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Who Really Represents You When Buying a Home?

Heather Paige Moody

One of the most misunderstood aspects of buying a home is “does the real estate agent REALLY represent you, the home buyer?
Yes, you do have the right to ask an agent to solely represent you, and here are some FAQ’s as to what’s involved and why you should consider it when buying your next home, second home or investment property.
What does Buyer Representation mean? The real estate agent represents your interest. They are required to be loyal, accountable and not disclose any information about you that you don’t want the seller or the other real estate agent to know.

Should you call the agent who listed the house for sale? You can—but they are representing the seller, not you—and their responsibility is to get the highest price and the most money for the seller. You will also have to sign a piece of paper stating that you are aware that the real estate agent will be representing both of you—and will do their best to be fair and honest.

Will you get a better deal if you work with the listing agent? Some people think that since the real estate agent would be getting all the commission when they work with both the buyer and the seller, then the listing agent will negotiate a better deal. The bottom line is that if the seller doesn’t accept the offer, or if you, the buyer, won’t counter with another price, it’s out of the agent’s control and the sale does not happen.

Will they only show you listings that are in the MLS? An agent who represents buyers not only can show you properties listed for sale through the Multiple Listing Service, they also can contact For Sale by Owners. If there is a home you’d like to buy, but it’s not for sale, they can knock on the door for you and ask if they would consider selling it to you.

How much does it cost? Over 99% of the time, the seller still pays the real estate commission. There are extremely rare times where the seller may not agree to pay the commission, but you will know ahead of time if there are any issues.

Do you need to sign anything? Yes, there is an agreement called the Exclusive Right to Represent the Buyer and it outlines what my duties are and my responsibility to you. It lets the seller and the real estate agents know that we have an exclusive relationship, and if they tell me something about the property or the seller or any other information, I have the duty to tell you. You will usually have to sign it for a period of time—but that too is negotiable between you and the agent.
If you are thinking of selling your home, contact me and I’ll recommend several great listing agents.
If you are thinking of buying a home, I also know of many great buyers’ agents that I can recommend to you too.

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Published by Heather Paige Moody

Welcome! I'm Heather ( AKA: Paige) Moody . A Little About me: I was born and raised in a small town in Eunice, Louisiana where I started my first mortgage company in 2005 at the age of 21 years old. Since 2005 I’ve grown to know everything when it comes to the industry, from owning a mortgage company, processing loans, mortgage underwriting rules, to now managing. Why I’m in the Mortgage Business: My family has a history of Banking and real estate . I could see at an early age how satisfying the real estate profession was for them, so I started off as a Real Estate agent and quickly realized that the mortgage side was my passion. I am a mother of 4 very active kids that have been/ are being raised in the Real Estate /mortgage world. I have always said that their first baby blanket was a file folder. I love to be able to teach that going the extra mile for others is such a blessing to us as well as the other person. Most importantly that no matter what the obstacle is that we must work hard and give it our all in all that we do. Our family lives at a field or a gym for most of the year. Between baseball, cheer, volleyball, football and anything they can possibly sing up for, I have developed little-known disease called Bleacher Butt. When I am not working ( or should I say.. not behind my desk) or attending an event for one of the kids . I really enjoy bible studies , reading and listening to podcast. My children go to 2 different schools and I am so blessed to be part of two Mom’s in Prayer groups. It is a National Organization that Moms can get together to pray for our children and our school. As the Southern Mortgage Mom, I help homebuyers and Real Estate Agents make the Mortgage buying process as stress free as possible. I have been called the miracle worker by clients and agents( on occasion) because I have saved some mortgage loans that others have denied . It has nothing to do with miracles , but all to do with knowing how to get a loan approved. If I am lucky enough that you chose me or my team as your go to lender, I promise that I will be fair, I will be honest and you will feel like family when you sign the final papers and I will keep in touch (till you tell me not to) long after the mortgage loan is closed. Looking forward to working with you when it comes time to buy a home or refinance your current mortgage.

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