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"Donkeydode" <cartman@sp.com> wrote in message
news:U__ue.51076$iU.45752@lakeread05...
> Spoken like a man who gets most of his income from realtors...If you have
> access to MLS in your area, tell me what exactly a realtor can provide
that
> I couldn't find already?
The MLS is a subscription service that real estate agents/brokers have to
pay for. The general public hasn't got access to the MLS, this is a big part
of why it works.
I've only used a realtor 1 time in 5 real estate
> transactions. I can say that it was not difficult at all, the title and
> escrow company took care of any issues that arose, which were very minor.
I
> have always thought that realtors were one of the biggest rackets going
> right now. On the other hand if all mortgage agents were guaranteed 3% on
> each loan I'd protected it like a "wolverine".
>
I've never used a real estate agent. I bought and sold my first house as a
FSBO. Actually, I bought it from an estate that was in probate, and do not
recall how the property was listed, but I didn't use a buyer's agent, I just
bought the house. Then, after living in it a few years, I sold it as a FSBO
(For Sale By Owner). I set the sign out in the late afternoon, and the next
morning I had a buyer at full price.
But, my experience does not mirror the vast majority of transactions. The
vast majority of people decide to move from one area to another, and they
know very little about the new area. They are faced with the prospect of
driving from home to the new place where they are interested in living, and
they have to scour the various sources for homes. The trouble is, they do not
know where all of the homes are, and just because a home is in the local
newspaper doesn't mean that it is in a desirable part of town. You enlist
the assistance of a buyer's agent to have them search for properties for
you. The idea is that they know the neighborhoods, and if you want a
particular neighborhood feature, your agent should know that the feature
exists in one neighborhood or another.
I bought my current house when it was new, and I went every weekend for
something like 10 weeks before I found a house that met my criteria. If I
was looking at previously owned homes, I would have driven myself and my wife
crazy driving all around the region looking for a house.
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Re: Why do you still need an agent to buy a home?
