh house: agent tells us that the house -- small, dark, tiny rooms -- looks better when it's empty I have no response to that.
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It hurts!)
I agree
I have no response to that.
