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Find an Agent

How do you find an agent?

The general criteria that most websites and agents promote is to find an agent...

...Who is familiar with the local area;
...Who has several years of experience; and
...Who perhaps has some industry specific designations such as GRI, CRS, ABR, CBR, etc.
Another general suggestion to find an agent is to ask friends, relatives, work associates, etc. who they would recommend.

The problem with these approaches is that everyone knows someone who is an agent. I bet you know at least one person who is a licensed real estate agent. So do your friends, etc. How do you know that the agent they recommend or the one that you know is the "right" agent for you? Yes, I agree that experience, familiarity with the area and industry specific training and certifications are important. But in my opinion, these aren't the most important criteria to use to find an agent.

There is a better way to find an agent

A better approach to find an agent is to ask yourself, "What type of agent should I be looking for?" In other words, what is the "right" type of agent for me? Yes, you should want one who is experienced, well-trained and has excellent knowledge of the local real estate market. That is the minimum criteria to use to find an agent. But there is more.

Given that buying or building a home is probably the single largest purchase you will ever make in your lifetime, you need to give yourself every advantage possible! So choosing the right "type" of agent is most important before you start the "find an agent" process.

The Right Type of Agent"

As mentioned in the "Buyer Agent" section of this website, home buyers can work with agents who represent the seller (listing agents), agents who represent the buyer (buyer agents) or agents who try to represent both the seller and the buyer (dual or designated agents, transaction brokers or facilitators are several names used to describe this type of service).

Agents who represent the seller, by law, must look out for the seller’s best interest and work to get the highest price and best terms for the seller. You certainly don't want to buy your home using one of this type of agent.
Agents who attempt to work for both buyer and seller must remain neutral. They can’t give you any information which could be detrimental to the seller or hurt the seller’s negotiation position. This type of agent also isn't suited for a home buyer who wants the scales tipped in their favor.
Agents who represent the buyer, by law, must look out for the buyer’s best interest and work to get the lowest price and best terms for the buyer. As a home buyer this is the type of agent you want to seek out, an agent who is devoted to protecting your interests fully throughout the entire home buying process.

Buyer Beware

However, beware of the buyer agent who takes listings and/or works for a large real estate company. They may already represent all the sellers who have their homes listed for sale with that company. If you are interested in purchasing one of the homes the company has listed, the agent you are working with may no longer be able to fully represent your best interests.

The law probably will require them to change the status of their relationship with you to one that provides less protection and perhaps no protection for you if you continue to work with that person on a purchase of that particular home.

They will more than likely renege to a position of dual or designated agency.

If you find yourself in such a situation, then fire the agent and the company and go find a buyer agent with another company to fully represent you.
Don't sign any buyer agency contract or other disclosure that "automatically" converts you to a dual or designated agency position.
Make sure the agent knows that you will fire them and find another agent in the event you are interested in an in-house listing.
Make sure any buyer agency contract you sign indicates that clearly and that neither you, nor the agent you end up working with, will have no further legal or financial liability to them in such a situation.

If you are going to work with a buyer agent who also takes listings and/or works for a traditional real estate company, work with one who is with a smaller real estate company that doesn’t have a high percentage of the listings in the area you are considering buying in to reduce the potential of your wanting a home listed with that company.

Also, most agents who work both sides of the fence, that is they represent both sellers and buyers, tend to be "casual" buyer agents. In other words, their primary training is how to sell and market homes and represent sellers. That is what they are best at. They don't understand the nuances of true buyer representation. So don't just look for the title, "buyer agent". You need to determine what type of "buyer agent" they are. In other words, you need to dig deeper.

What is a "True Buyer Agent"?

You should find an agent who is a home buying specialist who is devoted to looking out for the best interests of home buyers only. These agents are called “Exclusive Buyer Agents” or "EBA's".

An exclusive buyer agent will guarantee to work in a buyer’s best interest at all times and in every situation. They will never revert to a dual or designated agency or non-agency position which would compromise their legal ability to represent you.

An exclusive buyer agent always represents buyers only and never represents sellers, nor lists or markets property for sale and they are with a real estate company that represents buyers only as well.

An "exclusive buyer agent" should be your first choice. They are more attuned to home buyers needs, better trained, more experienced, experts in protecting buyers best interests and in saving home buyers time, aggravation and money.

Home Buyers Be Served Not Sold

HUD Recommends Exclusive Buyer Agents

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recommends that home buyers use the services of an "exclusive buyer agent".

From HUD's Shopping For a Home Loan, "Settlement Cost Booklet": "It is your responsibility to search for an agent who will represent your interests in the real estate transaction. If you want someone to represent only your interests, consider hiring an “exclusive buyer’s agent”, who will be working for you.

By the way, using an exclusive buyer agent shouldn't cost you any more money. Real estate commissions are built into real estate deals. Your exclusive buyer agent will simply make arrangements to be paid out of the proceeds that you bring to the closing. Discuss compensation with the agent before signing an agreement to work with them. Understand your legal obligations.

How do you find your best agent?

Let us help you find an agent. If you are considering a home purchase in the greater Albany, NY, Capital region, we can help you directly. We continue to operate as exclusive buyer agents in the Albany, NY, area and are expanding throughout upstate NY and Western MA.

If you are looking elsewhere, we have made a special arrangement with a company by the name of Skyfor, to locate an exclusive buyer agent for you in your area, or if none exists, to find you an agent who is a home buying specialist in your area. There is no cost for this service and you are under no obligation to use the agent(s) they recommend. I've known the owner of Skyfor for nearly 20 years. They are available to answer your questions 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. Click here to be taken to their website.

Also, ask good questions and if they are available, interview more than one agent before choosing to work with just one.

We have prepared 20 questions to ask prospective agents to help you buy a home. The questions are also available in printable work sheets. The work sheets are to use when you interview prospective agents to work with.

Print out or review the worksheets first and then continue below to the 20 Questions and their explanations.

Click here for a copy of the "20 Questions To Ask Agents" Worksheet.

20 Questions To Ask Agents

Click here to return from the "Find An Agent" page to the "Home Buyer Agent" page.

SBI!