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Behind the scenes with a Buyers Agent - "I didn't know you did all that!"

The common misconception about Buyers Agents is that we take people out to look at a few homes, write the offers, then sit back and collect a paycheck.

Misconception? What an understatement!

Take for example what goes on behind the scenes before we ever step foot in a home with our buyer clients:

Talk with the buyers about their wish list / want list / must have list in a home.
Sort through all of the thousands of listings in the various MLS databases, narrowing
down only those that fit the buyers criteria.
Research the property taxes on the properties. (I'll let you know about the importance
of this in a separate post.)
Check the ownership of the home (looking for conflicting information in public records)
Sifting through the comments and photos to ascertain whether a home meets your financing
criteria (Will the condo be HUD approved? Will the home pass FHA or VA muster?)

A good buyers agent will spend hours behind the scenes working in the buyers best interests before they ever step foot into a home. But you the buyer don't know that, because we don't give you a detailed invoice of work performed like other professionals do. The list above is only a snapshot of what a buyers agent does for you. The list goes on and on during the process of purchasing your home.

How do you know if we have done a good and thorough job for you? When you get to the closing table thrilled with the purchase of your new home, with as little stress as possible, and without any surprises. We willingly take on the stress and sleepless nights so that you don't have to.

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Posted by Kris Wales - Macomb County MI real estate blog & homes for sale search site on 09/22/2009 06:22 AM

Comments (71)

Buyers Agency in Macomb County MI in the Home Buying Channel

buyers agency in macomb county mi

Originally posted at: Macomb County MI real estate - 1st time home buyers info & advice: Behind the scenes with a Buyers Agent - "I didn't know you did all that!"

This post has been included in Michigan Information Mackinac County, MI Information
Post is included in group: Michigan Real Estate

71 Comments on Behind the scenes with a Buyers Agent - "I didn't know you did all that!"

SEP

Kris,

Oh so true! You are right you do take on the stress and sleepness nights so the buyer doesn't have to (at lease the good buyer agents I know do)!

One fellow asked me to describe my role as a buyers' agent, and I told him I am a safety net to foresee as many surprises as possible and avoid letting them derail things.

Oh it they only......knew.

I know you love your buyers and I am sure you do a good job of explaining that role to them. Unfortunately that is the perception bacause that is what some do.

The list goes on and on, all the negotiating from start to finish on inspections, advice on lenders, advocating and researching a fair price.

It as you know takes tripe the time in Mi to get to the closing table.

Dorie,   It's all part of the job description, isn't it? I know I feel really good if a buyer has less stress because I have taken on the lions share of it.

Mike,   I love that description!   What an apt way to put it.

Missy,   Triple the time is about right :-)   This year especially.   The perception can be changed, one happy buyer at a time.

Kris,

Your list is a good start. So much emphasis is placed on what the listing agent does and not the roles and responsibilities of the buyers agent.

Thanks for reminding the community.

Rich

We do much more than sit back and wait. Today Im going over to help do a few things to my listing that I also sold. Then I have 3 homes to preview and 2 contracts in offer. Oh I also have to call the inspector, bugman, roofer, 2 attorneys, 3 banks, sears,carpet one, county dhec, and a few more people.

Rich, Our responsibility is to represent our clients needs. Doing that takes many many hours of research and leg work. Thanks Rich.

Laura, ..and a partridge in a pear tree :-) Your list for today is typical of what we do. Loved it!

Thank you to whomever featured this article. We need to change perceptions - one happy buyer at a time.

Kris - I'm with you. I work hard to make sure my clients not only get the property they want, but the best deal possible. And if that means multiple phone calls, meetings, or negotiations, so be it. Oh, did I mention the multiple trips for measuring, inspections, pictures, etc.?

Kris, I am not quite sure about "sleepless" nights, but I sure do wake up having dreams about clients, houses and closings and jotting down things to do and ideas to make the process go more smoothly.

Kris, the buyer's agent needs to have a little bit of counselor too to get over "buyer's remorse" syndrome which seems to hit periodically.

