The majority of people today tend to want to do as much as they can for themselves. Especially if they think a task is going to be easy and it is going to save them money. This is one of the concepts that some people have when they decide that they are going to buy a home without using a real estate agent.

Do I Need a Real Estate Agent to Buy a House?

The only way a person can really know the answer to this question is if they have a clear understanding of what benefits the real estate agent offers to the buying client. This includes:

The Provision of Important Information

When buying a home there is a lot of information that should be relied on. It isn’t just a matter of determining that the sale price of a home appears to be a good price. Or, that it fits in with a buyers budget.  There is a lot of factors that go into the asking price that the buyer should be aware of. A real estate agent has the skills and expertise to provide this.

Taxes

Buyers of a home should be aware of what the taxes on the home have been. This is an ongoing expense that the new home owner will have to deal with.

Comparible Pricing

What have other homes similar to the one being considered sold for. Or are currently on the market for. Buyers should not assume just because the seller has listed a house that it is priced at market value. The home sellers could have insisted on asking for an escalated price.

History

In Canada currently, it is very difficult for anyone to get historical information about a house. A real estate agent has a better opportunity of getting this.

What Is Going On in the Area?

Anyone that is interested in buying a home without a realtor can do their own research of what is going on in the area that they want to buy in. However, this takes a lot of time to do. If this is done for each areas of homes a buyer is interested in then the majority of their time will be spent on research.

Making the Offer

The most important part of buying a home is the drafting of the offer and presenting it. These are legal documents and if not done properly could have some serious repercussions when it comes to closing the deal.

The Real Estate Agent’s Credentials

If buying or selling a house were so easy then there would be no necessity for real estate agents to take the courses and training that they must do to become a legal realtor. The government mandates their licencing so this clearly indicates that there is a high level of expertise that needs to go into real estate transactions. Those who are buying a home on their own most likely do not have this expertise.

The Pros and Cons of Having a Real Estate Agent When Buying a House

Buying a house is a serious investment and one that takes a lot of careful thought and planning. The real estate agents are the professionals that can assist with this. There are advantages and disadvantages to be considered when determining whether to use an agent or not.

The Pros:

The Right Property:

• One of the most difficult aspects of do it yourself home buying is finding the right property. Buyers know what they want but finding this is not as easy as it may seem.  A real estate agent is totally familiar with the area they serve. They can zero in on properties for sale based on what the buyer tells them.

The Legalities:

• The legalities of buying a house can be a big stumbling block for many buying a house on their own. There is a lot of paperwork that not only has to be completed but done correctly. If not it can affect the purchase of the home and cost the buyer extra money. Real Estate agents must take all the proper courses to train them to complete this paperwork. They are responsible for the completion of it and can be held accountable for it if done improperly.

Complexity:

• The home buying process has more steps to it than what many buyers realize. A lot who have attempted this themselves will admit they had no idea of how complex the process can be.

The Finances:

• The arranging of the finances when buying a home can be perplexing. A real estate agent can often help buyers find mortgage providers if they have not arranged for this themselves. This is a big burden that can be lifted off the home buyers.

The Cons:

There are some downsides to using an agent for buying purposes. Overall the positive aspects outweight the negative ones which are:

• Incompatibility with the agent
• The agent tried to push them into buying a particular house
• Was reluctant to negotiate on the price of the house
• Wasn’t able to find suitable houses
• Appeared to be working with the seller as opposed to working for the buyer

Do You Have to Pay a Real Estate Agent to Buy a House?

The home buyer does not have to pay the real estate agent for their services. Normally the selling agent will give a percentage of their commission to the agent who has brought in the buyers.

Do You Have to Pay a Realtor if You Don’t Buy a House?

The buying agent does not receive any money from the home buyers themselves. This is no matter whether a home is bought through that agent or not. It is up to the agent to make an agreement with the selling agent. If the deal has not taken place then the agent has to deal with their own out of pocket expenses.

Do I Need a Realtor to Buy a New Home?

Many like to buy a new home and feel that because it is being sold by the developer it is not necessary to have a real agent represent them. The process of buying the home is no different than for other home purchases and the real estate agent is there to ensure that the purchase is done correctly.

The decision as to whether to use a real estate agent for home buying comes down to personal preference. With home buying being such a huge step relying on professionals can help to relieve a lot of the stress and allow the home buyer to focus on the actual home buying itself.