Savannah Ga Buyer Agent -- Loving What You Do

Every so often on this blog I like to revisit the subject of buyer agency because I believe representation is still widely misunderstood. In some parts of the country where buyer agency has been around for a long time, there is more acceptance and understanding of how buyer agents provide an important service in real estate transactions. In other areas, however, it is still misunderstood or just not known of by many home-buyers.

A buyer agent is simply an agent who represents the buyer in the process of buying a home. The listing agent represents the seller. If an agent and a buyer sign a buyer representation contract, the buyer agent will work solely on the buyer’s behalf to make sure the buyer’s interests are protected and that the buyer is fully informed of all facts that can affect the purchase of the home. That’s it in a nutshell, but for a comprehensive explanation you will need to talk to someone who provides buyer agency so that you get a full understanding of how it works.

I will assume here that most people fairly familiar with real estate transactions understand at least a little about buyer agency. What I want to share here are distinctions I have noticed between some listing agents and some buyer agents.

First of all, not all real estate agents like to show homes. Many agents who work primarily as listing agents representing sellers want to show the least amount of homes possible – they want to sell their listings. There is nothing wrong with this, unless you as a buyer want to see as many options as you can possibly see. A good buyer agent is not concerned with selling you a particular listing, they are concerned with offering options so that you find the best home at the best price with the best conditions.

So, when you as a buyer go directly to the listing agent to see a particular home and that home is not right for you, the listing agent who doesn’t really like to show homes might show you a couple more, but if you don’t act quickly they will lose interest – then you go to another listing agent, then another, then another. It's an inefficient process.

Finding a buyer agent who is patient and who loves to show homes and loves the process of helping home-buyers find the right house is a much better way to go. You deal with one agent, the agent gets to know what you want, and there is no pressure to buy a particular listing. Makes sense to me.

Secondly, not all agents know a lot about the product – HOMES. I know around Savannah many of the homes sold are older homes and buyers need to know what types of improvements can create value, and which homes need to be avoided because there is simply too much work that needs to be done. A good buyer agent who understands how homes are constructed can give you guidance on possible improvements that will increase the value of a home. They can also throw up red flags when the home is pretty much a money-pit. You want a buyer agent who is a problem-solver, a listener, a person knowledgeable of homes, areas and market trends.

Third, and last for right now, you want someone who will research and give you valuable information about past sales, how the area is perceived in the community – someone who will take the time to explore options, help develop a buying strategy, and will do all this with a pleasant and cheerful demeanor. The process of buying a home can be stressful and frustrating, but a good buyer agent can help relieve the stress and frustration and make the process as enjoyable as possible.

The key to all this is TRUST. Find the right person, develop trust, and I guarantee you a successful experience. I will touch on more points in later posts, but for now – Happy House-hunting!

Mike from Savannah