Michael, I could have kept adding on to the list, but then this post would have been novel length :-) Thanks Michael.

Kathryn, I've had those "waking up to take notes" nights, and that's exactly what I meant by that line. We do take things home with us - they aren't left in the office and not thought about when we get home. Thanks Kathryn.

Beverly, that too! Buyers remores is just like pre-wedding jitters. Everyone experiences it. Thanks Beverly.

Just as in representing sellers the fiduciary duties of a Realtors are the same and we should always act accordingly. It is just different responsibilities when working with a client on the buy side of a transaction. I think as a result of the current enviroment, the transaction has changed forever so we need to as well while maintaining the intregrity of professionals.

Speaking of sleepless nights, I spoke with an out-of state buyer last night for about 45 minutes. I'll be working to try to pull up the closing today as well as schedule roof, septic, and plumbing repairs and a host of other activities. The call started at midnight and by the time I got all of my notes together it was nearly 2a.

Andrea, You brought up something that needs to be brought up: The changing real estate market landscape. There are no "cookie cutter" purchases anymore. They are all different. Knowing what to do, when to do it, what to avoid...it's all part of our job.

Erik, Oh my. That was a long night and yet you're up early this morning ready to tackle it all for your buyer client. Great example.

Kris, I have found in speaking to people many are still unfamiliar with Buyer's Agents....and it's sad because they have no idea of the VALUE they provide. I always tell my clients who are buying to get a buyer's agent and wouldn't work without one myself.

Kris, this is a sign of a good agent when the transaction goes smoothly. Thanks for showing buyers some of the things that really go on behind the scenes. Congratulations on the feature.

Carole, Buyers Agency has been here in Michigan for years, yet I still don't understand why the benefits of it aren't touted as highly as they should be. I know if I were buying in an area I don't service I wouldn't do it without a buyers agent. Even though I am an agent, I know I would be possibly hurting myself without one. Thanks Carole.

Michael, Thank you Michael. If more of these posts hit the search engines, buyers may be more enlightened as to how hard we work for them.

It is always important to explain what you do to anyone. Education is the only way to overcome objections.

Its very important to communicate all you do. Thats why we added a video section on our web portal to educate clients. Thanks

Kris...

I really believe there will come a time when all the misconceptions will work themselves out. Blogging will be a huge part of that change. Or maybe I'm just dreaming :)

TLW...ROAR!

I learned early on to be sure and tell clients everything I'm doing all the time. Whenever I forget, that's when clients start resenting the commission!

Kris - Showing homes is the easy part, what goes on before and after is the hard part.

Kris:

"we don't give you a detailed invoice of work performed like other professionals do."

If we did that, I am sure they would be shocked at the amount of items that were on it. If everyone had an awareness of just how much we do for them behind the scenes, no one would even think about buying a house without a buyer broker.

Dave, I agree. Once I sit down with a buyer and explain the benefits of having a buyers agent represent them, they understand. We just need to get the word out more en masse.

Tom, I'm going to go check out your video. Love the idea!

Billie, I don't think you're dreaming at all. Blogging is a great way to get the word out. Instead of negative news, we can be the purveyor of good things happening.

Dianne, What I do does get communicated to my buyers, but in a "nutshell rundown" type of way. They always know what is going on, and why. No surprises.

Michelle, It is the easy part - and the fun part :-)

Claudette, I've often thought about sitting down with a closed file and writing out exactly how much I've spent doing what..and adding it all up in an invoice fashion. Just when I think I am going to do it, I talk myself out of it. Just more work! :-)

Maybe we "should" be giving a detailed invoice of work performed, or better yet, about to be performed.

I cannot tell you how many times a buyer that I am working with says to me. "Gee, this is fun, I think I should go into Real Estate"!!! I'm glad I make it look so easy and fun:)

So true!!! The stress behind the scenes can be enormous at times! Especially for FHA/VA/program loans. Great post and I hope some buyers will get the picture!!!

Great post. Perhaps we should detail more to both buyers and sellers all the things we do. Perhaps because many do not see us as professionals we sell ourselves short by this simple ommission.

Education is the key to let the client know all that was done on their behalf. I'm sure many of them would be grateful and good potential referral sources if they knew.

Karen, Your commented reminded me of a former client who moved to a new area and became a real estate agent. One of her emails to me said "How come you never told me how much you do in a transaction???" I had to laugh. BTW, she got out of the business 2 years ago. Too much stress she said.

Emily, The guidelines change so quickly that if we're not on top of things, especially with FHA and VA buyers, our clients will suffer. Thank you.

Corinne, I think by the end of the transactions most buyer clients know we've worked hard for them and put in some pretty long hours. It's the before that concerns me. Many buyers simply don't know that it is to their advantage to have a buyers agent to represent them. Thanks Corinne.

Darryl, Education is always the key, thanks so much.

I always say that Contact to Closing is when I EARN my paycheck! I keep my buyers in the loop so they know exactly how hard I work! Good post! Thanks!

I think the most important point here is being able to sit at the closing table without any stress or surprises. Sadly that is not always the case.

Good Post Kris. The research that we do on each property is worth a considerable amount more than our comission when you consider what not knowing the right information could cost the buyer in the long run if problems arise with the home.

Bernice Dubon in Calgary Alberta, Royal LePage Solutions

www.yourhomeincalgary.com

And holding hands during inspection, negotiating repairs, keeping tabs on the other side of the deal with their financing and keeping all the pieces together thru closing. Amen!

Kris - great list, and you are so right. There is so much that goes on before we ever even show a home. Knowledge is power, and knowledge of inventory is huge in my opinion.

Wow Kris, I thought I was getting here early today but look at all the comments already. Congrats on the feature.

How lucky are buyers that they get the expertise and experience of a buyer agent working on their behalf and they pay nothing for it. Why would they even bother to look at for sale by owners listings?

Many people are shy about negotiating and that's why they use an agent to do it on their behalf.

We all work with lots of buyers and not all lead to a successful transaction. We only get paid for those that do close.

The perception out there is still one that we are overpaid for the amount of work we do. But I believe 85 - 90 percent of sellers use an Agent. What does that tell you?

HA! You only scratched the surfact of what we buyers'a agents do for home buyers.

Starting with the pricing/offer matter, we make sure that home buyers understand the relative value of properties for sale.

What about the many inspection issues?

Financing is something that often requires substantial clarification for buyers.

Settlement is complicated and buyers agents make sure that the numbers follow the contract and intent.

We do a lot and are worth every penny we are paid..

Well written post. A good agent takes care of their clients and makes sure they understand the effort involved. Education is key, service is expected.

Jeani, "Contact to Closing" I like that. I have a feeling though that if you're like me, you do more even after closing. Thanks Jeani.

Ken, It is what we strive for though, isn't it? Very rarely is it stressful at closing, thankfully.

Bernice, You're right. Much of the research we do saves our clients money, sometimes thousands of dollars. Thanks Bernice.

Susan, Amen to you! :-)

Sharon, If you don't the inventory I really believe the buyers will be at a disadvantage. Thanks :-)

Jenny, There is an art to negotiating and you're right, many people are too shy to do it themselves. I don't worry about hurting a sellers feelings with a realistic offer (realistic to my buyers :-). It's the research that we do and the way we present it that makes it all work for our buyers. Thanks Jenny.

Lenn, As I told someone before, if I put in writing all that we do I would create a novel length post :-) One day I do want to write it all down as I go through the process with a buyer. It would probably amaze me as well. Thanks Lenn.

Jeff, I like this: "Education is key. Service is expected." What a wonderful way to put it. Thanks Jeff.

Kris, this is going to sound a little 'snarky' but buyers agents some times follow up on listing agents. I have so many agents in my area who don't care, are lazy or what ever I end calling them asking if one thing or another has been done. And more times than not their files aren't complete so they are calling me for help.

Great post. I think this is a common frustration that we all face. In general, the public has no idea how involved our jobs are.

Most people don't have a clue as to what we really do. They think we just show up , take the money and run at the closing. LOL

Patricia

As a Buyers Agent, I tell my Customers (the Buyer), "the Seller has an Agent working for their interests, if you don't have a Buyer's Agent, you have the Seller's Agent looking after your interest? That is just not a smart way to proceed. You need representation, and I'm here to give it to you."

Kris, you made some great points on this topic. We as real estate professionals are perceived as overpaid and hardly working, by some, not everyone. It is true, if you tell people EVERYTHING you are doing, don't forget to tell them something because then you will shoot yourself in the foot. I want to take notes on what you posted. Great stuff

Thank you for the post. Everyone always feels like their role is that much more important than the others. We all are vital in the process. It takes us all to complete the transaction.

I like what someone else said in a comment on another post: "Would you work for hours at a time and not get paid?" Between having to stay in contact with the listing agent over everything, to the consultation with the buyers, arranging for them to get qualified with a mortage broker, the list can indeed go on and on...this was a great reminder Kris of all that buyer's agents do.

Nice post, Kris! That spells out the full service buyer broker role really well.

Dena, It's not snarky, it's honest. Many listing agents have more listings than they can personally handle, and when some are pending the things they should be doing sometimes falls through the cracks. We often pick up the slack, because if we don't, our clients would suffer. Thanks for your input :-)

Yvette and Dennis,   Thank you. It's up to us to educate the buyers out there to what we do, how we help them, and how we can make it less stressful for them.

Patricia, "..take the money and run." That made me laugh. Soooooooo not the case!

Joe, I stress that also. The sellers are represented, to have a buyer not be represented would be a hardship for them, and could possibly cost them more money in the long run. Thanks Joe.

Jean,   Thanks. I don't tell the buyers everything because then I'd have to tie up their phones for hours :-)   It's just routine what we do and why we do them. I keep my buyers in the loop as to what is going on of course, but the work load isn't talked about.

Kyle,   Thank you. I liked the way you put that..we are all vital and needed.

William, you brought up another good point. Most buyers don't have the time to do what we do - they have to work, have families to take care of, etc. Thanks William.

Patricia, Thanks. Good to see you! Hope all is well with you.

Like we used to say at the big k-Dub: What is your "Value Proposition"? DO your clients know it? Because if they don't, then you don't have one.

Great post. I have worked many hours behind the scenes for my buyers making sure things get handled.

It really is important to discuss from the very first meeting everything that we will do for buyers at no cost to them. It is just an issue of educating them. Good information here.

Chris,

I wish I had a nickel for every client who has told me, "Well now your job is done." as soon I put the offer in. I tell them No, it's just starting. The majority of our work comes in AFTER the offer. There is the inspection, survey, repair negotiations and so much more.

I read somewhere that an agent makes 70 calls about a property between contract and close. I never kept track, but it is a lot.

Great post...its true in a lot of cases. Our respective clients, regardless if they are borrowers or buyers, never feel that we put much effort into the transaction and are only out to make an easy commission. If they only knew........

Kris, this is fantastic! Thank you for posting. It is so true how much we do and our buyers really don't know how much without our educating them!

As an EBA -- Exclusive Buyer Agent -- I don't have the luxury to switch between listings and buyers. I work with buyers 100% of the time. And it's what you said . . . exactly . . . and a lot more. I tell my clients that we have to go to each and every property, while the listing agent isn't transversing the area -- looking at 30 properties in the process. Good post . . . I could add a lot, but it's your blog, my dear ;-)

The great catch 22. The best Buyer's Agents make the process so smooth the Buyer does not have to feel the impact of all the details that go on behind the scenes.

Hi Kris -- You are so right and I think we (collectively) need to do a better job educating clients to all we do and the valuable services we provide. If we don't tell them, it can't be appreciated. Great post and one that can never be viewed enough.

Great post, Kris. I agree that there are not only a lot of behind-the-scenes duties being performed, but a lot of our "free" time is sacrificed. I was "on vacation" last week, yet I always continue to answer my cell phone. My clients know that I am here for them. I believe that Buyer Agents WILL get the respect they deserve someday!

Kris - you have hit the proverbial nail on the head. There is so much the we do as BAs - I even created a master list of the major tasks and it's 3+ pages long - single spaced. And I seem to add new things to the list all the time. I think it's important for buyers to understand our role so they can appreciate the value that we bring to that relationship.

Jeff

Kris - That was very well said. Most buyers have no idea how much time and effort we put in behind the scenes.

Yes then it seems like every buyer has a different set of needs we need to be available to help with.

What a great post to let consumers/buyers know a little bit about what their agents actually do on their behalf, and it just scratches the service.

SEP

Aaron, I like that. It's been a while since I've consciously had the "Value proposition" in my head. I needed that reminder, thanks.

Kristi, We all do..it's the behind the scenes hours and legwork that make things run smoothly. Thanks Kristi.

Tammi, I'm thinking of writing down a detailed report of what a buyer can expect from my services to him/her. Perhaps I should stop thinking about it, and do it :-) Thanks Tammi.

Ann, The 70 calls sounds like a lot, but when I stop and think about it, it's probably correct. From start to finish..it could easily be that number. Thanks Ann.

John, Yeaaaarsss ago I had a young lady tag along with me for 2 days. She was very interested in seeing what we did day to day. As she was a college student majoring in business, she felt this may be the career for her. She changed her mind :-) Thanks John.

Marney,   You're welcome :-) Good to see you. Keep educating your buyers, and I'll do the same here. We'll get the word out!

Carla,   Go ahead and add as much as you'd like :-)   We could write a novel, couldn't we?   I've often thought about becoming a buyers agent exclusively, but in this are it would be tough to do. Also, I really enjoy it when my past buyer clients get ready to move and give me a call to list their homes. The reconnection with them is wonderful.

Greg,   That's a great way to put it. So smoothly that they really don't have any idea of how hard we work to ensure that. Thanks Greg.

Chris,   Thank you. I'd love to see others add to it in their own blog posts..perhaps take us "behind the scenes" while writing an offer. Would make a good series don't you think?

Carolyn, I have to laugh..is there really any "vacation" time for us?   One year my hubby and I did get away and I had a wonderful agent covering for me, but I still had to check in myself with my clients or I couldn't relax.   Thanks Carolyn :-)

Jeff, Your eyes must be much better than mine. I can't read 3 pages of single spaced entries anymore! Would love to check out your list sometime. And you're right, I bet you do add to it often. Thanks Jeff :-)

Sybil, Thank you. It's a double edged sword a bit...we like to do the work so they don't feel the stress, and at the same time, we do it quietly so they aren't even aware of the value.

Terry and Bonnie, You're so right, each buyer is different, and each transaction is different. Especially now. Thanks :-)

Christine, Thank you. Good to see you!

SEP

Great post! Maybe we should provide a list of services we plan to provide to our buyers so they would be more loyal and appreciative during the process???

SEP

Sherry, I've thought about doing that, and should probably do more than just "think" about it. Thanks :-)

OCT

Your post makes a great point. Once you find the home, the real work begins: inspections, negotiations, Amendments, surveys, appraisals, dealing with the lender requirements, etc. This job is not for the faint of heart!

;)

OCT

Great Post Kris! I loved how you really tried to explain the efforts and dilligence we put into our clients before a contract is even written. And, great ideas from those providing comments about having a list to give to clients of all we do. Thank you for sharing!

OCT

There certainly have been a lot of sleepless nights taking on the stress for the buyers. Doing the little things behind the scenes.

Todd Clark - www.LivingBeaverton.com

OCT

Betina, as someone above said "I earn my keep from contract to close."   Thanks Betina :-)

Joy,   I still gotta work on that list... :-) Thanks Joy.

Todd,   There certainly has!   Thanks :-)

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