I was having a conversation the other day where I was outlining the process of using a Realtor. I started spelling off the reasons why a person should always use an agent to buy a home. I feel that a lot of the time people are hesitant to use a Realtor at first or that they feel the need to hold back before jumping in. It’s true that once you start up the dialogue with a Realtor, they’re going to really start helping you to find a home. But that being said, if you’re interested in buying a home, don’t you want some help with that? A Realtor’s livelihood is based on making sales, but they have professional codes of conduct, ethics and business practices which direct them to perform to the best of their ability on your behalf. It seems common sense to me that using a Realtor to help you find homes is the best way to go, but of course I am one.
Before I got into Real Estate sales, I bought my first home using a Realtor, and found that they took the tension out of the process. Before that transaction, I had little or no experience with the process of buying or selling a home except what I’d seen in ads on tv or read in a book. It seemed simple up front but I think that without my Realtor’s help the whole thing may have been a nightmare and I actually quite likely wouldn’t have made the sale work as it almost collapsed on us once. She made it work and the keys showed up on the right day and all the paperwork was completed and both parties were happy. What would this have looked like if I hadn’t used her; I’d rather not think about it.
Agency between Realtor and Client exists so that you don’t have to make every call, booking, and negotiation; not to mention the directing of the pound of paperwork associated with your purchase. And when it comes time to negotiate with the other Realtor and seller, your Realtor is there to do that job… and they’re trained to do it and do it well (and best of all, in your best interest).
If you’re like my business partner and I, then you’re probably very busy with your business, job, family, hobbies. Unlike us though, we spend our days living and breathing real estate. Finding the time to sift through all of the MLS listings on a regular basis is hard to do and many times a home that’s perfectly suited to you slips through your fingers before you even know it’s available. As Nicholas has pointed out in a previous post, he and I are up every morning, grabbing a coffee and checking what’s new and what’s changed in the market. We have searches set up for all our clients that let us know when something new shows up that fits your search criteria and we take a look through those numbers, pictures and locations everyday. Often times a photo can be misleading and won’t give you the right impression; your Realtor may have already been through home or know what the neighbourhood is like. That great deal that could be yours might be skipped over because the listing writeup didn’t look so hot. Your Realtor can sift and select homes best suited for you as they do it on a regular bases. It’s not that you can’t look things up on the MLS yourself, but the question is do you really want to? Wouldn’t it be better and easier to have a professional doing it for you?
And you would probably like to know, ”what’s it going to cost?” Nothing! Yes, I said it, 99% of the time, your Realtor is going to help you buy a home at zero cost to you. They will spend their own money, driving around with you, printing paperwork and talking endlessly on the phone for you – at no cost to you as a Buyer. ”Then what’s in it for them?” They make their commission much like a mortgage broker does, by getting paid by the seller (or the lender, in most cases with a broker). ”What do they want from me?” Well ehey would love to have your loyalty as a client; someone they can trust will continue to work with them (or sign a buyer’s agency agreement – but that’s another story!), a handshake is usually enough.
If you found this article useful please write a quick note below. We only contact people who contact us via email or telephone directly – the comments section is for conversation purposes only. To reach either Nicholas or myself directly please call 1-800-388-5882 or email info@RealtyVictoria.org for information on listings or general real estate related questions. Thanks!
