The search for your dream home often begins in front of your computer.
The excitement builds as you scroll through all the potential properties that match your criteria.
You check off the most appealing ones and then what? You want to see these homes, but how do you get in there? Many consumers simply call the agent who listed the home.
Stop, don't do it! You are entitled to buyer agency representation in Pennsylvania.
Meaning, you can hire an agent to work exclusively on your behalf to secure a home.
And the best part, their fee is generally paid for by the seller's agent! Yes, very exciting news indeed, but there are steps you should take to ensure all is in proper order to secure this representation.
We always recommend that even as you begin casually searching online for homes, you set aside some time to interview several agents.
Choosing a buyer agent to work with is a critical first step and like anything, the more time you put into the decision the better the results.
Have a list of questions handy to ask the agents you decide to interview.
oHow well do you know the areas of interest to me? oIs this your full-time profession? oHow do you typically handle the process? Are you involved directly or are there other members of your team? oWhat type of contract do we sign? This last question is a critical one to ask.
Many, many agents will ask their buyer clients to sign an exclusive buyer agency contract.
This means upon signing the contract (and reading the fine print) you are bound to work with that agent until a certain timeframe expires or a transaction occurs.
If you decide to work with another agent while still under this exclusive agency contract, you may have to pay out of your own pocket for violating the terms of the contract.
Press the agent on why an exclusive contract is necessary.
Better yet, we recommend you suggest signing a non-exclusive contract.
The truth is you'll want to sign some sort of contract to ensure you have the representation you deserve, but a non-exclusive works just as good for this purpose.
Furthermore, it does not "rope" you into a specific agent.
If an agent is as good as they say then you'll want to work with them.
No written contract can force that feeling.
If the agent earns your trust and proves they are an asset to the process, you will sense this almost instantaneously.
What better way can an agent prove this then to work with a non-exclusive contract.
It is a performance based mentality at its core and reflects the agent's confidence.
It is always recommended to work with one agent to assist you in the process.
You'll get much better service and a level of trust will be forged helping to reduce some of the stress associated with such a big purchase.
But that doesn't mean you have to abandon the ability to hire someone else should the process not go as you planned.
Sign a contract, but sign a non-exclusive.
For more information, feel free to contact the author.
Eric Rehling Associate Broker Mittman + Rehling Re/Max Realty Group 215.
256.
8026 (direct) 215.
256.
1200 (main) 215.
359.
1906 (fax)