Expectations of Realtors?
I’m a first time home buyer and have been working with a realtor who I met at an open house, and I’m not sure if my expectations for what he should be doing are too high, or if I need to find a new realtor. He has been taking me to a lot of showings…
I’m a first time home buyer and have been working with a realtor who I met at an open house, and I’m not sure if my expectations for what he should be doing are too high, or if I need to find a new realtor. He has been taking me to a lot of showings that he has never been to before (which turn out to be crappy and thus a waste of my time) or a lot that are out of my price range. The best we have seen are all from searches I’ve done on my own, and sent to him to set them up. Is it wrong of me to expect that he would be doing research on places outside of his own company, and to have viewed them prior to taking me there? ANd are realtors necessary in today’s market, when all the housing information is available to everyone?
WTbound and Hannible why do I get the impression you’re those cheapskates that sit at a table in a bar, buy a $6 beer, leave no tip and justify it by saying “I could’ve gotten a six-pack for the same price in the bodega down the street.” Edifice, I will respectfully disagree with you, in NYS, brokers are not always legally obligated to represent the seller, example: if they are showing you listings that isn’t theirs – taking you to open house listings by other brokers, in that case they represent you. Saying that – Firstimer, I think you should probably find another Broker, especially if he’s not taking you to listings outside his company. In the meantime, feel free to go to open houses yourself. However, as first time homebuyers – beware, that the broker hosting the open house indeed reps the seller and that can cost you if your negotiating skills are not up to par, if not, it may be worth getting another broker.
If your broker doesn’t seem to understand what you like…then why would you want him/her to go see the apartment/house first and then decide if he/she should bring you? Makes no sence.
Do you have extra money on hand to throw away on a broker? Do you really want to keep the parasites living? Let the brokers go out and find a real job just like the rest of us. They are nothing but blood suckers.
All the above is good advice,I would add…dump this broker. Use as many agents as you can stand. A good broker is useful but not necessary in any market. A bad broker is a waste of time x2. Unless you have a clear legal agreement, the broker is legally obligated to protect the sellers interests no matter how friendly they are.
My husband and I are recent first time home buyers. We looked for about six months and did a lot of the research on apartment listings, neighborhood comps, and went to open houses ourselves. We also worked with a broker who was honest, listened to what we were looking for, suggested listings, and helped calm our nerves. At some point in the early part of the process, I did question whether we needed a buyer’s broker– she really wasn’t sending us anything that I could not have found myself. That completely changed, though, once we found the apartment and started the bidding/contract/closing process. I definitely recommend you find someone to work with who you like and who is competent. Even if you do most of the legwork now, it’s invaluable having someone to walk you through the process later on.
I have never understood why people use brokers in NYC. First, they rarely get access to FSBOs which, IMO, are a lot of places in brownstone Bklyn. Second, why not just look at the NYTimes and go to open houses or call to set up showings, and ask any deal-breaker questions on the phone. Seems like not a lot of work to me and then you get to see everything plus not have to waste your time going to this broker’s places he is trying to sell.
I think you need to clarify whether this is indeed “your broker” or this is a seller broker who is taking you to his client’s properties.
“Is it wrong of me to expect that he would be doing research on places outside of his own company”
Remember that in NYC the agent is an agent of the Seller not the buyer!
He’s obviously not understanding what you are looking for. Some of them don’t listen, others are just lazy, many are stupid. You should be able to set up your own appointments. In fact, most brokers should prefer to work directly with you and not have to split a fee with another broker.
Yes, its easier to get “your” broker to arrange the meetings but not if the total effort is a waste of time by looking at things he’s found that don’t fit.