Belt Auction

How can my real estate agent help me better?

I am looking for a house to purchase, I am doing the research on Zillow.com, Realtors.com, Weichert.com, etc. I am reading reviews on the communities, etc. I am not sure if my agent is any use!!! This may sound strange but I don't know how else my agent should help me. I am not sure if he is helping at all. I am sending him the lists that I am interested in, etc. Can someone tell me how an agent can be most helpful, and what are the things he or she knows more than I do? Thanks you!!

Public Comments

1. First of all, the agents can get in to show these homes to you, plus get you pre-qualified so when you find one you like you can put an offer on it. Then she writes a contract to protect you from paying any more than you need to for certain things. She is there at the closing to make sure everything it correct. Not using an agent is like buying a used car without driving it first.
2. Your agent should be instrumental in your home buying purchase! Your agent should be sending you homes you might be interested in, contacting the listing agents to find out the situation on ones you like, scheduling and taking you on showings and then helping you draft up an offer. They should be only a call/email away to help answer any questions you may have and be willing to talk you through the process. They should also be keeping an eye out for things once inside a house so you know exactly what you're looking at. Once it comes time to make an offer they should do research to help come up with a market value of the home so you can make a choice on your offer price. They then should help you draft up the paperwork in your best interest to invoke your rights to inspections and other important clauses. Then they are your voice in the negotiations when you end up in a back and forth situation. When you have an acceptance they then go with you for inspections and will relay any problems back to the sellers. After that they do a lot of paperwork for you to get you to the closing table. On that day they accompany you to the closing to help you through the process. If you agent isn't being this for you, then you need a new one! It's as simple as that. As a buyer you should be just as involved and actively looking for homes online, just like you are. Doing your own research doesn't mean you shouldn't have an agent, it just means you're being smart about your big purchase. A good agent will appreciate that but still work hard for you. I hope that helps. Brit
3. Real estate agent is the one who has to invest more money in the business...He should have updated knowledge about the sales in the market and what's happening in the market...He should know the land value so that the customers who buys also benefited..
4. I am going through similar searches at this time. I don't yet have a real estate agent because I haven't got a sufficient down payment yet, but BE CAREFUL. I've been on realtor.com, etc., and asking questions about properties with the listed agents, but I'm learning that a real estate agent's first and foremost priority is to get a sale, no matter what, even if that means withholding information. For example: I looked at one condo complex and the RE agent waxed on about how close it was to public transportation, which I need--and it was--about a ten minute drive away. What she surely KNEW, and withheld, was that there is a six-year waiting list to park at the train station--so fat lot of good it would do me to live there. Also, I was looking at some places near the water and have spoken to several agents about these properties. NOT ONE has mentioned that you have to pay exhorbitant amounts in required flood insurance if you live in that town--I happen to know it in my own research, but they just are not going to mention for fear it will discourage the buyer. In summary, your best bet is to educate yourself as much as possible and don't let them pull anything over on you. They do not care about a buyer--they want to make a sale. Just go in eyes wide open. It does not appear to be a profession that's big on integrity.