Joe's Articles

Finding A Buyer's Agent

With the closing of our Austin house 99.99% complete, today we started the next phase of Pacific northwest home ownership by meeting with a buyer's agent.

We started the process by searching Google for "Seattle Buyers Agent". This led us to the Exclusive Buyer's Agent Search who, in turn, put us intouch with our guy here in the city. We're not sure how this relationship works, but it seems that there are some marketing agreements in place with all parties. It felt a little odd when it was explained, but any strangeness we felt was more than out-weighed by the benefits of using a buyer's agent in the first place.

Before our meeting, I spent a some time looking at various web sites trying to figure out what kind of questions we should be asking. RealLiving.com has a great list of questions that we used to get started. I'll include the list of questions we used here:

1. In the role of buyer's agent, how will you help use narrow our choices?
2. Our situtation is fairly unique (isn't everyone's?) -- what advice can you offer specifically for us?
3. When did you last buy a house? Where you at all frustrated with the process? Do you remember those lessions with your cusotmers?
4. What happens when something comes up and you are not available? How long before you return our calls? Does the rest of your team work on your behalf?
5. How is your company and/or personal service distinguished from other, comparible companies?
6. If we find a "For Sale By Owner" (FSBO) property, can you still represent us?

I'm wondering if these questions are comprehensive enough? Are we asking the right things? The wrong things? Being too paranoid? Add your comments below.

--Joe Caropepe