Quote:
Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby
As a potential buyer, who didn't live in The Villages, I think it would've been really monumentally stupid to consider the seller's agent, and not a buyer's agent. Why? Because I don't know which home I want to buy yet, and out of three dozen possible homes, there are at least two dozen sellers' agents representing the sellers of those homes. I'd need to deal with at least 24 agents, just to narrow down my options to a couple or three homes. And then, I'd have to maintain two or three different agents representing those two or three homes, to ensure that I'm looking at exactly what I want to look at, and not just some hype from an eager sales agent.
With a buyer's agent, they do all the leg work on my behalf. They check with those two dozen agents representing up to three dozen properties. They rule out any homes that are absolute deal-breakers for me. They then sift through the rest to provide me with the two or three homes they feel I should actually check on. And all this is done, with me making one or two phone calls to a sales person who is helping ME buy, rather than helping Jimbob Homeowner sell.
Once my agent has done all this legwork, THEN I come down for a visit, and check on those three homes. Maybe I don't like any of them. Maybe one is perfect and I put down a deposit. But rather than spending countless hours, days, weeks even, calling dealing with a couple dozen people I've never met but who want the person THEY represent to profit as much as possible with me paying the bill, I'm dealing with one person - who might or might not get any commission at all (if it's a Villages sales agent), or who might only get a piece of whatever commission is conveyed through the sale.
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If you are in a rush to buy a home and live in another state, I can understand your reasoning. But for those of us who live in the Villages or nearby, paying a buyer's agent to assist you is a waste of time and money. You can do ALL the legwork yourself. If you are getting a mortgage, the bank will make certain every I is dotted and T is crossed before approving your loan. You pay for each item they requested when you close. Why pay ADDITIONAL money to a buyer's agent? It is double-dipped charges.
If you are paying cash, you would be foolish not to get a real estate attorney and YOUR OWN home inspector. Both are working for YOU. A buyers agent cannot give you legal advice. They also cannot fully inspect a home and give you a detailed report of their findings. A buyer's agent can only supply their opinions. I would rather pay those who can supply FACTS. Fortunately, an attorney and a home inspector is much cheaper than a buyer's agent.