pays the commission. However, evolving regulations mean buyers may pay their agents directly, and the traditional practice of commission splits may evolve alongside other compensation structures. The intricacies of changing regulations are just one of the many reasons buyers can benefit from having an agent dedicated to their interests alone.
MORE ACCESS TO THE REAL ES O THE REAL ESTATE MARKE TE MARKET
A real estate agent will have better access to the market and a unique knowledge of local conditions. The agent is a full-time liaison between sellers and buyers. An agent will have ready access to other properties listed by other agents. Buyers’ and sellers’ agents know how to negotiate a real estate deal. A real estate agent will track down homes that meet your criteria, contact sellers’ agents, and secure appointments for viewing the homes. Buyers, on their own, have a more difficult time with these things. This is even more so when a buyer moves due to relocation or employment opportunities and does not engage a buyer’s agent to handle matters.
NEGOTIATING IS HARDER ON YOUR OWN
A real estate agent will keep the transaction “at arm’s length” so personalities and emotions do not become involved. Price negotiations require special skills and an understanding of the psychology of offering and counter-offering. Agents keep the transaction dispassionate and rational. For example, a buyer (you) might like a home but despise its wood- paneled walls, shag carpet, and lurid orange kitchen. When you work with an agent, you can express your opinions on the current owner’s decorating skills and complain about how much it will cost to upgrade the home without insulting the owner.
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