Why a Buyer's Agent?
If You Are Buying A Home, Any Home, You Need A Buyer's Agent
If you are looking for assistance in finding and buying your next dream home, look no further than the friendly and knowledgeable staff at Charleston Home.
With decades of experience working with buyers, our agents are familiar with all three counties in the Charleston area; Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester. You can explore the different areas of the lowcountry here (link to area page)
Once we have helped you find that perfect property – whether it be your new family home or an exciting new investment opportunity – we will help you decipher the sometimes difficult world of real estate. We conduct market analysis to make sure that this property is the one for you and that you’ll get it at the best price possible. And since it is rare that buyers relish the idea of personally haggling for a price, we will negotiate with the seller for you and rely on our history of experience and results to get the best possible outcome.
We arrange home inspections and accompany you on them to make sure everything is just right, and when it is time for closing, we will be by your side. At Charleston Home, we believe that our personal approach is the key to a seamless and enjoyable experience when buying a property.
A Buyer’s Agent pledges to work for the Buyer:
- To listen to the Buyer’s wants, needs and objectives
- To seek property that best fits the Buyer’s needs
- To review pricing policies and trends
- To help the Buyer to analyze and select neighborhoods, schools, driving distances, a closing attorney and the like
- To negotiate on behalf of the Buyer
- To provide assistance and guidance with mortgages, insurance, and warranties, and repairs
All with the objective of making the purchase process beneficial to the Buyer whenever possible.
As a potential Buyer, you want an agent who will negotiate hard on your behalf, focuses on services that benefit you, and is knowledgeable about the things that are important to a Buyer, then you need Charleston Home!
Understanding Agency
In South Carolina, we offer three forms of Agency: Dual Agency, Designated Agency, and Single Agency. The Real Buyer’s Agent only practices single agency so we only ever represent one side in a real estate transaction- The Buyer.
Worst Representation For The Buyer:
Listing Agents: Listing agents represent sellers. They have a signed listing agreement with the seller to get them the highest price and best terms for their property. They regularly list properties, advertise them, and hold open houses. And although listing agents may also serve a buyer, the buyer is a customer—not a client. Therefore, buyers cannot expect a listing agent to promote their best interests or keep their information confidential. Most importantly, a listing agent’s sole objective is to sell you a house.
Dual Agents: Dual agents represent both buyers and sellers in a single transaction. This situation creates a conflict of interest, because a single agent is representing opposing sides of the transaction. Neither the buyer nor the seller can count on loyalty or confidentiality.
Disclosed Dual Agency: Disclosed dual agency, the Company’s representation duties are limited because a buyer and seller have recognized conflict of interest created by dual agency. It says that the company its associated licensees, cannot advocate one client over the other or disclose information to each other.
Designated Agency: In designated agency the broker in charge of an agency acts as the dual agent while two of his/her licensed agents act on behalf of each clients. Although each side (both buyer and seller) has their own agent, both agents work for the same company so there still may be a conflict of interest.
Better:
Buyer’s Agents: Everyone wants to call themselves a buyer’s agent. Yet most so-called buyer’s agents also list properties and spend most of their time selling homes, not representing buyers. They practice dual agency and are NOT exclusive buyer’s agents. If a buyer wants to see a home listed by their agent’s company, the buyer’s agent becomes a dual agent representing both the buyer and the seller. How can someone fully represent two opposing parties at the same time? They can’t.
Best:
Exclusive Buyer’s Agent:
An exclusive buyer’s agent does not take listings, which means that they never represent a seller in any transaction. In this way they are able to be 100% loyal to a buyer looking out for their sole interests.
