Hiring a Realtor can seem like a breeze, you can just about trip over an agent on every Facebook or Instagram page . Several Dotcom advertisers like Zillow , Redfin, & other Realtor sites have an endless supply of talented career agents, part-timers and big shots.
Most clients decide that buying a home can be a challenging moment and have figured that finding a skilled professional to help them with their home buying needs is paramount.
The complications arise when the buyer decides to work with multiple agents for multiple properties across multiple sites. In some cases this may ideal, but in my opinion , is one of the worst ways to shop for a home. Buyers need to determine if they are looking for a Home or a Realtor. For example, I may be a listing agent and my have properties in a clients range and style, I may work with a gaggle of other local Realtors that have your product, size and cost. Realtors tend to review a neighborhood and homes tax info, mortgage info etc, when given the right scenario. Lastly, some agents will go out to find the home that you desire that may not necessarily be on the market. Most Realtors tend to work with the most deserving clients, they dont mind leaving their cozy homes to drive across country to serve your needs.
Also important to find a knowledgable agent, having an older ID number doesn't make that agent an expert, some agents are part time and may only do a few transactions a year, while other may be in the trenches daily.
A realtor can interpret your approval letter , not your pre qualifier , there are certain lending terms that have to be aligned with the sellers preference. Example - I had been given a Referal from out of town for a client. The client wanted to review townhomes and condos, the buyers agent that sent the referral sent the "highly" regarded client my way.
Upon research and interviewing the client properly, I determined that the client had a generic prequalified letter, The type of Condos that the client wanted couldn't not be supported by FHA, due to the types of HOA, and lastly the client had not figured in the HOA to conform with the debt ratio. The client had not been informed about Earnest Money Deposit,Inpsection and appraisal cost. This client thad been shopping different Agent for over 5 months and never stayed with an agent long enough to learn the essentials of the deal.
So much time an effort had been wasted, the lints dream home was sold from under her nose simply because she was not working with a constant quarterback.
Clearly, a buyer should find someone that they feel comfortable with, an agent may not be the smoothest communicator but may have a spectacular record of closing difficult deals. Shop wisely and shop timely. Buying a home is a lot like chasing a rolling stone.
