Working with a real estate agent can help you find the home of your dreams or the optimal purchase price. Real estate agents, on the whole, love dealing with people, but there are always a few customers who can contribute to delaying a home search or sale. We are here to keep our clients on track. Peggy Young and her team are skillful realtors and know how to show your house.
There are a few things to remember when working with a real estate agent.
If you’re wondering how to deal with real estate agents or realtor etiquette for a buyer, keep reading. The real estate experts at Peggy Young are here to help you through your home sale or search. No matter what, our team is here for our clients and we are on your side. Here are a few easy guidelines you may follow when house hunting to keep your search rolling.
How to Work with Real Estate Agents
- Understand That Agents Are Paid On Commission.
While working with a real estate agent, it is important to know they are primarily compensated on a commission basis. If an agent does not complete a deal, they are not compensated. As a consequence, agents are often very driven to perform an excellent job for you.
Very few real estate brokers operate only on salary, and if they do, you generally don’t want to employ them since they’ll earn the same amount of money whether or not they assist you.
- Keep Your Appointments And Arrive On Time.
While working with a real estate agent, you want to remember timeliness and communication. It can be helpful to understand that your agent has other customers and potential clients with whom he or she is working. They should be able to assist you in a fair length of time, but you should understand that an agent can have many priorities. We make sure all our clients receive quick replies and solutions.
You can value your agent’s time, by keeping note of any realtor showings of houses you schedule with them. And, if you are stopped in traffic or are running late for any other reason, phone your agent to let them know when you anticipate arriving.
- Know What to Look for in a Real Estate Agent
You should feel free to interview numerous agents to ensure that you wind up working with an agency with whom you are comfortable, and you should make it plain to each agent that you are in the interview stage. Give us a call. The agents here at Peggy Young are never too busy for your questions.
- If You Are Working With A Buying Agent, Do Not Contact The Listing Agent.
Listing agents represent the seller rather than the buyer. If you hire the listing agent of a property you want to purchase to represent you, that agent will be operating under a dual agency, which creates a conflict of interest for the agent.
Allow your agent to do their job and avoid contacting the listing agent directly to maintain realtor etiquette as a buyer.
- Use the Open House Protocol.
Let your agent know if you want to attend an open house alone.
If your agent gives you the go-ahead, provide their business card to the agent hosting the open house to let them know you’re represented.
Do not query the open house host about the seller or his or her motives. Allow your agent to ask such inquiries on your behalf. Your agent will most likely take a different technique that will be more effective for you.
Similarly, do not provide the seller’s agent any personal information. It is unlikely to assist you and may even cost you during negotiations if you decide to make an offer on the home.
- Fill Out A Buyer’s Broker Agreement. Using A Purchasing Agent
You should expect to sign a buyer’s broker agreement. It establishes a connection between you and the broker/agent and defines the responsibility of the broker/agent to you.
To maintain realtor etiquette as a buyer, do not ask a broker/agent to show you houses if you are not ready to sign a contract with them. Otherwise, if you discover a property you wish to purchase, there may be some uncertainty regarding who is entitled to the commission—the person known as the procuring cause.
- Always Request And Sign An Agency Disclosure Form.
Agents are obliged by law to provide purchasers with an agency disclosure. This document differs from one state to the next.
Signing an agency disclosure form serves as verification of receipt. It’s just a heads-up. It is not a contract to utilize a certain agency. Read it carefully.
The single agency is the most effective and often used form of agency. This implies you are represented by your own agent, who must prioritize your interests since they owe you a fiduciary duty.
- Declare Your Expectations
Tell your realtor if you expect them to pick you up at your front door and drive you home after viewing your houses. Many people will provide that service. If not, they may request that you meet in the office.
Let your agent know-how and how frequently you’d want them to connect with you. Do you prefer phone calls, emails, or text messages?
Set attainable objectives and a timetable for finding your dream house. Enquire with your agent about how you might assist by providing comments.
If you are dissatisfied, express your dissatisfaction. Agents want you to be pleased. Don’t be frightened to express yourself.
- Forms That You Do Not Understand Should Not Be Signed.
Do not be embarrassed if you ask your agent to clarify paperwork to you. It is their responsibility. They can also refer you to another expert professional to help if the information is out of their scope. Many forms are second nature to agents but not to you, so ask for clarification until you are satisfied.
However, keep in mind that agents are not attorneys and cannot interpret the law. Do not ask agents to provide what amounts to a legal opinion unless you first declare that you are not seeking a legal opinion.
- Be Prepared to Purchase
You don’t need a real estate agent if you aren’t ready to purchase. You may go to open houses on your own, but be honest with the realtor in charge and state you’re just browsing. It can be a great idea to browse houses online if you are not ready to buy yet. This way, you can go into the home buying process more sure of what you want.
- Be Prepared for a Deposit
Because an earnest money deposit may be needed to accompany your purchase offer, you’ll need it when writing an offer. You should also be pre-approved for a mortgage at this stage.
Contact Us
You and your realtor can have a successful relationship and navigate the home-buying process with respect and kindness on both sides. The Peggy Young team is here to help you through all the steps of your home buying or selling process. We put our client’s needs first and are always available to answer any questions you may have. Give us a call today.
