Eight Compelling Reasons Why You Need a Buyer’s Agent

1. Get the most bang for you buck.
Simply put, a good buyer’s agent will help you identify a nice house for the money, help negotiate often overlooked inspection and closing costs, identify potential repairs that may serve as negotiation points, and generally help you make sure your cost basis in a home is an amount that you can hope to sell for in the future.

2. Buyer’s representation does not cost you a penny — and it gets you a person who represents your interests, and your interests alone. 
Whether you use a buyer’s agent or not, commissions remain the same for the agents involved. You may as well take advantage of this fact and have a professional on your side that cares only about getting you the best deal possible.

3. Buying a home is likely the most complex purchase you will ever make, and a good buyer’s agent will skillfully guide you through the process.
Due to the nature of real estate, all homes are all unique and are purchased under differing circumstances.   Unlike a mutual fund, a refrigerator, or a new car, considerably more information must be gathered before making a purchase.

4. Information.  Information.  Information. 
Having a professional who knows what to look for and what to avoid while looking at homes (not to mention prepare CMAs, help arrange and understand financing, set up escrow, liaison with home inspectors, and otherwise act as your fiduciary during the process) is worth every penny, especially when they are pennies coming out of the seller’s pocket.

5. Help keep your emotions in check.
Buying a home is not just about numbers and comparable list.  Buying a new home is a stressful and often times emotional ordeal, and a good buyer’s agent will help keep you level headed during this hectic time so that you can still make a sound, rational purchase decision and ultimately purchase the home of your dreams.

6.  Lining up the closing and all that goes with it can be complex and frustrating; a buyer’s agent will help keep the selling agent on the ball so that the closing happens as scheduled.
In addition, since closing costs are completely negotiable, an agent who represents both the buyer and the seller will have a harder time negotiating on your behalf for the other party to shoulder more of the costs.  This could cost you a significant amount of money.

7. Negotiating a home purchase is a song-and-dance that most people do only a few times in their lives — having a second opinion and an “out” in negotiations is critical to getting the best price. 
It is the role of a good buyer’s agent to feel out the selling agent to see where the negotiations might go, and what number is appropriate to offer when making an offer.  This means you may potentially get a better deal by hiring a buyer’s agent than if the selling agent gets to control both sides of the negotiation.

8. Legal protection.
A competent buyer’s agent will make sure that your interests are protected legally if things don”t go according to plan in your real estate transaction.  You need to make sure that if you make an offer and things don”t work out because of contingencies like a failed home inspection or lack of financing that you can get your earnest money back and void the purchase agreement.