Buyer Mentality or Seller Mentality -- Savannah Ga Homes

Another thing to consider regarding buyer agency has to do with different mindsets among agents regarding showing houses and the different mental models between buying and selling. From my experience I have discovered that some agents enjoy, and base their business models on, working with buyers and showing houses and some agents don't.

Many agents get into real estate with the sole purpose of marketing themselves to home sellers as listing agents. They put all their energy in getting listings. This marketing strategy is built on the tradtional sales model of real estate - it's the one most consumers are familiar with. Some agents get good at selling themselves and their company to homeowners wanting to sell their homes, but they never get good at working with buyers except selling one by one as a buyer calls on the particular listing they have for sale.

Many of these agents are good salespeople and when a buyer calls because they see the number on the sign in the yard, or they see a listing advertised in the paper, the agent is good at selling the buyer on that home. These agents' entire marketing efforts are to attract attention to their listings. There is nothing wrong with this. It's a viable, tradtional model.

However, the buyer who is unrepresented is stuck in the process of going from listing agent to listing agent who is trying to sell listings. This can be a long process, listening to sales pitch after sales pitch, and many buyers find it an exhausting, unproductive hassle -- especially if the buyer doesn't like sales pitches.

So, many traditional agents are good at getting listings and making sales, but many don't like to show homes and aren't in the bussiness of providing service to buyers -- they like representing sellers and selling homes.

There is another way. A buyer agent has a different mindset. A buyer agent has the mindset of service rather than sales. There is a big difference between sales and service. The buyer agent is marketing his/her services to buyers. The buyer agent likes to show houses and it doesn't matter which homes are being shown as long as they meet the buyers' needs. Developing a relationship with one buyer agent who can show you all the homes that meet your criteria is more hassle-free and efficient than going from listing agent to agent to listing and listening to sales pitches. To the listing agent the buyer is a customer to whom they are trying to sell a home, to a buyer agent the buyer is a client to whom the agents are providing a comprehensive service on the buying side.

A buyer agent has a different mentality and set of skills that are more conducive to the buying side, and therefore more useful to the buyer. A buyer needs someone proficient at buying, not proficient at selling. Of course, a buyer can go it alone, but why would they? The commission that is set within the sales price of the home to pay the listing agent for selling the home is split with a buyer agent who represents the buyer, so it doesn't cost the buyer anything to be represented, and like I said before, it is highly unlikely the listing agent is going to reduce that commission just because the buyer isn't represented -- it just doesn't happen all that often; and even if they did, there are many ways a buyer agent can save the buyer money that is equal to or greater than a reduction in the listing agent's commission.

Aside from money, a buyer agent can also save valuable time and avoid hassle. Most buyers don't have the time to do all the research and they certainly don't like having to deal with 5 or 10 different listings agents along the way to buy a home. The sensible way to buy is rely on an expert who understands buying, looks after your interests, enjoys showing houses, understands houses, and has the mentality of a service provider, not a salesperson.

Mike from Savannah