The Ultimate Guide to VA Loans by Grant Moon

Author:Grant Moon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby

Finding an Agent

When shopping for a home, most consumers start out with a casual search on the internet for homes in an area that interests them. Doing so can give you an idea of where you’d like to live and how much homes cost in that neighborhood. Unless you’re an experienced real estate agent, however, you should find one and utilize his or her services.

You, as the buyer, do not pay for the services of a buyer’s agent. The buyer’s agent gets compensated by the seller of the property as part of the sales commissions issued to the agent who puts up the home for sale, known as the listing agent.

A buyer’s agent will help identify not only where you’d like to live, but can also provide you with other information that might be more difficult to find. For example, suppose there’s a neighborhood that interests you but your agent informs you that a new shopping mall will be built right across the street from it in the near future. Or a condominium association is consistently involved in some sort of litigation, raising condominium fees and making it more difficult for people to obtain financing.

An agent can also help you with finding neighborhoods close to good public schools if that is a priority. He or she can help you find communities that provide an easy commute to your office. And, just as important, a buyer’s agent’s job is to represent you throughout the negotiation process when making an offer, evaluating a counteroffer, and making sure any repairs on the property you’re looking at are completed to your satisfaction prior to closing.

All of this is free. But just as there are good and not-so-good loan officers, the same can be said for real estate agents. How do you find a solid buyer’s agent? Sometimes it seems like there are real estate agents everywhere, especially when you’re in the market for a home. Many agents are part-time. And almost all agents seem to be a “top producer” or a winner of some sort of award or recognition.

Good buyer’s agents are also good listing agents. As agents begin their careers, those who excel in the business have the greatest success. Their longevity in the industry is due to their expertise in real estate, service to their customers, and marketing and communication skills.

A good way to find a good agent is to find an agent who has several homes for sale at any one time. An agent with multiple listings has established a reputation in the industry and is trusted by home buyers and sellers to buy and sell homes.

When word gets out in your circle that you’re thinking of buying a home, you’ll likely find out that some of the people you run across on occasion also happen to have a real estate license. If someone you have known for any length of time hasn’t introduced themselves to you as a real estate agent yet but does so when they find out you’re in the market for a home, that agent is likely a part-timer.

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