Good Questions from First Time Homebuyers.... Part 1

I am going to start a series of blog posts answering questions that I hear in the field from homebuyers. Many of the questions may be obvious to many of you more experienced homebuyers, but I hear them often enough that they are worth discussing. I don’t want the fear of asking questions to hinder qualified buyers from making a decision to own a home as opposed to renting, so I would like to touch on them here. 

If you have a questions that you would like to have answered we would love to hear it. Send it to us by commenting on the blog or email me at Justin.Core@floridamoves.com.  

First Question:

Should I work exclusively with an agent to buy, or find homes online and call the listing agents on the homes that I like?  - Lorri Doss, Huntsville, AL

This is a good question that a lot of buyers want to ask. The answer on both sides boil down to exclusive representation. Many buyers feel that agents are just trying to make a sale as quickly as they can. What you, as a buyer need to find, is an agent that you know and trust that has your best interest in mind. The problem that sometimes arises with buyers that call agent after agent is there is no consistency in the buying process.

1. Listing agents are committed to their seller’s best interest first and foremost. 
2. Buyers without representation have a limited and unrealistic view of the market. 
3. Limited and delayed information of market activities inhibit them from making educated offers and decisions. 
4. Sellers that negotiate on their own behalf ultimately pay more for homes due to emotional ties throughout negotiations and not enough information from previous sales.
5. Once your agent knows what you are looking for, they can alert you to new properties that come on the market.

There are a myriad of reasons to work with a  agent throughout your home-buying process. In the future we will discuss the best way to find an agent that will represent your best interests and how to work with them to find you the best house at the best price.  It takes team work to be as efficient as possible in finding and securing a home. 

Stay tuned for more questions from homebuyers.