How To Choose A Buyer's Agent
The smartest thing a buyer can do before they start looking new or resale homes at Sun City Shadow Hills, is to choose an agent that has a proven track record of helping buyers. I like to think of a buyer’s agent as part guide and part negotiator.
Here’s why having a buyer’s agent represent you is so important:
- A buyer’s agent will represent the buyer’s best interests
- The seller generally pays the buyer’s agent’s service fee
- Buyer’s agents are often neighborhood specialists
- A successful buyer’s agent can help guide a buyer to the right property
Choosing An Agent While You're Out Of The Area
With all the powerful resources available on the Internet it’s very common for buyers to find and even start working with a Palm Springs area real estate agent from out of state, or even out of the country. If you are choosing an agent to work with from out of your current geographical area, start by comparing the online information and website resources that each agent offers.
Being A Well Informed Buyer
Agents that offer you a lot of valuable resources (without obligation) are likely the agents that can make your overall buying experience easiest and the most profitable. Their goal is to help you be an informed buyer. And that’s a very good thing!
Consider also how quickly a prospective agent responds to your phone call or email message. Top agents return calls and emails promptly and it’s one of the reasons they are highly successful and respected in their field. Top agents even make real estate fun! Does the agent sound boring over the phone or do they ‘smile’ while they help you?
Choosing A Busy & Successful Agent
Consider that 24% of Palm Springs area agents did not complete a single transaction in 2010, and that the average agent completes just seven transactions each year. Top agents have the distinct advantage of having experience negotiating hundreds of transactions their buyer clients. And it costs nothing more to choose an agent with extensive negotiating experience since the seller usually pays the buyer’s agent’s fees.
When you find the right property your agent becomes your real estate negotiator, working on your behalf to get you the best price and terms possible for your new Sun City Shadow Hills home. A buyer’s agent will form a fiduciary relationship with the buyer and negotiate on the buyer’s behalf. Be sure to check out each prospective buyer’s agent’s references and recent sales transactions.
Working With Multiple Agents
Top agents will usually ask you if you are already working with another agent. Interview and check out the references of all the agents you are considering working with. Then, make a smart choice; choose an agent that will truly listen to you and represent your best interests. Top agents don’t work with buyers playing the field, and buyers playing the field seldom earn the best representation.
