Why Every Home Buyer Should Use a Buyer’s Agent


At Advantage Real Estate, we prefer to work with buyers in the agency capacity of Buyer’s Agent.  This provides numerous advantages to our clients while allowing us to utilize and extend our expertise to the client in the greatest manner possible.  Read more to find out why...


How can a Buyer’s Agent Help Me?

A Buyer’s Agent can do more to provide you with the information to make a qualified purchase decision.  Much more!  A buyer’s agent represents Your Interests and can never compromise your interests by passing along information about you to the seller.  A Buyer’s Agent can:

  • Represent you as a true client, not just as a customer.
  • Show you all the homes on the market that meet your needs, including any For Sale By Owner properties we are aware of which meet your buyer profile.
  • Keep your negotiating and financial position confidential.
  • Provide data and analysis of comparable sales and market conditions to help you formulate an offering price and negotiating strategy.
  • Help you write an offer and negotiate with only your interests in mind.
  • Point out positive and negative aspects of each property so you can make a fully informed purchase decision.
  • Research any seller or property and provide you with strategic insight.
  • Provide reliable sources of lenders, inspectors, attorneys, insurance agents, and other professionals.
  • Provide you with anonymity if desired.

Quite simply, BUYER AGENCY allows us to work contractually in your best interest, not the seller's. And having your own representation doesn't have to cost you a penny more...don't let anyone tell you otherwise!


Can a Transaction Broker or Seller’s Agent Help You Buy?

Remember, a Buyer’s Agent Works Only For You!  Alternatively, if you use a Transaction Broker in the purchase of a home, they owe no loyalty to you and your interests.  A Transaction Broker’s responsibility is only to assist the buyer and seller throughout the transaction without being an agent or advocate for any of the parties.  Worse yet, if you are working with an agent of the seller, you are only a customer.  The Seller’s Agent owes their loyalty to the seller.

The Buyer’s Agent works for the buyer and is obligated to reveal to the buyer:

  • The willingness of the seller to accept a lower price.
  • Any facts relating to the reason for selling and their timetable for selling.
  • How long the home has been on the market.
  • Any facts affecting the value of the property.
  • Any information that would affect the buyer’s ability to obtain the property at the lowest price on the most favorable terms.

If you are absolutely in love with the property you are buying, you do not want your agent to have the same rose colored glasses (or blinders) that you have.  That is all the more reason to be sure the agent is Working For You!


What will a Buyer’s Agent Cost You?

Compensation can be structured in several different ways, but typically, the Buyer Agent compensation is paid by the seller as agreed to in the listing agreement.  As a result, you Gain The Advantage by using a Buyer’s Agent!  You receive the benefit of a broker who is obligated to represent your interests at no direct cost to you. 

A Buyer’s Agent can guide you each step of the way to prevent costly errors.  Failure to find out about the actual value of the property or defects in a property can be an expensive mistake.  And failure to negotiate a contract that works for you can cost you plenty. 

With a Buyer’s Agent, you can receive advice and assistance in determining an appropriate offering price for the property that suits your needs.


What are the Advantages of an Appraiser/Broker?

By hiring an APPRAISER/BROKER as your Buyer’s Agent, you gain the benefit of a broker with the unique experience, resources, and skills to

  • Help you determine appropriate price level of property’s you are considering buying
  • Provide in-depth current and historical knowledge of properties and trends throughout the Vail Valley marketplace
  • Protect the Home Buyer!

At Advantage Real Estate, we let our clients decide what type of agency relationship they would like to enter into with our brokers.  Some buyers prefer to engage our brokers as Transaction Brokers, as there is no vicarious liability associated with this option.  Other buyers prefer the advantages of hiring our brokers as buyer’s agents as this provides them with an advocate who will represent the client with utmost good faith, loyalty, and fidelity.  This is all part of our effort to offer our clients better choices.  Enjoy the Advantage!

If you are contemplating the purchase of real estate in the future, we welcome the opportunity to explain the benefits of Buyer’s Agency to you in greater detail.  Do not hesitate to pick up the phone and call.  It could mean the difference of thousands of dollars to you.


The Bottom Line

If you want an agent to fully represent your best interests, if you want help evaluating a property, if you want someone to negotiate the best price and the best terms, if you want to purchase a home in what's becoming the most popular way to buy, you'll want to enlist the aid of a Buyer's Agent.


Exclusive Buyer Agency Agreement

To establish a Buyer’s Agency relationship with us, you must sign a Buyer Agency Agreement.  Per Colorado State Law, we may not legally represent you without a signed agency agreement.  This contractual agreement makes us legally accountable to you.  This form is nothing more than an Employment Agreement with a beginning and ending date.  It identifies the parties, the type of property you desire, and how the Broker will be compensated. 

Click here to view a Buyer Agency Agreement.  Requires Adobe Acrobat!


What about situations where Advantage Real Estate represents both the buyer and the seller?

Sometimes, the situation arises where one of our company brokers shows a buyer a home which is listed by a broker with Advantage Real Estate.  In this situation, it is impossible to represent the interests of both the buyer and the seller at the same time.  Accordingly, you need and deserve to know that the relationship of the brokerage changes.

In this situation, our company policy calls for our broker(s) to switch the brokerage agency relationships to act as transaction brokers for both the buyer and the seller.  This assures that the buyer and seller are treated fairly and equally.  Both agents are required to provide complete disclosure, due diligence, and the care and accountability that they would always provide.  Neither agent may disclose personal information (like how much a buyer would be willing to pay or how low a seller would be willing to sell) to the other.


Are You Buying a Property and desire the Unique Benefits of an Appraiser/Broker?

Use Our Response Form, or call Advantage Real Estate at 970 / 926-1155.


AGENCY TERMS

Agency Relationship: agreement between an agent and a client in which the agent acts in the client's best interests in a real estate transaction; also, "Brokerage Relationship."

Buyer's Agent: acts exclusively on behalf of the buyer; also, "Buyer's Broker."

Listing Agent: person acting on behalf of the seller; the agent who "lists" the home for sale; also "Seller's Agent."

Client: the buyer represented by a Buyer's Agent or the seller represented by a Seller's Agent; also, the "Principal."

Customer: a buyer who works with a Seller's Agent is considered a "customer" rather than a "client" of the Seller's Agent because they have not entered into an agency relationship. Buyer has no representation.

Disclosed Dual Agency: Occurs when one brokerage company represents both the buyer and the seller. In some states, certain modifications may be allowed by law.

Subagent: agent often from another company other than the listing company working with the home buyer but who legally represents the seller.

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