CHAPTER 8 Hire an Agent or Buy Alone? y Alone?
The ease of online transactions and proliferation of services designed to assist buyers with handling their own real estate transactions is relatively recent, occurring primarily over the last decade. This has led to buyers questioning if a real estate agent is really necessary or if it’s an expense that can be avoided. While doing the work yourself can save you the commission real estate agents command, for many, a do-it-yourself home purchase may be costlier than a real estate agent’s commission in the long run. There are a variety of major benefits to retaining the services of a professional real estate agent — the following are just a few.
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 special 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 put a real estate deal together. 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.
NEGOTIATING IS HARDER ON YOUR OWN
A real estate agent will keep the transaction “at arm’s length,” such that personalities and emotions do not become involved. Price negotiations take a special skill set and understanding of the psychology of negotiation and bargaining, offer and counteroffer. Agents keep the transaction dispassionate — for example, if you, 57
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