All In All...
Road Bumps & Conclusion?
Most real estate transactions go fine, but almost everyone has a challenge or two. These challenges are often routine and easy to overcome but sometimes not. One party may come out on top in a dispute and the other may feel that they did not.
When there is only one agent, the buyer may sometimes feel that the agent took the seller's side in a dispute. Often the criticism
Agency and Disclosure
When you make an offer directly with the listing agent, the agent will disclose the possible working relationships that exist - whether they are going to represent both you and the seller, or just represent the seller. There will be a document you sign called an "agency disclosure" that spells out the relationship.
When representing both sides, an ethical agent becomes more of a transaction facilitator
Offers Through The Listing Agent
For argument's sake, suppose you see a property that is "just perfect" and you don't have an agent yet? Do you make an offer with the listing agent?
Well, most deals have two agents involved. The listing agent markets the house and represents the seller. The selling agent represents the buyer. The seller pays the real estate commissions to both agents.
When you make an offer directly to the listing
Your Realtor Search
One way to find candidates to interview is to talk to professionals from real estate related professions and ask their opinion. If you know someone who is employed as an escrow officer, title representative, homeowner’s insurance salesman, or loan officer, they will be able to recommend Realtors from the area they work in.
If you talk to a loan officer, be sure it is someone who deals primarily
Shopping For An Agent
Your first step should be to shop for a Realtor, not to shop for property. Shop for a Realtor the way you would shop for a good attorney, accountant, mechanic, plumber, doctor, financial advisor, or other professional.
Now that we have the Internet, you have more information at your fingertips than buyers from the past. The web is a good place to start. There are lots of directories that
Find Your Own Realtor
Actually, the best thing for you to do when you see an advertisement in the paper is to call your own Realtor and tell them about the advertisement. Since addresses usually do not appear in advertisements, your Realtor will call the listing agent and find out the MLS number for the property. If the listing is on the internet, it probably already provides the MLS number.
The MLS number
Finding A Realtor Accidentally
When someone decides it is time to sell their home, they interview several Realtors from different companies to determine which one is best for them. They want someone who will represent them and someone they feel will do an effective job at marketing their home.
However, when someone decides to buy a home, they usually end up with their Realtor through sheer accident. Why don't home
Is Advertising What You Think?
Listing agents place ads for several reasons. First, they need to show the seller that they are doing something to sell their home. Second, by showing how much they advertise, they can also attract other individuals who are thinking of selling their homes.
They point to their ads to show their clients that they are aggressively marketing the property. When other home sellers constantly
Listing Vs. Selling Agents
You see, there are two "sides" to every sale: the listing side and the selling side. Most deals have an agent representing each side, so there are generally two agents involved the seller's side is represented by the listing agent. The buyer's side is represented by the selling agent (also known as the buyer's agent).
Agents can deal with both buyers and sellers, but the majority of them tend