Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

DH and I were working exclusively with an agent last year when we were looking. we love her, she's a real sweetheart. although I wonder if that worked against us.

she would sometimes tell us that we were not bidding high enough or said things like "oh, you can't really offer that little". I feel that even though we liked her like a "mom", maybe it's a better idea not to work with one. WE are the ones who would have to pay the mortgage, not her or anyone else. and I don't want to be "guilted" into putting in a higher bid.

what are your thoughts?

Message edited 3/2/2007 8:43:39 AM.

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

I would advise you to get as many real estate brokers working for you as possible. You don't want to pigeon hole yourself into one person. I would call a few different companies and set up showings with their brokers. We did it that way, and found something we loved within a month and a half.

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

We worked with an agent when we were looking in Nassau. He was wonderful, but he was never a buyers agent. He took us around to see houses, but we never signed anything that made him our agent. We definitely would have because he was wonderful, but we ended up finding a house in Suffolk. We worked with the Seller's agent...who honestly *seems* to be working just as equally for the both of us.
It definitely helped us get a better deal on the house because she had more commission to play with.

She's actually right in Holbrook - at Century 21 Princeton. You may have met her.

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

Posted by AllyandMike

I would advise you to get as many real estate brokers working for you as possible. You don't want to pigeon hole yourself into one person. I would call a few different companies and set up showings with their brokers. We did it that way, and found something we loved within a month and a half.

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

Posted by AllyandMike

I would advise you to get as many real estate brokers working for you as possible. You don't want to pigeon hole yourself into one person. I would call a few different companies and set up showings with their brokers. We did it that way, and found something we loved within a month and a half.

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

Posted by lorich

We worked with an agent when we were looking in Nassau. He was wonderful, but he was never a buyers agent. He took us around to see houses, but we never signed anything that made him our agent. We definitely would have because he was wonderful, but we ended up finding a house in Suffolk. We worked with the Seller's agent...who honestly *seems* to be working just as equally for the both of us.
It definitely helped us get a better deal on the house because she had more commission to play with.

She's actually right in Holbrook - at Century 21 Princeton. You may have met her.

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

D-you are going to feel the pressure about bidding no matter what. It's a stressful thing to bid on a house and to commit to spending the money. It doesn't matter who the agent is. Agents are in sales, the more you bid the more they make.

There are a few out there that may be more of a soft sell but that's the business. I agree that the listing agent has a better handle on the property and more leverage.

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

We worked with one and I loved her. Didn't feel pressured at all. Her name is Renee and she is now the manager at the Farmingdale Century 21 Prevete.

I also know the owner of Century 21 American Homes, Tom, and he is great.

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

Posted by SweetestOfPeas

Posted by Blu-ize

I agree that the listing agent has a better handle on the property and more leverage.

that's my thought too... at the end of the day, it is OUR money and our mortgage. I don't want to hear "you should up your bid"

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

Definately agree with the poster above - work with as many agents as possible. Although alot of homes are multiple listings, different agents may have different exclusive listings. You may also get along with some better than others, but in the end, choose the one with the best home!!

If you are looking for a broker in Suffolk, my Dad is a REA as a second career. Since I am going thru the process as well, he personally looks after his clients like his kids. FM me if you are want his contact info

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

Posted by SweetestOfPeas

Posted by Blu-ize

I agree that the listing agent has a better handle on the property and more leverage.

that's my thought too... at the end of the day, it is OUR money and our mortgage. I don't want to hear "you should up your bid"

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

I personally think that working with one agent has its advantages. I have a folder for each of my clients with all of the houses we have seen. I also worked with one agent before I became one. I think it would have gotten too confusing and the other agents wouldn't have known what houses we saw already.

As for her telling you what to bid - or what you can afford - that is none of her business. I always tell my clients to bid what THEY feel comfortable with. They are the ones that have to live with this purchase for the next 30 years or so. I do have to say though - that when I take my younger cousin out to houses - I really go over the numbers with them more because they tend to jump the gun on higher priced houses that I know they cannot afford. That is the only situation where I have told them that maybe we need to look in a lower price range - and that is because my entire family would kill me if they bought a house they really couldn't afford.

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

for some people I think they need agents-

but you have definitely educated yourself enough not to need one.

i would try contacting the listing agents on houses you like on your own - if they have the same bid from you and someone working with an agent - and they get more commission via your bid - what bid do you think she is going to tell the sellers to take?

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

I had a REA like your old one and she didn't work for us, she wanted us to pay premium price, so she could get more $$$. So, DH and I did most of the looking for houses, anyways, so we dealt directly with the listing agent on the house instead. And luckily for us, our REA happened to be the seller's mother, so she got her son to come down in price for us to what we could afford!

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

We are working with one --- and although he's a family friend I still do get those moments where we feel bad if we don't want to offer on a particular house or we don't want to raise our offer.

My best advice is to let it roll off your shoulders whatever they say and do what's right for you. Even though I know he must get tired of showing us places, I refuse to settle or go beyond my means. It's part of the job.

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

We worked with one and she was losing patience with us so we found another one. Our second one was incredible. She sent us listings all the time, presented whatever we offered, communicated with us all of the time and answered any little questions I had. She even sent us a few little gifts along the way.

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

We have an open house Sunday and won't be home all day Saturday - I'm buggin'

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

Yeah -- definately work with more than one broker, especially if you're looking in different towns within long island.

that's great if you like your broker but you're right -- in the end, she's not the one paying the mortgage.

good luck!

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

We had one broker but we were looking in a town that has a cooperative real estate agreement, meaning that even if a listing is not on MLS, they have an internal site that all listings must be posted on. so no one can really have an "exclusive" listing.... It ended up working out really well for us because our broker found our house before it had the chance to hit MLS.

I would never let anyone strong arm me into making an offer that was higher than we were comfortable with, nor would i care if she tried to make me feel bad about my offer being too low. keep in mind that unless you have contracted her as a buyers agent, she is working for the seller, wether it's her listing or not.

Good luck in your search - I know you have been looking for a while now.....

Re: Q about RE agents... did you have one or not?

we were looking right at the beginning of the crazy time. Every broker everywhere was trying to get bidding wars started. We had one guy that we looked at a bunch of stuff with, but nothing ever made us fall in love. After that I found houses by driving around our target area looking for signs & I'd just call the office they were listed with & get anybody there to show it. Most times they were quick about it too, because it was their listing. We ended up buying through the sellers agent, who happens to live in my neighborhood & I think she's a jackazz. I'd never do business with her again or tell anyone to use her. I guess since the sellers only paid 3%, you can't expect more.
I don't think having your own agent holds any advantage unless every house you want to see is listed by he/she's office.