Korene's Blog

Why Buyers Want to Deal
with Only One Real Estate Agent

Are you in the market for a new home?  There’s so much to consider when looking at houses. One thing you may wonder about is YOUR real estate agent.  Is there a good reason why buyers would want to deal with only one real estate agent as opposed to more than one?

The biggest reason for using only one real estate agent is building a great working relationship.  If you are using more than one real estate agent, you may find it hard to establish trust with each one. Using only one real estate agent will allow you to establish rapport, trust, and good communication to get you the best house possible.

If you are working with more than one agent, things can be difficult. You may forget to convey certain requirements to all of the agents in the same manner. You may be looking for in a house is a large master bathroom or another specific feature. Failing to let one real estate agent know of your desires could mean spending a great deal of time looking at houses that do not meet your requirements but you had failed to convey that to ALL the real estate agents you are working with.

A good real estate agent will do more than merely show you houses. They will begin the process by getting to know you. They will interview everyone involved to determine the type of house you want, what features are important, how much you can afford to spend and would like to spend, and what specific area or location you may be interested in living.

In actuality, the interview process allows the real estate agent to know what your family want and needs in a house and will give the real estate agent the information he or she needs to make that a reality. They will be able to sort through the inventory of houses on the market to find the ones that will meet your family’s requirements. This will allow you to focus on viewing specific homes that meet ALL your criteria when it comes time to look at houses instead of going to see every house on the market that meet some of your needs in the area or location you are interested in purchasing.

When you are starting the home buying process, a professional real estate agent will also help you by referring you to an experienced and knowledgable professional mortgage advisor to help you be sure of the financing you can qualify for as well as what you are comfortable in paying for your new home.  The loan qualification is vital to make sure if you have any credit issues or are needing extra time to get your loan approved, you know as quickly as possible so a purchase contract is not written without being sure you can obtain the necessary financing for it thus not incurring additional costs, penalties or forfeiting deposit money. This will enable both you and the agent to know how much house you can afford. Having this information may further reduce the number of houses you will have to view before finding the that suits you.

Ultimately, having a good working relationship with their clients is to the real estate agent’s benefit, as well. They will know what the buyer is looking for and be able to provide the highest level of customer service possible to help the buyer get into their dream home.

Depending upon where you live, the real estate agent may ask you to sign a buyer-broker contract. This contract basically says you will not use another agent when looking for your new home. There is usually a time limit associated with this contract from as little as three months to as much as three years. Read the terms of the contract before signing it to avoid having to deal with an agent you’re not comfortable with.

Having one real estate agent will increase your chances of finding the house you want, being able to negotiate a price that you can afford, and aid you in buying that house. Imagine the headaches you could face if you worked with more than one. Reducing the stress of buying a house is why buyers want to deal with only one real estate agent when looking for a house. Make sure it is a Buyer's Agent who will only be representing YOUR interests!

If you do not have a realtionship with a real estate agent at this time, please let me know and I will recommend one to you that I know is a professional, has great customer service skills, and is a buyer's agent.  If you like you may check my website for a referral and go to the realtor or referral professional pages as well.  I am currently adding information and contact information to the real estate agent referral pages so not all the links or sheets are complete yet.  

Do not forget we have a deadline of completion of the purchase prior to November 30, 2009 to take advantage of the $8000 First Time HomeBuyer Tax Credit program.  You will want to get started as soon as possible on the loan application to take full advantage of this program!