Working With Your Buyer's Agent

You talk to friends, look through ads, and peruse the Internet searching for that special relationship. Finally you meet someone compatible! Sound familiar?

It may not be that special someone, but having the right real estate agent can make your life a lot easier. As in all good relationships, honest communication, trust, and loyalty are essential in moving forward. (This means on both sides. Your agent can't help you if you're not up-front and cooperative.)

Remember, this is not an adversarial relationship. So here are some tips on getting along with your new best friend:

• Do some soul searching. What factors are the most important to you in your quest for living space? This can be a deck, office, view of the lake, whatever makes you happy. Everything can change, but at least have a viable starting point.

• Get pre-approved. Talk to a reputable mortgage broker or lending institution and get the bottom line on what you can really afford.  Experienced agents insist that you do this in the beginning and you'll need it right away if you want to present an offer.

• Choose one agent. If you insist on using more than one agent, be up-front about it.

• Don't ask your agent about the race or religious factors of any neighborhood. It's illegal for agents to respond and they can lose their license if they do.

• Search the Internet and educate yourself about available properties. Pick out some homes you would like to view. This will educate you about the market and let the agent know what you like.

• Let the agent choose listings for you to see too. Good agents know the inventory of available housing and may come up with properties you overlooked, but that match your tastes.

• Give as much lead time as possible for your agent to set up multiple appointments. Leaving messages and receiving calls back takes time. The agent is coordinating your time, another agent's time, and sometimes the owner's time, plus juggling sequential appointments.

• Be on time for appointments. Everyone is on a tight schedule and being just 10 or 15 minutes late can throw off a day's appointments for all of the parties involved.

• Sign contracts promptly when making an offer. Other offers can come in ahead of yours, or you may not be taken seriously if you aren't prompt.  It's not a contract unless it's signed.

• Attend home inspections personally unless it's truly unavoidable. The firsthand account of the condition of your home is priceless information. Reading the report isn't the same.

• Work closely with your real estate team to make sure the transition happens smoothly. Don't get overly worked up about glitches on the way to closing. It's just the attorney, inspector, lending companies, and closers doing their jobs.

Some Outstanding Questions

Q. What if we get to the showing and I don't like the exterior of the building. Why should I waste my time going inside?

A. Take a few minutes and walk through. You learn from every home you see; expect to look at many homes before you find the one that's right for you. Also, both agents and the owner of the home have set aside time for you. It's rude to walk away.


Q. What if I start working with an agent and suddenly I can't stand them anymore?

A. It can happen. Don't feel bad.  The short answer is unless you have a buyer's agent agreement, just find a new agent you like better.

You will run into problems, however, if you decide you want a home the first agent showed you months ago. That agent is almost always entitled to the commission because they showed it to you first. And rest assured, if they find out you are proceeding with the purchase, the agent and broker will fight for the commission.

Next article: Home Buyer's Game Plan 

Previous article: Real Estate Agent Contracts for Buyers

Related Links

• Questions for Your Buyer's Agent
• Real Estate Agent Contracts for Buyers