04-16-2009, 03:35 PM
I wouldn't buy a house without an agent or attorney representing me. I don't want the only trained RE pro in the room to be working for the other guy.
Nor would I buy a house that was For Sale By Owner. I wouldn't even look at it. I've looked at FSBOs and every single one was overpriced. The sort of person who goes FSBO is often the sort of person you don't want to negotiate a half million dollar contract with. (Not every FSBO is a skinflint a-hole, but there are enough of them to keep me away from FSBOs generally).
Those detailed listings with the virtual tours? A well crafted mls entry must be pretty hard to do, since so many are poorly done. I can't imagine using that information and then trying to sneak around the agent that worked to advertise the house, that got you interested.
With all that said, a bad agent is a bad agent. You should check references on three or four agents before you select one, whether you're buying or selling. Get an agent you can trust, and then trust them. If they say to list your house at $329, and you insist on listing it at $374, it's not their fault when it takes eight months to sell your house and you only get $298.
Nor would I buy a house that was For Sale By Owner. I wouldn't even look at it. I've looked at FSBOs and every single one was overpriced. The sort of person who goes FSBO is often the sort of person you don't want to negotiate a half million dollar contract with. (Not every FSBO is a skinflint a-hole, but there are enough of them to keep me away from FSBOs generally).
Those detailed listings with the virtual tours? A well crafted mls entry must be pretty hard to do, since so many are poorly done. I can't imagine using that information and then trying to sneak around the agent that worked to advertise the house, that got you interested.
With all that said, a bad agent is a bad agent. You should check references on three or four agents before you select one, whether you're buying or selling. Get an agent you can trust, and then trust them. If they say to list your house at $329, and you insist on listing it at $374, it's not their fault when it takes eight months to sell your house and you only get $298.