You might need a Savannah buyer agent if...

If you are not familiar with the Savannah Ga area.

If you don't want to go through the hassle of searching information.

If you don't want to go from listing agent to listing agent with each one trying to sell their own listing.

If you want someone representing your interest.

If you want an agent who doesn't have listings and no conflict of interest.

If you want an agent who will sign a contract which obliges the agent to fulfill certain services.

If you want an agent trained in representing buyers' interests.

If you want an agent who will give you objective information and is not worried if the information will hurt the seller's position.

If you want an agent who is trying to get the buyer the best price.

If you want an agent who will write a contract that gives the buyer the best terms possible.

If you want an agent who will search the entire Savannah market and doesn't care which home you buy as long as it's the best home for the buyer.

Savannah buyer agency for out-of-towners

One of the main benefits having a buyer agent when you are moving from out of town, or out-of-state, or out-of-country, is that you have a contact to help with all the preparation, search and information gathering. Right now I have about 20 potential buyers I've been sending information to until they are ready to buy -- this helps them stay informed regarding market changes and new properties coming on the market.

I've learned that in this real estate market an agent has to be patient and realize that buyers are not impulsive and will buy when they're ready to buy. Technology now allows buyers to receive automatic notification when a new listing in Savannah comes on the market -- you can see if there are price changes, up or down, over a period of time. I'll also post new construction and projects when I become aware of them. When buyers receive new listings and have questions, they send me an email and I do the research. I just closed on a condo in downtown Savannah with a couple who I worked with for over three years before they decide to buy -- most all our communication was via email.

Having a buyer agent relieves the hassle of running down individual listing agents -- having one source of reliable information, someone looking after your interests, simplifies the process. I also get buyers who are looking for a second home, and I've begun looking after these properties when the owners aren't in town, so my role doesn't end after closing. I have a book full of repair-people or renovation experts to help with maintenance and improvements.

Buyer agency requires more work in many cases, and the time cycle between first contact and sale is much longer, but that's the route I've chosen, and it's how I was trained when I first got involved in real estate in Savannah in 1996. I've chosen buyer agency because I think the need is so great in an area like Savannah where many buyers are not local buyers, even though the same benefits apply to locals.

Buyer Agents in the Information Age

In the Information Age there are many, many sources of information -- good information and bad information. In Savannah real estate, as in real estate anywhere with internet connection, a buyer can find just about any home on the market by searching the web.

As a buyer agent I serve clients to make that information useful and to sift through the bad information. Real estate, especially buyer agency, is becoming less about selling and more about information management and service. As a buyer agent my job is to research and gather useful information for my clients, use my specialized knowledge regarding real estate and the area, and to represent the client's interest through the whole transaction, then follow up afterwards to tie up any loose ends.

I work with many out of town buyers who are unfamiliar with Savannah, so the first order of business is get the client familiar with the options and to zero in on an area. Then it's a matter of finding the right home and providing the information necessary to make a good informed decision. My goal is for the client to find the best house, at the best price with the best terms and conditions. This is much different than selling listings. Since I don't list any homes for sale, I search the whole market and look for the best home for the individual buyer -- no conflicts of interest, no selling.