When you're planning to buy a home in San Diego and trying to decide which buyer's agent you should hire, get prepared for your interview with a list of questions for hiring a buyer's agent.
See my list below for all the questions you might want to ask BEFORE hiring a Buyer's Agent in San Diego:
1. Are you an Exclusive Buyer's Agent? Do you spend 100% of your time representing Buyers and will you guarantee me that you will not be representing any seller at any time while you are working for me? Does the company you work for ever list homes for sale in the areas I'm interested in?
2. How does your Buyer Representation Agreement work? What is the duration of that agreement? What if I see a for-sale-by-owner house on my own?
3. How experienced are you? How long have you been licensed? Do you work in real estate full time? How many homebuyers have you helped in San Diego County? How many homes have your purchased for yourself over the years?
4. Will I only be working with you? Will you be touring homes with me? Will you handle all aspects of my transaction, or will you delegate some tasks to an assistant or another agent?
5. How do you get paid?
6. Do you have time for me? How many clients are you working with now, and are you available to help me in my desired time-frame (when are you available?)?
7. Are you on my side or the seller's (or both)? Will you tell me everything you can find out about the sellers and their reasons for selling? What happens if I'm interested in one of your company's listings?
8. What's your system for showing me homes? How often will you supply me with properties that meet my criteria? How will you get them to me? Will you point out all the negative aspects of each property as well as all the positive aspects?
9. What kind of Expert Advice can you give to me? How many buyer-side transactions have your worked on? What professional training and continuing education do you have that makes you more qualified to represent San Diego home buyers in the current marketplace (such as obtaining a broker's license over a salesperson license, Accredited Buyer Representative training and designation, Short Sales and Foreclosures training and designation, Certified Negotiation Expert training and designation, local market expertise, etc., etc.)?
10. What's your system for helping me write an offer? Will you provide information on recent sales and help me formulate an offering price and negotiating strategy?
11. Will I have access to every home? Will you show me all the homes on the market that meet my needs, including For Sale By Owner properties, foreclosures, short sales, HomePath REOs, HUD homes (Have you applied and been approved by HUD to represent buyers on their properties?), and other properties?
12. Will you truly only be loyal to me (not the seller)? Will you guarantee that any information I give you will be kept confidential and guarantee your undivided loyalty? What happens if I want to buy one of your company's listings?
13. Will I see you again after my offer is accepted? How do you view your role after we negotiate an accepted offer (prior to close of escrow)? Will you be helping me with my investigation of the home, inspections, reviewing disclosures and reports, going to appointments with me, etc.?
14. What neighborhoods do you work in?
15. Will you ever become a dual agent while working for me? How would you represent me as a buyer client for properties listed with your brokerage? Will you change your relationship with me to "dual agency"? How might that affect your ability to negotiate on my behalf for those properties?
16. Are other home buyers happy with your services? Do you have references from other buyers who have used your services? Do you have an association membership that has a published code of ethics or standards of practice?
Also Read: Salesperson vs. Trusted Guide
Also Read: Buyer's Agent vs. Exclusive Buyer's Agent
Also Read: What's Included in Globella's Free Buyer Strategy Session?
Also Read: How Exactly Does a Buyer's Agent Get Paid?
Also Read: 5 Reasons Globella's Clients Are Thrilled at Closing