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    Ten Questions To Ask a Top Buyer Agent

    Ten Questions To Ask a Top Buyer Agent

    You’ve decided you need your own, dedicated Buyer Agent. You know that a Top Buyer Agent will help you avoid mistakes and get the best home. Buying a home in Glendale Ca does not have to be hard, but buying the wrong home can be a disaster.

    Every real estate agent you meet seems lovely, so how do you know who is truly great and who is simply charming?

    Here are the top things to consider when picking your Top Buyer Agent.

    Is this Buyer Agent a local expert in the area you want to buy?

    Location, location, location. It is an important criterion of your home search, so your Buyer Agent needs to be a true expert. They can tell you how an area is changing, comment on schools, shops and attractions, help you understand the people who live in that area. DIGGS Tip: tell your prospective Buyer Agent about your ideal lifestyle and ask them to suggests neighborhoods you had not yet considered.

    Are they experienced with the type of home you want to buy?

    A condo or townhome is a very different experience from a single family home or a newer build home with Mello Roos. Your agent needs to help you understand the issues and place them in perspective – help you focus on what is different and why it might matter. Understanding the nuances of an HOA (home owner’s association) doesn’t matter to a single family residence buyer and earthquake retrofit means very little to a condo buyer.

    What is the Buyer Agent negotiation style and experience?

    Very few agents can explain what makes them a great negotiator. Your Buyer Agent has sought out specific negotiation training. They can describe their negotiation style and why it is effective. DIGGS Tip: Many agents default to splitting the difference in any negotiation. This is an easy way to get an agreement, but it is rarely the most effective.

    How do they explain all the legal paperwork?

    Buying a home in California involves a mountain of legal paperwork. Your agent should take the time to explain everything in a way that is understandable and convenient. Whether it is in person, via screen share, or video – your agent makes it clear where you are protected and when you are at risk. DIGGS Tip: Ask how they use technology like video and electronic signatures to make paperwork fast and convenient.

    What are their multiple offer strategies?

    A truly great Glendale CA home can attract multiple offers in any market. How does a Top Buyer Agent help you win the home of your dreams without feeling like you overpaid? Does the Buyer Agent know the top three techniques to winning without paying buckets of money? DIGGS Tip: Reputation matters. Listing agents and sellers will always give the edge to a Top Buyer Agent they know, like, and trust.

    Is this Buyer Agent experienced with people like me?

    Each buyer has a different reason for buying – and each needs different expertise. First-time buyer, relocation, getting to better schools, downsizing, upsizing or buying your independence home (divorce)? Each situation involves different complexities you may not be able to anticipate, but a Top Buyer Agent has been there, done that, and can help you eliminate the unknowns.

    What do their past clients say about them?

    Online reviews are easy to find – make sure to read them with a critical eye. Lots of reviews that are all 5 star can be suspicious. Read the negative reviews – do they sound like personality differences? Sour grapes? The way a Buyer Agent responds can tell you more about the agent than the review itself. Ask the Buyer Agent for references – again, even if you do not call any of the references the way a Buyer Agent responds to your request says a lot.

    Do they provide connections to tradespeople and service professionals?

    There are a lot of people involved with a home purchase. Title, escrow, mortgage, inspector, tradespeople, movers – the list is endless. Does your Buyer Agent have preferred relationships with all the trades you need?

    What does the Buyer Agent do after the close of escrow?

    A great agent doesn’t walk away the moment they are paid. But, talk is cheap. It is easy to claim they are “your agent for life”,ย  but can they describe how they remain valuable to you after the sale? DIGGS Tip: Our past client rely on us for evaluating the value of future remodeling and to keep current on their home’s value.

    Sometimes it’s just a feeling….

    The number one thing homebuyers want is an agent they can trust. Sometimes trust happens because you just…. click. Usually, this is because of something really hard to measure – the Buyer Agent really listens to you, or they seem to understand your hopes and dreams of the future better than anyone else.

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