Think of your Buyer Agent as having a personal shopper. They're at your side giving you all the information and advice you need to make educated decisions as you contemplate buying a home.

A Buyer Agent can assist you in finding the right loan, listen and learn exactly what kind of home you're looking for and make sure you have access to any and all suitable properties. When you're ready to make an offer he or she can research the market thoroughly to make sure that your offer puts you in a position to get the best deal possible.

And that's just for starters! There are many details where the experience of a professional realtor can improve your position during negotiations and prevent costly mistakes.

Here's a short list of reasons to use a Buyer Agent:

1. A good Buyer Agent can help you negotiate the best price for the home. They bring knowledge of the local market, and are aware of zoning issues affecting property value. Also, a Buyer's Agent can advise you on the future marketability of the property.
2. Experienced Buyer Agents know the good inspectors. Over the years, experienced Buyer Agents get to know who the good home inspectors are and also the bad ones... and unfortunately, there’s plenty of bad ones. In some states, home inspectors are totally unregulated, so finding a home inspector who is recommended and reputable can make all the difference.

   Knowing the right vendors go beyond just home inspectors. What if the HVAC needs to be checked out? How about the roof? Home inspectors may not go beyond a cursory check of these components and often recommend that a licensed contractor inspect these components, anyway. A good Buyer Agent will know the honest contractors who will complete an objective inspection for a reasonable fee.

3. Negotiate contract terms and conditions other than price. There’s a lot more to be negotiated in a purchase and sale agreement than price. Among others there’s seller paid closing costs (if any), closing date, possession date, earnest money amount and who holds it, inspection terms and any number of special stipulations that may apply. Sometimes negotiating the price is just the beginning!
4. Verify the value of the property. You don't have to accept the asking price! A savvy Buyer Agent will ensure you don’t pay any more than necessary. An effective Buyer Agent will conduct a thorough home inspection and a comparative market analysis, which essentially is an unofficial appraisal, and arrive at a value range for the home. Regardless of the asking or list price, offers, and subsequently contract price, should be within that range.
5. There’s no cost to the buyer! Buyer Agents are paid by sharing in the listing broker’s commission as previously agreed to by the seller via the listing agreement (a legal contract) when the property was listed. This is just as true for REOs! So why not benefit from a Buyer Agent expertise, which is available to you for FREE?

For each property on our site, up to 4 Preferred Partners are listed. These are Buyer Agents that have been pre-selected by experience, expertise, location and responsiveness to be a good match for that property. Give any of these folks a call and ask them to set up a property tour!