Why Use a Realtor When Buying a Home

Its 2016 – Just about every home is available to look at online, you can research schools and neighborhoods easily with Google and you can even bid on a house online. Easy stuff so why would you need a realtor?

First time home buyers often have the impression that you only need a realtor to sell your house, when nothing could be farther from the truth.  You need a licensed real estate professional to represent you whether buying OR selling your property, period.

 

Here is the top 10 countdown of why you need to get involved with a Realtor early in your home search.

10) A Buyers agent will help you understand different financing options, and make sure your financing flows seamlessly into the transaction. You’d be silly to think a Buyer’s agent doesn’t know the best lenders in town through experience, because we do!  Obtaining the loan is the most time consuming part of buying property.  When paired up with a good lender, the process can be smooth and efficient so you can get one step closer to moving into the perfect home.

9) An agent on your side means negotiation power.  Let’s say you were involved in a lawsuit. Would you go to court and represent yourself, or are you going to hire a good lawyer who will be paid by the opposition?  In Real Estate, it works the same way.  If you win, you get a great deal on good terms.  If you lose, you may leave thousands on the tables and not get the terms and conditions you really want, or may not get a hot property at all.

 

8) A buyer agent will provide you with good comparable properties to properly value the home.  Comps can be found on some third party websites but with not nearly the power and accuracy of the MLS.  Direct comps are what you should pay for a property, so you know you are either getting a good deal, or not overpaying.

7) Recommendations – It’s not just lenders who we know.  Day in and out we deal with home inspectors, insurance agents, title offices, contractors and more.  Every transaction is going to involve a multitude of parties that you may have never realized.  While you are free to choose who you would like to use in many of these situations, through experience a Buyer’s agent can get you in touch with the best in the business.

6)  Guidance through the transaction – The standard Purchase contract in Arizona is not exactly a quick read.  It’s filled with a LOT of information that can be daunting if not explained.  90% of transactions are going to be “cookie cutter”. It’s the 10% that have issues along the way where an agent who understand the contract on your side that’s going to make the difference of keeping a transaction together, loss of monies, changes of terms, change of price, the list could go on and on.

 

5) A wise man once said “you can read about it and talk about it until you are blue in the face, but until you DO it, you don’t KNOW it” You need the expertise of someone who has DONE it. – The nuances of buying real estate are vast and there are just some things that come from experience that you can’t learn in a book or online.  Learning the nuances of neighborhoods, housing types, HOA rules, inspections, contractual negotiations and obligations take time.  Buyer’s agents have this experience to share with you.

4) Although most properties are available online, the MLS is still the holy grail of listings and where all other sources feed from.  However, the problem is not 100% if listing are fed from the MLS to other sites like Zillow or Trulia leaving some behind.  Additionally a good agent often knows about upcoming property listings or off market properties that may be matches for you that nobody else knows about.  These can be extremely valuable in a hot and competitive market. Getting access to the MLS is only done through a licensed Realtor.

3) A buyer’s agent will save you TONS of time. Why do something yourself when you can have a professional do it for you?  And if there is anything we are all short on these days, it’s time. Knowing the right people, the right places, and the best neighborhoods, and the quickest way to get from point A to point B. A buyer’s agent will take care of all the processes you would otherwise have to take care of yourself.  A buyer’s agent sole purpose is to help you get into your new home.  Why take the long road?

2) A buyer’s agent has a legal and ethical responsibility to represent your best interest at all times. Some of the duties that your agent has to you include: loyalty to you, promoting your best interests, disclosing known material facts, maintaining confidential information, and accounting for any money they handle in the transaction. If your agent knows something about the seller that might influence your decision to buy or not or to alter your offering price, they have a duty to disclose that to you subject to federal and fair housing laws. It’s nice to know that someone has your back when you’re in the trenches of buying real estate.

1) There is no Cost to you!

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