Like any profession, realtors are NOT all the same. Buying a home is often the most expensive decision we'll make, so why work with someone who doesn't have the skill set and experience to best represent you or whose priority lies with the seller rather than you?
What can a good realtor do for me? 🙋♀️
Contrary to what some people may think, a realtor's biggest responsibility isn't finding you a house. Sure, that's part of what we do, and finding homes for my clients is what I enjoy. But with the popularity of so many home search websites (Zillow, Redfin, etc.), home buyers today are usually able to find interesting homes on their own.
Instead, the biggest part of a realtor's job is negotiating on your behalf and protecting your interests! Often, a real estate agent can make or break a home sale — a great realtor will help you get the home you have your eye on while a bad one could foul up the transaction. A great realtor has a wonderful team around her and is your resource for reputable lenders, inspectors, contractors and others critical parties to the home buying process. A not-so-great realtor may cause you to spend more money or worse, end up in a home that has multiple expensive issues down the line.
Having someone on your side to safeguard your interests is especially critical when buying a home. I often encounter would-be home buyers who heard that the best way to get a great deal on a home is to work with the seller's agent (listing agent). The idea behind that thinking, which is often received from a well-meaning friend or relative, is that by working with a listing agent, they would be capitalizing on that realtor's greed, for lack of a better word, to complete the sale. That's because if an agent is filling a dual agent role by representing both the buyer and the seller, he or she would be earning two commissions. It's important to note, however, that while dual agency is allowed, I think it represents an inherent conflict of interest. A listing agent's fiduciary duty is first and foremost to the seller. By representing you, the buyer, there may be a tendency to sweep things under the rug or gloss over potential areas of concern for the sake of completing the sale and earning both commissions.
Think of it this way: if you were being sued, would you hire the same lawyer that the plaintiff is using? Of course not, because you need someone to represent your interests and who will work hard to defend only you. In the same vein, by working with a buyer's agent, you stand a better chance of 1) not negotiating against yourself during the offer process, 2) working out a fairer arrangement with the seller if there are repairs or fixes needed in the home and 3) having someone in your court if an issue crops up.
Further, a real estate agent that is working for you who is knowledgeable will be able to write a clean home sale contract in a way that will protect you, while demonstrating all the positive aspects of your offer to the seller. This helps your offer stand out among any others that a seller might have received. A local real estate expert will also be able to help you understand neighborhood trends and what homes in the area are selling for, so you'll know what a reasonable offer will look like, and avoid overpaying for a home.
Questions? Let me know!
