Client Services
|
|
Sign here on the dotted lines…
People, by nature, hesitate at the mere mention of signing a contract. It’s become a sort of a universal paranoia with implications of something potentially risky, nefarious or dangerously permanent…and of course, entering into a Brokerage Agreement with a REALTOR® requires signing one of those dreaded… yes…contracts!
Before you go scrambling for cover, consider this: When you are ready to sell your home, it’s a given you will sign a listing agreement with the Broker, right? That is a contract. It is a type of brokerage engagement in which the Seller hires the Broker to help market his home and find a buyer. The Broker/Agent works for the Seller and the Seller becomes the Broker’s client, with all the expectations of obedience, loyalty, confidentiality, full disclosure along with having someone looking out for his best interests.
Well, as of 1994 in Georgia, a Buyer can too have someone on their side, working for them in their home purchase who is equally obligated to obedience, loyalty, confidentiality, etc. The only thing is that, just like the Listing Agreement, the law says that the relationship between Buyer and Broker cannot exist without a signed contract.
So now consider this. When a Seller is not happy with the performance of the agent he has hired to market his home… what are his options? Find another one. The same applies for a Buyer as well. While there are contractual obligations in these agreements, you will find that most Brokers will work with you if you are in any way dis-satisfied with the service you are receiving (or not receiving) from the agent you hired.
_____________________________________________________
My Buyers Services:
The services I provide as a Buyer’s Representative goes far beyond being a mere tour guide, showing you one house after another for your viewing pleasure. I suppose a trained monkey could do that. A REALTOR’S® role is much more critical than that. Sure, I can help you find the right property but it is accomplished by understanding your needs and knowing the market, finding homes that will suit your needs, tastes and budget. I can act as a filter by previewing homes, preventing you from wasting valuable time looking at homes that don’t meet your criteria, so you only see the best properties for you.
I can assist you in preparing you for the home buying process, refer you to mortgage lenders, discuss financial options and find creative solutions to address different situations in which you may find yourself. If you’re an investor, I have the knowledge that can help you position yourself properly in order to reap the highest tax benefits and obtain your investment goals.
As you view homes, I can offer you my advice, let you know how their pricing or features compare to other homes in the area and homes recently sold, disclose any information that I may have concerning particular properties and areas that may impact your decision, act in your best interest to get answers to questions.
Once a property has been chosen, that’s where my services really kick in through providing information and advice valuable to you to help you make your purchasing decision, walking you through the details of the Purchase and Sale Contract, and any other addendums and/or exhibits the transaction may require. My expertise with these contracts is important to make sure they are drawn up and executed properly to prevent problems later. Then I provide my expertise in negotiation process of counter-offers and continuing to advise you and work on your behalf, following through with all the details to ensure your best interests are served all the way to the closing table.
A lot of questions can arise once you’ve found your dream home. A lot can happen during the course of a transaction and everyone will tell you that every single one is different. There’s no way to tell which transaction will go smoothly or which one will have countless problems.
Your best guard against potential problems is to have someone on your side from the beginning, working with you… working for you. This is something I believe in so strongly that I have earned the Accredited Buyer’s Representative Designation which means I have additional training and education in Buyer’s Transaction Related issues and considerable experience in assisting Buyers with their real estate needs.
Yeah, But What’s the Cost?
The most incredible thing about Buyer’s Brokerage is that in most cases, it costs you nothing. The Buyer’s Agent is usually paid by the Seller through splitting the Listing Agent’s commission.
There is a section in the contract that provides for the Buyer to pay a commission if the cooperating Listing Agent does not offer one. This can happen if you, the Buyer, call on a home for sale on your own and exclude your Agent from the initial contact. Upon making your own arrangements, the Listing Agent can then claim that your Agent was in no way involved as the of the sale and can deny commission to your Agent. This can also happen with those Sunday afternoon drive-by Open Houses… Depending on your contract, your Agent can then seek payment for services directly from you.
Best way to prevent this from happening?
NEVER make arrangements to see a home on your own. Let your Agent handle all that for you. By talking to your agent first, you may learn something about the property or status of the home that perhaps the Listing Agent will not divulge.
Also, in regards to Open Houses… yes, they’re tempting…to just pop in and see a home while driving home from the movies on a rainy Saturday afternoon… and you’re completely in your rights to do this. Just remember, if you do this, as a courtesy to your Agent, make it clear to the Host Agent that you have a Buyer’s Rep who could not be with you today, but any further contact should be made through that Agent. Having your Agent’s business card handy is also a nice touch…
Some think to ask the Agent to remove the commission clause from your Buyer’s Brokerage Agreement. It is there to protect the Agents from essentially working without pay…and yes, they work for a living and have bills to pay… But here’s the clincher – legally, if you remove this paragraph, the contract is null and void. It’s one of those legal things – not just a real estate thing – that says a contract MUST have consideration… consideration being offer of payment. Without it, a contract is not valid. Any agent who offers to remove this paragraph does not understand contracts fully! – and keep in mind that if that agent doesn’t understand this contract, what doesn’t he understand about other contracts like the Purchase & Sale Agreement?
So while there is some understandable logic in a Homeowner attempting to sell his property on his own in order to try and save some money, it just doesn’t make sense for a Homebuyer to go it alone. The system is set-up to your advantage, so… take advantage of it!
