Using a Buyer Agent to Buy a Home

It is probably more important than ever to choose a good buyer agent when purchasing a home. In Savannah the real estate market is confusing and it helps to get the advice of someone who is working in the market on a daily basis.

There are still many people who misunderstand what a buyer agent is -- they think a buyer agent is just one more agent involved to add more to the purchase. The truth is that you will most likely save money by using a good, well informed buyer agent.

For one thing, if you go from listing agent to listing agent, this is a cumbersome process full of hassles -- you have to listen to agent after agent sell their particular listing. It is a much more pleasant and objective approach to have one agent you trust as a buffer between you and the agent who is representing the seller. You establish rapport and trust with one agent and that agent learns what you need and want in a home, and that agent is representing you and your interests.

The buyer agent is paid through the proceeds of the sale, but even if the listing agent only got half the commission from the seller and the other half was paid to the buyer agent by the buyer, it woul still pay to have your own agent representing you. Too many things can go wrong in a transaction for a buyer to go it alone without representation -- and there are too many options for a buyer to spend their time sifting through them to find the right home at the right price.

A good buyer agent will know the whole market and will quickly give you the information you need to make the right and best decision. And in Savannah where there are many older homes, you want someone with experience who is looking after your pocket book and wallet -- it's easy to buy an expensive, defective product without the proper knowledge.

So many of the homes on the market in Savannah are still overpriced, it pays to have a buyer agent who is on top of the home sales statistics and can give you good solid numbers. Places like Zillow on the internet can produce wild numbers that represent little resemblance to the actual local market and the particular neighborhood you may be interested in.

Also, a good buyer agent will know how to navigate the lending confusion that is going on now and they can recommend a lender who will do what they say they are going to do without slipping in junk fees which make the cost of getting a mortgage higher.

A good buyer agent will know the best inspectors and will have enough knowledge of home-building to guide you through the inspection process so that you negotiate all the repairs possible and save from having to pour more money into a home after you buy it.

One of the main benfits of having a buyer agent you can trust is to have a sounding board and someone who is paying attention to all the details and knows the process by heart. If you get a good buyer agent you will understand what I'm talking about.

A buyer agent will help you get the best home at the best price with the best conditions, and they will do this even though a lower price means a lower commission for them -- because the difference in the commission is not worth the word-of-mouth advertising from a satisfied client who tells at least 10 to 15 people about their excellent service. But make sure you get a real buyer agent -- you'll know by interviewing few which ones you can trust and which ones you don't feel comfortable with. Find out how many buyers they have represented and get references -- that will tell the story.