Beyond the basic FAQs, once we’re working together as agent and client here is additional information you might find helpful

When you hire me to represent you as your agent, we’ll work more closely together to find the perfect home for you and get it closed!

I need details! What are the steps and how long will all this take?

We’ll cover this in detail in our buyer’s consultation meeting, but feel free to take a look at this chart.

A little more on representation:

So what does it really cost to have you represent me?

Very simple answer - because sellers pay commission for buyer’s agents, the only cost to you is a $100 transaction fee paid to my brokerage at closing. This covers expenses related to the transaction like oversight, records, retention, etc.

What does this Buyer’s Representation Agreement really do for me?

This agreement establishes me as a fiduciary, which means “faithful servant” to represent your best interests. As a licensed agent, I’m bound to treat everyone I speak with honesty and truthfulness. As your fiduciary, we extend that commitment to include loyalty, confidentiality, disclosure, obedience, reasonable care and diligence, and accounting. Each of these promises is detailed in the Buyer’s Rep agreement that we have signed, or you can read more information provided by the National Association of Realtors.

What if I don’t sign the document?

It is really in your best interest to establish this fiduciary relationship on paper. Even if you choose not to sign the agreement, some actions may imply that the agent/client relationship is formed. If you decide at any point after the document is signed that you prefer to not work with me, I ask that you first raise any concerns with me so that they can be addressed. If they can’t be, my managing broker will release you from the agreement.  

Let’s talk about the offer process

We’ve found the perfect house. Now what?

Awesome! Let’s write an offer! We’ll start by talking through strategy - are we going to negotiate hard for the best price, or are we going to offer a little more to increase the change of winning in case of multiple offers? What other goals do you have, for example a specific closing date, do you want to keep some of the appliances, or do you have a home to sell before closing? All of these things impact the strategy of making a strong offer.

What do I need to have before writing an offer?

A few things are essential in order to write an offer that will be accepted:

Pre-qualification Letter: First, a pre-qualification letter from your lender is absolutely necessary in this market. Once you establish a relationship with a lender and are pre-qualified for a loan, I can work with them to generate a letter specific to this contract.

Offer Details: We’ll talk through these before writing any offer, I’ll send you a worksheet to gather information like your legal name, who will be on the title, when to close, where to close, any special stipulations related to the contract, and a few other things. We’ll talk through these in detail so you understand each item.

Earnest Money: When an offer is accepted, you will need to provide a check for some amount of up-front money to show that you are sincere about making the purchase. This is your “skin in the game.” Usually this is around 1% of the purchase price, but we will discuss this amount as we dial in a strategy.

How that we’re under contract, we’ll talk about:

  • What is earnest money

  • Where do I find an inspector, title company, insurance agent, etc.

  • What if we find issues during the inspection

  • What is the closing meeting like, and what do I need to bring

  • When and how to set up utilities

  • And much more…

Please check back frequently. More FAQs coming soon!

There are many, many questions to answer on this page. I’ll be adding to these FAQs all the time, so please check back. If you have suggestions for topics you’d like to see covered here, please shoot me a message on the Contact page!