By: Trista Pollack
“Repetition is the mother of learning, the father of action, which makes it the architect of accomplishment.”(Zig Ziglar).
Many of you are probably wondering what is a “Buyer Specialist” and what is the difference between that and a “Buyer’s Agent” which is the more commonly known role.For starters, my job is solely to help buyers. I do not take any listings, which allows me to dedicate my schedule to buyer clients who have specific needs that are very different from sellers. Buyer’s Agents work with both buyers and sellers to meet both needs. Because a Buyer Specialist is dedicated to buyers only, you now have a huge benefit of working with someone who only focuses on the ins and outs of the buying process. This experience allows me, the Buyer Specialist, to know what to expect and how to react to any situation in order to get you the outcome you desire as quickly and as easily as possible.
Buying a house is a VERY exciting time and one that buyers should prepare for. Making a mistake in the beginning can lead to many future headaches. That’s where I come in! My role as a Buyer Specialist is to ensure that the Buyer’s best interests are taken care of and their process is as stress-free as possible. There are so many ways that a Buyer Specialist can give you value during the process of making potentially the biggest purchase of your life! That’s why I would love to tell you more about my role and walk you through some of the most important reasons you should consider using a Buyer Specialist.
The number one thing many house hunters (especially first-time buyers) do not know (thanks Zillow) is most houses that are being sold will have an agent representing the seller, which is frequently referred to as a Listing Agent or Sellers Agent. The Listing Agent’s main responsibility is to make sure the seller’sbest interests are being protected. So how does a buyer make sure theirbest interests are being protected!?!? Simple – “hire” a Buyer Specialist!
Since I am looking out for the buyer’s best interest, I am able to help ensure my buyer gets the best deal possible. Below are some other top reasons why buyer representation is so important and things I have begun to master!
I feel it is very important to first mention, IT’S FREE TO HIRE A BUYER’S SPECIALIST!
One of the most obvious reasons to hire me of course! Seriously, where else can you get the service of a professional for free?
One very important part of my job is constantly viewing homes and Knowing What to Look For! Whether you’re buying your first house or tenth, chances are you don’t look at houses on a daily basis. I physically looking at dozens of houses each and every week. There are certain red flags to look for, and many of which you may not be aware of. I can identify potential problems within a house relatively easily. More importantly, I know how to guide you in making a great investment decision because my experience has given me the extensive knowledge to know the factors that help homes sell and downfalls that cause them not to sell. When you view hundreds of homes a year with real buyers you get a solid understanding of what most buyers want and don’t want in a home. I can help you from making a costly mistake and be certain you always consider resale concerns.
I feel it’s important to follow that up with I have Access to Experienced Professionals needed during a transaction.During the course of a real estate transaction there are several professionals that are needed. You will potentially need a mortgage originator, a home inspector, a real estate attorney, and a handful of other professionals. An experienced Buyer Specialist will have SEVERAL that they can recommend to you. I would not put my name on the line for just anyone. The people I recommend have proven themselves over and over to be a valuable piece of the puzzle.
Another vital skill to have in my role as a Buyer Specialist is Understanding the Local Real Estate Market. Each and every real estate market is different. My buyers could be looking in 4 different school districts, taking us all over the place. Knowing the ins and outs of the various “micro-markets” can go a long way when the time comes to making an offer on a house. I believe it is extremely important and essential that you have someone guiding you that understands the intricacies of the local markets.
One of the most frequently asked questions about buying a house relates to the amount that should be offered for a home. A huge benefit that you’ll receive partnering with a Buyer Specialist like myself is that They’re Your Negotiator. Purchasing a home with the selling agent as we discussed earlier takes this benefit completely away and you will be required to do the negotiations all by yourself. This can be awkward and daunting for even an experienced buyer.
Where this negotiating expertise also comes into play is if you’re attempting to purchase an overpriced house. There are many things that are involved in this, which may include, but is certainly not limited to, completing a detailed comparative market analysis proving the house is overpriced or structuring the other terms of the contract to appeal to the seller. Most importantly, gaining valuable insight from the selling broker using my professional relationship.
Last but definitely not least, one of the parts of my role as a Buyer Specialist is that I can be your Emotional Filter. Buying a house is VERY emotional and can potentially get the best of a buyer. Since I am less emotionally attached to a specific property you may have interest in, I can help keep you from making an emotional and rash decision. Ultimately, a buyer is the final decision maker, of course, but I can help weigh the PROs and CONs to potential properties while taking the emotion out of the decision.
I asked a wonderful past client of mine a few questions about her experience of working a buyer specialist…see her answers below:
What did you know about a buyer specialist before you started looking for homes and going to open houses?
Honestly, didn’t know that buyer agents existed. At our third open house, we met you and you explained your position as a buyer specialist and we really liked the idea that we would have one person who would support us on our side of the transaction. It felt more personable.
Did you know you needed one then? If not, when did that change?
Honestly no. Once we talked to you about what a Buyer Agent was, we decided we needed one!!
What was the most valuable thing about having a buyer specialist throughout the process?Knowing that we have a representative looking out for our best interests throughout the process.
Is there any role of your buyer specialist’s job that you didn’t expect they would do?
Honestly, we were so new to this process so almost the entire process we were shocked with. It was so nice that you attended our inspections, all showings, our final walk-through and our closing!
In closing, if you are considering purchasing a home for the first or even the fifth time, please consider using a trueBuyer Specialist to represent your needs at the highest level. You certainly won’t regret this decision. I look forward to assisting you in your next purchase!