If you’re actively looking to buy Cape Cod real estate, you may or may not be working with a particular agent who is acting as your “buyer’s agent”. If you are not, it may be because you’re not sure what value a buyer’s agent can add to your search. Afterall, the complete list of Cape Cod homes for sale is available to everyone on the Internet, not just Realtors (like the “old days”…). And you can always call the listing agent if you want to see a home. So why should you consider working with a real estate agent whom you have chosen as your buyer’s agent?
For MANY reasons, but here are the top few:
- A buyer’s agent can help you understand what the home is really worth. Sellers can list the home for whatever price they want; and their real estate agent must obey their wishes. But a good buyer’s agent will do their own comparative market analysis (CMA) on homes of interest to help prevent you from paying too much for the home. The listing agent cannot do this for you, as it is a clear conflict of interest and a violation of his obligation to the seller. There’s lots more information that a listing agent cannot share with you, while your buyer’s agent is actually OBLIGATED to share with you everything she knows that is related to the property.
- A buyer’s agent manages the purchase process from the initial offer through the final closing. There are many documents to be signed, inspections to be completed, negotiations to take place and deadlines to be met. Unless you are intimately familiar with the process and have lots of free time on your hands, a good buyer’s agent will free you from a significant amount of undue stress, leaving you to worry about matters such as moving, decorating and exploring your new neighborhood.
- A buyer’s agent is interested in helping you find your dream home — whichever home that may be. The listing agent of a particular home is interested, as he should be, in selling you his client’s home. A good buyer’s agent has a firm grasp of what you’re looking for and is searching the new listings on a DAILY BASIS to be sure nothing falls through the cracks. The most desirable homes sell very quickly, and frequently buyers miss out because they didn’t see it in time or they were working with a part-time agent who wasn’t searching diligently each day on their behalf.
- Finally, and perhaps most notably, most agents do not charge for acting as your buyer’s agent because they are already being paid out of the seller’s commission. However, just because you’re not paying for it directly doesn’t mean you shouldn’t expect superlative, expert service. Afterall, it is YOUR money being used to buy the home and make the commission possible. Before you choose a buyer’s agent, be sure you understand exactly what services he or she will provide to help you get your dream house at the best possible price.
Feel free to use this site to search the entire Cape Cod MLS for homes for sale. You can even sign up for daily alerts so that you won’t miss a single new listing that meets your criteria. I would welcome the opportunity to personally assist you and exceed your expectations. Call me anytime at (508) 259-8379 or email me at [email protected].
Marie