Have an Exclusive Agreement with your Buyer Agent!

By law, an agent in Tennessee must have an exclusive agreement or an exclusive contract...in writing before they can represent you!  Take advantage of this fact.....but be certain that your buyer agent is truly a buyer agent.  Many of them claim to be, but ony Exclusive Buyer's Agents can truthfully say they are buyers agents.  Because they do not take listings.....therefore, never representing the seller in any real estate transaction.  The right real estate agent (or the wrong one) can have a great impact on the successful completion of your home purchase. The single most important thing you can do is find the right agent…..before you start your Nashville home search.

You should always interview agents to determine if they are qualified….and also determine if they suit your personality. It’s vital that you are “on the same page”.

Although, being an Exclusive Buyer’s Agent requires special training, it also requires a very real commitment to homebuyers. Because we have walked away from the listing side of our business. We no longer take listings because they often present a conflict of interest when we work with buyers. It has been a soul-searching decision, but one that we are quite proud of. True buyer’s agents not only avoid listings, and neither can they work for a company that takes listings.

But, you as the homebuyer benefit greatly from this decision. So, instead of having an agenda to show you our personal (or our company’s) listings……we are free to show you only the listings that will fit your family’s needs. We truly listen to you….and find the home to fit you.

Receive the benefits of working with an Exclusive Buyer’s Agent for Nashville Real Estate:

• Assurance of 100% representation during this most important home purchase
• Assurance of complete confidentiality - the exclusive agreement assures this!
• Save valuable time – because we truly listen to what you tell us about your housing needs. This enables us to more quickly “zero” in on your perfect home.
• We stay with you throughout the entire “home searching” process – and won’t stop until we find exactly what you’re looking for.
• By using our exclusive “bundle” offer – we help you save $725.00 in real cash
• We discuss the negative points of the home as well as the positive points because we want you to make an informed decision based on facts.
• Assistance in obtaining financing.
• Negotiating the best price and terms for the property.
• Provide you with comparables and market research to verify the value of any given property and help structure your offer to purchase.
• We answer your questions…..explaining all documents involved in the transaction.
• We are your advocate throughout the transaction. We “hang in there” with you….helping you through unexpected problems relating to your home purchase.
• We will follow through with all aspects of your transaction and accompany you to closing. We will be there to make sure you understand the documents and answer any questions you might have.

Often, traditional agents will state that they represent buyers. While this is legal in many states, it can easily become a conflict of interest. All changes in agency status must be in writing with both buyer and seller signing they agree to the status change. Many times, this is done without full disclosure of the ramifications involved. The National Association of Realtors warns their members: “Buyer agency is a viable method of practicing real estate, but an agent should be cautious in his/her approach if he/she is not thoroughly knowledgeable about the entire process. Agents who are used to working with buyers as seller’s subagents need to be aware of the new duties and potential liabilities of buyer’s agents before changing the form of representation they offer.”

You might want to ask a potential agent the following questions:

1. How long have you been representing buyers as an Exclusive Buyer’s Agent?
2. Does the company you work for take listings?
3. Do you practice “dual agency” or work as a “facilitator”?
4. Will you show me your personal listings?
5. Will you show me your company’s listings?
6. What percentage of your business is representing buyers?
7. What training have you had to prepare you for representing buyers?
8. Do you have a specific buyer’s agent professional designation?
9. How will you help me save money?
10. What clauses will you incorporate into our offer to protect us as buyers?
11. How will you protect my interests and why should I hire you rather than another agent?