Have you ever wondered what real estate agents really “do” when you're buying a home? Don’t they just drive you around and unlock houses? How hard can that be and why am I paying people money to do that? We’re here to help explain the basics, but not in a “Can’t I just google these terms?” kind of way. Instead, we’re going to walk you through this. While holding your hand. While eating ice cream. Step. By. Step.
Speaking of ice cream...You could eat ice cream out of your freezer, but you choose to visit your favorite, local, family-owned ice cream parlor. You could make your own coffee, but you choose to go to your favorite, local, family-owned coffee shop. (Or Starbucks. We’re not judging.) You could drink a beer at home, but you choose to visit your favorite, local, family-owned restaurant or bar where the beer tastes the same. In our opinion, it boils down to two things: quality and experience. In all instances, you’re seeking both. The same goes for real estate.
There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes of a “seamless” or “smooth” real estate transaction, and we do the best we can to deliver an amazing experience for our clients. As real estate licensees, brokers serve as the point of contact between two or more people in negotiating the sale, purchase, or rental of property. (Confused what a “broker” is? Check out our blog post titled “Real Estate Agent/Broker VS Licensed Agent: What’s the Difference & Why Should You Care?”) We’re going to offer one perspective today: what we “do” as a buyer’s agent. (We also work as seller’s agents, but that’s content for another blog topic ;)
When we’re representing the buyer, aka the person who’s looking to purchase a new home, we’re using our expertise and knowledge of the industry to help our buyers make the most informed decision possible. We have “fiduciary responsibilities” to our clients. (A fiduciary is someone placed in a position of trust and confidence.) Not only do we find and show properties that meet the buyer’s needs, but we also have access to a private network with homes not yet on the market! This allows us to show and sell properties that haven’t even been listed.
Buying and selling real estate can be emotional, and we like to serve as a buffer between your “OMG I’m in LOVE with this house!” and the realities of potential structural defects to be addressed by inspectors or attorneys. We prepare a comparative market analysis to educate our clients and help guide them in their best interest when investing in their new home. We are loyal and obedient to our clients and work entirely out of their best interest. Basically, when it comes to buying your home, we’re your “person”.
As a real estate agent, our days are never the same and we work 24/7 for our clients (with healthy boundaries for family ice cream time, of course). And that’s the way we like it.
