What exactly does a Real Estate Agent do? It is a very valid question that a lot of buyer's and seller's really don't know the full answer to. This post is going to answer what a Real Estate Agent does for a home buyer. A Real Estate Agent has to be licensed by his/her state and has to work under the supervision of a Broker. A Real Estate Agent is often a Realtor as well. A Realtor is an agent who belongs to the National Association of Realtors. You can be an agent and not a Realtor but I would tread carefully with anyone who has not invested enough in their career to at least hold the Realtor title.

1. So first and foremost if you are considering purchasing a home you should have your own Agent and not multiple agents. You should not just walk into an Open House and write a purchase offer with the on duty agent as they are representing... guess who? The Seller!
2. Here in the Auburn New York/ Finger Lakes area the seller pays the agent's commission. Most of the time there will be a listing agent and a selling agent. The listing agent acts as the seller's agent and are working in their best interests, the selling agent works for the buyer and is representing the buyer's best interests. The great thing about buying real estate is that you get you own exclusive agent to represent you and help meet your needs and the seller pays for it. If it is a 7% commission on the house the seller will pay out 3.5% to the list agent and 3.5% to the buyer's agent. In essence as a buyer you are basically receiving a free personal real estate assistant.
3. You should choose an agent who knows the local market well and who you feel comfortable with. I always recommend interviewing (not looking at houses with) a few different agents to find who will be the best fit for you.
4. Once you have chosen the right agent the house hunting can begin. The agent's main responsibility is to connect you with a seller and broker the deal. When I begin to work with a new client I like to have an initial meeting to go over what their real estate needs are. At the initial meeting I will also recommend lender's if they do not already have one in place.
5. I will then do a property search to pull up properties that meet what you are looking for and show you those properties. At this beginning phase the agent should be in constant contact updating you on new properties and showing you properties.
6. Once you have found a property you are interested in the real estate negotiating process will begin.
7. After the agent has negotiated the selling price for you, you will then sign the contract, order any inspections and the closing process will begin

I stay in touch with my clients throughout the entire closing process. Their are a lot of parties involved in a closing and I like to make sure every party communicates with the other and the process goes smoothly. Every client is unique so I customize my strategies to fit each client and their needs. If you do not have a lot of time I am more than happy to preview houses before the initial showing. For our of town clients I create virtual tours of properties they are interested in so they can be viewed online. Remember in essence the agent is you employee. If you have an agent who does not want to show you properties or does not send you prospects in a timely fashion by all means get another agent! For up to date real estate information and if you have any questions please feel free to call me anytime at 315-515-8348.