30A Buyer's Agent | Destin Real Estate Agent | Santa Rosa Beach Realtor
I am a Real Estate Broker on the Emerald Coast of Florida and I enjoy selling Destin to 30A Real Estate. I have had the opportunity to close over 600 transactions representing both buyers and sellers over the last 20 years and would like to share some of my personal insight.
To put things in perspective, I recently purchased an investment property in Oxford, MS (Ole Miss) and I hired a buyer's agent to help me. I could have easily reached out to the listing agents directly and maybe saved a little money on the commission, but I wanted to have my own representation as I was not very familiar with that market. I also had a few properties that I wanted to research and it was very convenient and efficient to have one agent help me with all of the properties. It was also nice to have an advocate when it came time to negotiate repairs, credits, and perform my final walk through as I was long distance.
An experienced buyers agent can bring a lot to the table. They understand the contracts, contingencies and disclosures. In my experience, buyer's agents tend to write contracts that are more "buyer friendly". This can come in handy when you have a loan fall through, title issues, a low appraisal, or a bad inspection. An experienced buyer's agent is also a great negotiator. They can pull the right comps and help you negotiate effectively with the seller.
Can I save money if I just represent myself? Well maybe and maybe not... In many cases, the listing agent will charge more to handle both sides of the transaction as it requires more time and there is more legal exposure. If an attorney is hired, they will most likely charge additional fees to write offers, even if the offer is not accepted.
To be completely honest, the importance of the buyers agent does have a lot to do with the dynamics of the transaction; for example, If 2 friends (buyer and seller) want to transact a property that is not listed, they should be able to hire a real estate attorney and close the transaction. On the flip side... If an individual wants to purchase a beach house on 30A and they are from out of town, it becomes much trickier. It would most likely benefit them to hire their own agent to preview properties, gather property info, shoot video, suggest listings, schedule showings, answer all questions, and submit all offers. A good buyer's agent will also understand local dynamics like flood zones, insurance requirements, neighborhood restrictions, and construction quality. You really need a Real Estate Advisor that has a proven track record and local market knowledge.
I will always hire a buyer's agent when I purchase properties outside of my area because I have seen over 600 closings and I know the importance of having people on your team that know what they are doing and are looking out for your best interest.
Please give me a call at 850.585.1284 any time you have questions about 30A, Santa Rosa Beach, Miramar Beach and Destin Real Estate. I would love to help you buy or sell your next home on the Emerald Coast. Visit our website at www.MainsailRealtyCompany.com.
Clayton Bonjean
Broker - Owner
Experienced Buyer's Agent
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