So, you’re in the market for a new home. Congratulations! But are you wondering how to deal with real estate agents when buying a home? Whether this is your first purchase or looking to upgrade, buying a property can be both exciting and daunting.
Unlike buyer’s advocates, real estate agents represent the seller. So, as a seller, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is choosing the right real estate agent.
However, it sometimes gets difficult to deal with these agents, no matter the perks. There are certain questions you must ask when buying a house. So, read this article to learn how to deal with difficult real agents gracefully.
Related articles:
- Selling a House Without an Agent: Pros and Cons
- How to Fire a Real Estate Agent
- What Not to Say to a Real Estate Agent
What do real estate agents do?
First and foremost, it’s essential to understand what real estate agents actually do. They are the professionals who help people buy, sell, and rent properties. This means there will also be dealing with real estate agents when selling your property.
In most cases, they work for a brokerage firm where they are paid a commission for their services. Generally speaking, real estate agents are helpful, knowledgeable, and resourceful. They can give you valuable information and insights that you might not be able to find on your own.
However, they are also salespeople, and their ultimate goal is to make a commission. They may sometimes use specific tactics to convince you to buy or sell a property.
What are some common real estate agent tricks?
Now that you know a little more about what real estate agents do let’s look at some of the most common tricks they use. These can help you answer “How to deal with real estate agents when buying a home?”
1. The bait and switch
The bait and switch is a tactic where an agent will show you one property and then try to convince you to buy another.
For example, they may offer you a fixer-upper and then try to talk you into purchasing a move-in ready home. Or, they may show you a small condo and then try to sell you a luxury apartment.
2. Highball and lowball
The highball is another common tactic that buyers fall for and then think about how to deal with real estate agents when buying a property. In this case, the realtor will bring down the market price of the house while suggesting a selling price to the owner.
However, lowball is exactly the opposite of this. They overestimate the price of the property while dealing with a buyer and ask for more money than the house is worth. For example, they may claim that a home is worth $250,000 when it’s actually worth only $200,000.
3. The pressure cooker
The pressure cooker is a tactic where an agent will try to rush you into making a decision. This compelling tactic leaves you wondering how to deal with real estate agents when buying a new home. They may do this by setting a short deadline to make an offer on a property or pressuring you to sign a contract.
4. The silent treatment
Make sure you understand this while researching how to deal with real estate agents when buying your home. The silent treatment is a tactic where an agent will withhold important information from you in order to get you to make a decision.
For example, they may not tell you about the problems with a property or the fact that the sellers are willing to negotiate the price. Being the middleman, the agent will try to take out a more significant chunk of commission through this.
5. The guilt trip
The guilt trip is a tactic where dodgy real estate agents try to make you feel guilty to get you to do what they want. For example, they may tell you that you’re wasting their time if you don’t make an offer on a property.
How to deal with difficult real estate agents?
Now that you know about some of the common tricks real estate agents use, here are a few tips to remember while dealing with real estate agents:
1. Do your research
This is the first step of how to deal with real estate agents when buying a property. Before you start working with a real estate agent, it’s important to do your research. This means reading reviews, interviewing multiple agents, and asking for referrals.
But don’t just look at reviews from the real estate agent’s website. Look at third-party review sites, as it’s much harder to remove negative comments from there. For example, if you look up SquareFoot Homes on Google reviews, you’ll find multiple 5-star reviews from happy clients. You can feel confident that real customers left these reviews.
2. Plan your purchase
Having a strict plan is vital before you go house hunting. This plan will help you decide on a budget, the facilities you need, the location, and much more. T
Also, this will help you avoid any pressure to spend more than you can afford or leave you thinking about how to deal with real estate agents when buying a home.
3. Be assertive
If an agent uses one of the tactics mentioned above, it’s essential to be assertive. This means being firm in your decisions and not letting the agent pressure you into anything.
Always remember, while wondering how to deal with real estate agents when buying your home – you are the boss. The real estate agent will not put pressure on the chances of losing a client.
4. Get a second opinion
If you’re unsure about a property or an offer, it’s always good to get a second opinion from another real estate agent or a professional home inspector.
5. Walk away
If an agent is demanding or pushy, don’t be afraid to walk away. Obviously, keep it as a last resort on how to deal with real estate agents when buying a home.
But, if you are not comfortable, make the change. There are plenty of other agents out there who would be happy to work with you.
Buying a home is a big decision, and thus it is important to know how to deal with real estate agents when buying a home. It is always better to prepare yourself with the right questions for the realtor and research the stats before you start working together.
By knowing about the most common tricks they use, you can avoid being taken advantage of and make sure you find the perfect home for you and your family.
Tips from a professional buyer’s agent
We spoke to Alexander Gibson, a professional buyer’s agent, who gave us a few extra expert tips on what is often overlooked by buyers:
- Parking may be advertised as available to the apartment building but not part of the title of ownership to the unit itself.
- Using aspect to distort sunlight expectations. They may claim a northern aspect but there is a obstruction from the neighbouring property blocking the sunlight
- Apartment sizes that include balconies and car spaces distort the interior size expectations
Wanna get into your dream home faster?
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