Working with a Buyer’s Agent

As a buyer, you have many decisions to make.

You not only need to choose a neighborhood, a building and the right condominium to meet your desires, but you also have to make decisions about offers, financing, inspections, and many other homeowner concerns. Throughout that process, there are many people who will offer you advice, including friends, relatives, bankers, and of course, real estate agents. Naturally, just as you want to select the best condo, you also want to take the best advice. But how do you know whose advice to take?

One way of protecting your interests as a buyer is to work with a Buyer’s Agent. Any real estate agent can show you property—and in most cases will be eager to do so. Even the Listing Agent—the agent who represents the seller—can show you property. But if the agent’s commission comes out of the seller’s proceeds, who do you suppose that agent is really representing? The seller, of course. While the seller and the listing agent are legally bound to disclose defects in a property, they are not required to tell you how those defects may affect your decision to purchase that condo. When the listing agent negotiates for a higher price on the seller’s behalf, how can they also negotiate for a lower price on your behalf?

The attraction of working with a Buyer’s Agent is that you will be truly represented throughout your search for and purchase of a condominium. Your agent will work closely with you to help you define your needs, to establish a price range, to select the amenities that are important to you and to show you properties that are listed for sale (even if they are listed with other real estate companies or “by owner”). Once you have found your condo, your buyer’s agent will then make sure that you get all of the information you need to make a sound decision—the disclosures, the Association paperwork, and the essential inspections.

Your agent will negotiate on your behalf to get you the best price and the best terms possible. And your agent will continue to represent your interests throughout the escrow period—monitoring your escrow, answering your questions, and staying in communication with the seller’s agent, the mortgage company, the title company, and with you, right through the close of escrow.

Some buyers choose to purchase property without the benefit of representation, thinking that the seller will reduce the price, since commission won’t be paid on the buyer’s “side.” What often happens in these cases is that the seller’s agent drives the entire transaction, providing the necessary paperwork and offering “advice” to the buyer. Because the transaction is handled by the seller’s agent, the buyer’s interests are not foremost and, in fact, the buyer may pay more or get weaker terms in the long run.

Your buyer’s agent helps you find the right property, protects your interests, guards your confidentiality, provides you with advice and information, negotiates on your behalf and helps you make a truly satisfying purchase.

To establish a relationship with a Buyer’s Agent, you simply sign a Buyer-Broker Agreement. In doing so, you agree to work with a specific agent for a designated period of time. You also agree that if you purchase a property during that period of time, your agent will get a specified compensation—which, as usual, comes out of the seller’s proceeds. So, in effect, it costs you nothing to get a buyer’s agent.

If you’re considering the purchase of a condo, we would be happy to discuss your options and answer any questions you may have about working with a Buyer’s Agent.  

At LACondoLifestyles we have Buyer’s Agents that work in specific areas and can match your needs with the perfect agent for what you are looking for. 

Please contact us today to discuss your purchasing a condo at 310-278-6033 or simply email us at Buying@LACondoLifestyles.com.

Some areas of interest on our site for those interested in buying a home: