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My Agent Can't Help Me...Can You?

I don't know the answer I got a call yesterday from an out of town buyer, "Joe", who wanted to know about his rights after an inspection. He is being transferred to NAS JRB New Orleans and had written a purchase agreement on a West Bank home. As it happened, the inspector uncovered some items that the seller had not disclosed.

Joe had several questions about how to handle this situation and wanted my advice on how to proceed.

Unfortunately, I could not help him.

Since he already has an agent who showed him property and wrote his offer, I referred Joe back to her. His response? "This is only the third contract she has ever written and she doesn't know what to do".

While I have all the sympathy in the world for Joe, there was nothing I could do beyond advise him to go to his agent's broker for assistance (something the agent should have done if she was over her head!).

All too often, out of town buyers and military relocations have no way of determining if the local agent they are choosing to work with is knowledgeable about an area and savvy enough to get them to a successful closing.

When people decide to sell their homes, they generally spend some time researching and interviewing agents to find one that specializes in their neighborhood and has the skills to best represent them. They ask friends and family for referrals to agents they have used and been happy with.

So why, as a home buyer, would you not spend a little time doing that same research to find a good buyer's agent?

If you don't have anyone local to give you a referral to a great West Bank REALTOR, here are a few tips for choosing an agent to represent you in your next relocation home purchase:

While you are cruising through all of the online listings looking at homes in the community you want to live in, note the names of some of the active, local agents and google them. Which ones are easy to find and which ones are invisible? Even a new agent should have a website with community information on it.
Search online for information on your favorite West Bank neighborhoods. Is there an agent who is providing good information about it?
Once you have a few names, give each of them a call or send an email and explain your wants, needs, budget and time frame for relocating. How do they respond to you? Do they answer the phone or never call back? Do they respond quickly to email or is it the next day before you hear from them? Above everything else, you need to feel comfortable communicating with your REALTOR and know that they will be available to you.
Narrow your choices to one agent and work with them exclusively. Many people think that by working with multiple REALTORS they will find a home faster. Not true. All agents have access to the same information - it's what they do with that information that sets them apart from each other.

If you have questions about relocating to the West Bank of New Orleans, it would be my pleasure to help.

Posted by Lisa Heindel, New Orleans West Bank Real Estate on 12/22/2008 12:17 PM

Comments (24)

Choosing a Realtor in the Home Buying Channel

home buying tips, west bank living, lisa heindel, choosing a buyers agent

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24 Comments on My Agent Can't Help Me...Can You?

DEC

Lisa it really is suprising how many times people don't do any research on the agent they are going to work with. You would think that when you are spending that kind of money you would make absolutely certain you had a pro in your corner.

Poor guy! Joe needs Lisa to help him navigate his way to home ownership!

Lisa, very good advice. Joe's agent should have gone to her broker or another experienced agent in his/her office for help, if he/she didn't know what to do. I've always made myself available to help "rookie" agents. Too bad Joe didn't do his research -- he would have been working with an experienced agent, named Lisa -- the real West Bank Real Estate Expert. :)

Lisa: This story makes me sad:o(( Too bad he hadn't done a little research into finding a top notch real estate agent before signing up with someone with so little experience. Even if you couldn't help him negotiating his offer, you did help him a lot by telling him to talk to the agent's broker. Good Karma for you!

Excellent advice, Lisa. Too many people settle in with the first agent they come across. While some new agents are extremely competent, others are not. At the very least, "Joe" should be talking with that agent's broker for some assistance here.

Lisa I also hold the broker responsible for not reading the contract she had wrote first.

Superb advice Lisa and so, so, true! Many times buyers & sellers don't know the questions to ask in order to find the information they don't know they need! ;0. KM

Lisa, fantastic advice and great move on your behalf. I would recommend "Jo" talk to his agent's broker and voice his concerns there.

Bill, it seems that people do more research about what car to buy than they do to find a professional to represent them in buying a home. That amazes me.

Amanda, :)

Judi, even when I was a brand new agent, I would never have told a client "I don't know what to do". I would have been sitting on TOP of my broker until I had an answer, not leaving my buyer to do their own research and reach out to another agent.

Michelle, I felt soooo bad for him, I really did. I could hear the frustration in his voice, but couldn't do a darn thing to help beyond pointing him to the broker (who I truly hope was able to help him!)

Brenda, I hope he took my advice. There were some serious issues that came up during inspections and he has a right to have his questions answered. This was not written as a slam against new agents - we were all new at some point. My concern is that the buyer was left to his own defenses, or at least felt like he was.

John, I don't think the broker could have anticipated the seller not disclosing defects that were found during the inspections. The broker SHOULD have anticipated that a new agent would need a mentor to help them through their first few transactions.

Kristin, LOL! Right!

Mana, I didn't know what else to tell the poor guy without stepping over the line. He was obviously looking for help and it hurt to not be able to offer it.

Lisa, you did the right thing. You can't interfere with agency, even when you really want to help someone. He should have chosen an agent with more experience!

Lisa - I hear you and I know beyond all the "toeing the line" that we must do, situations like this just tear at us. You did the right thing but you also point out we continue to exist in a profession where too many are allowed to remain licensed that have no business in our profession.

Oh..............Happy Holidays.

DEC

Very good information for anyone who is looking to find an agent to represent them. Doing some homework is always appropriate! Hmmmm....maybe he should have checked Active Rain!

Happy Holidays!

Lisa, It's so sad that I hear this often. People don't do any research or they feel forced to go with a certain realtor because someone "knows" them. I would want to find an expert in my local area.

Susan, I so wanted to help him, but you are right. I don't think consumers understand agency at all and that is the fault of agents.

JMac, I toed the line, but I didn't like it. Imagine that :) Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Kelly, just a little bit of research would have helped him find an experienced agent...or at least one that would take the time to get his questions answered.

Carole, oh, don't even get me started on "my cousin just got their license and we have to go with him/her". I have lots of relatives that do stuff, but if I don't think they are the best person for the job I find someone who is.

Hi Lisa.

Hi Amanda :)

That's a tough way to learn a lesson. Unbelieveable that the broker didn't provide better supervision. There's a lawsuit waiting to happen...

DEC

Lisa... that's terrible. I swear it makes my blood boil when new agents don't at least have the sense to seek guidance when they don't know what they're doing... then again I feel the same way about brokers who cut rookie agents loose knowing they don't know squat.

Any buyers reading this looking to buy or sell in the West Bank... Lisa is the only agent you need to know! :)

Merry Christmas, Lisa!

DEC

Amazing how some buyers find the agents to buy thier home. Sellers often do a lot more research. Buyers should also.

DEC

Tim, I really felt sorry for this guy. I hope that the broker realizes the agent needs some more training.

Jesse, thanks for giving me a broker's perspective - too many of them throw new agents to the wolves without preparing them first.

Gene, I don't think that buyers realize that they CAN choose an agent unless someone tells them or refers them.

DEC

Lisa, this is a great post. People will get more and more savvy as time goes by, but choosing an agent is such an important decision. Cannot imagine his Realtor admitting to this being only their third contract! I would scurry around and get an answer before I would disclose that awful information. ;-)

DEC

Teri, I remember when I was a new agent - I would have cut off my arm before telling a client that I didn't know what to do. That's where having the support of a broker is critical, since I knew I could call mine for anything and get assistance.