Introduction
When it comes to buying a new home, you want to be sure that you’re getting the best deal possible. You may have heard about buyer’s advocates and wondered if they were right for you. If so, here’s what you need to know:
There are four types of people to check out when you’re looking for a Buyers Advocate
A real estate agent is the person who will show you houses, help you write an offer, and walk you through the process of buying a house. You’ve probably heard of them before; they’re the people who advertise on billboards, in newspapers, or online. Some agents are paid by the seller when they bring homebuyers to look at their property; others will collect a commission from each side if there’s a sale. If you’re selling your own home, it makes sense to choose an agent who also acts as your buyer’s advocate by working with other professionals such as inspectors and bankers look at buyer advocacy in Australia—but if you’re buying someone else’s house, there may not be time for that kind of coordination between multiple parties without feeling rushed into making decisions quickly without knowing all the facts first!
Beware of upfront costs.
When choosing a buyer’s advocate, it’s important to be wary of any upfront costs. Some advocacy services will ask you to pay a fee before they start working with you. Others may charge based on the size of your purchase and also make additional charges if they’re unable to negotiate certain terms in the contract. While these types of fees are often justified by their use as an incentive for advocates to work hard on your behalf, they can become problematic if you don’t know what they are or how much they’ll cost. Instead, look for services that base their fees on the percentage of your home purchase price (for example, 1% or 2%), so there are no surprises when it comes time to sign off on closing documents.
Get references.
There are lots of ways you can check the references of a buyer’s advocate.
First, ask people you trust for recommendations. They’ll probably be happy to share their experience if they liked working with the buyer’s advocate.
Second, ask the person you’re interviewing for references and check them out; you might even want to call some of these references yourself and talk about what it was like working with him or her.
Third, check out all of his or her social media profiles, both professional and personal (if they have one). This will give you an idea of how knowledgeable he or she is regarding real estate in general (and not just one area). It will also help show whether he or she is trustworthy by checking out where they live and what kind of car they drive (because those things don’t always match up). If someone is offering advice as a “buyer’s advocate,” then it stands to reason that he or she should know at least something about what being a homeowner entails–which means understanding basic concepts like savings accounts vs investments vs debt repayment plans over time vs etc.
Check qualifications and certifications.
- Check qualifications and certifications. The real estate agent you choose should be in good standing with their local board of REALTORS®, which means they were able to pass a test on ethics and law, as well as being required to follow the standards of conduct set forth by their local board. The national organization for REALTORS® has a certification program called e-PRO that prospective buyers’ advocates can take part in, which requires training on not only ethical matters but also federal laws and regulations about real estate transactions. This is an important step toward ensuring that your buyer’s advocate has your best interests at heart when it comes time for negotiations!
The key is to do your homework and find the right person for you.
The key is to do your homework and find the right person for you. It’s important to know what you want, and that will help you narrow down your search. Here’s a list of things that should be on your must-have list:
- A buyer’s advocate will be able to give honest feedback about a property without worrying about hurting their commission or relationship with the seller.
- They should be willing to tell it like it is, even if the news isn’t always good—this way, they can save you from making big mistakes in buying a home that won’t meet your needs or budget.
- A buyer’s advocate should know how long properties usually stay on the market in your area (or similar areas). This helps them determine whether or not an offer will make sense based on current market conditions and trends.
Conclusion
We hope you found this article useful. We know that finding the right person to help you with your real estate search can be a daunting task. But if we’ve learned one thing in our time as buyers’ advocates, it’s that it always pays off in the end. Whether you want to get more out of your next home or retire on an island paradise, there are many options out there for you—and all it takes is one good person who knows what they’re doing! Good luck!
Photo by Alena Darmel: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-real-estate-agent-handing-the-key-to-the-new-homeowners-7641899/
