5 Key Reasons Why You Need to Hire a Real Estate Buyer’s Agent
Existing home sales in April dipped slightly compared to sales that time last year to 402,000 sales for the month.
For the same month, home prices ticked up 2.5 percent (on average) compared to sales April 2018, according to data from the National Association of Realtors.
One could say that as the volume of sales slows and prices increase that sellers are having their way with the market.
You need a pro, a champion that's going to fight for you in the wild world of real estate.
You need a real estate buyer's agent.
It's tempting to simplify the nutty process of finding and buying a home by not including another agent.
But let's talk about this. At least, I can tell you the good things that come from having an agent on your side.
1. Interests and Obligations
Whose agent is the buyer's agent? Yours!
As a designated buyer's agent, it is their duty to look out for your interest in looking for property to buy.
A lot of seller's agents use taglines like "Getting people into their dream homes" or "Finding the perfect home for you." These are veiled ways of saying that they will take on part of the burden of finding suitable housing prospects.
2. They Know the 'Hood
Buyer's agents know how to put a potential purchase into context.
That's huge, especially if you don't know an area by personal experience. Agents will know what prices are fair based on several factors. These include previous sale data, experience with homes in the area and agent or owner personalities.
3. Real Estate Buyer's Agents Increase Prospects
Since it's the buyer's agent's obligation to get you into a home, they will be motivated to find you listings that meet your standards.
Agents like this also have relationships with listing agents to get a heads up on possible sales or little-known prospects.
Since they do this kind of work full-time, they can also filter through more listings than you and coordinate several showings for you.
4. Control the Process
Buyer's agents often have very good documentation to work with. These could include a form offer letter or sales and purchase offers. And, time is often of the essence in a lot of cities.
They also come in as experts to help with one when a move and buying a property is going to get crazy, like buying and moving internationally.
If you're making a move across the pond, you'll want to check out Conveyancing Supermarket to get started on finding your English equivalent of a real estate buyer's agent: they're called conveyancing solicitors.
5. Did You Say Free?
Most buyer's agents won't charge an upfront fee to start work. It's like having cake and eating it too.
That said, they do get paid from the proceeds of the home that you pay for with a mortgage. That might have a bearing on the price of the home you buy.
Level the Playing Field
People selling homes use professionals and their firms to sell a home at as high a price as possible. You need a real estate buyer's agent that can combat that interest. Don't forget to bookmark our site and keep checking back for the latest posts!
