Calgary Discount Real Estate, Home Buyers

Should you use a Buyer Agent when you buy a home in Calgary?
What is a Buyer Agent?

Almost an unknown term a decade ago, Buyer Agency has today become a common practice among real estate professionals nationwide. Ongoing consumer pressure to separate the simultaneous representation of both the buyer and the seller caused major changes to the structure of the real estate industry.

According to the 2003 National Association of Realtors report, Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 63% of all home Buyers used a Buyer Agent, and most worked under a written Buyer Brokerage Agreement with their Real Estate Agent.

Most buyers are not aware that if they are looking at homes with a Real Estate Agent, and they have not executed a Buyer Agency agreement with their Real Estate Agent, and there has been no agency disclosure to the contrary, the Real Estate Agent they have been working with is obligated to represent the Seller. This is even the case if the real estate agent has spent many hours with you understanding your needs, showing you homes, reviewed your financial information, and may have even written a purchase offer, and has not even met the Seller. It is in your best interests to have your Real Estate Agent sign a Buyer Agency Agreement.

When a home is listed for sale, it is listed with a real estate commission that is typically 7/3 %. Half of that commission goes to the Listing Agent and the other half is allocated to a Buyer's Agent or Selling Agent. If a Buyer is not represented by a Real Estate Agent, the Listing Broker is entitled to 100% of the commission and by Contract acts solely in the Seller's best interest unless otherwise disclosed.

The Listing Agent is under no obligation to assist the Buyer in formulating a best price or pricing strategy. Therefore, in most cases, unrepresented homebuyers pay too much for a home and do not realize any commission savings since the Listing Agent keeps most or all of the commission. This applies to both new home sales and pre-owned home sales.

Provides homebuyers with an accurate and up-to-date list of homes from a "live online" database that are currently on the market and match your search criteria. Consumer based home search web sites are often 24 or more hours out of date.
Provides homebuyers with the most up-to-date and accurate home pricing and home sales comparable information in order to establish a fair market value of the home you are considering purchasing.
Can help identify common known problems with home construction or known product defects (i.e. EFIS Stucco, Pressboard Siding etc)
Information from city's tax records, previous sales price and date, demographic information, school information and other pertinent information about a home and its neighborhood to help you make a decision about the home and its surrounding neighborhood.
Provides you with a qualified and experienced negotiator which helps ensure that you get the best possible terms and conditions. They do this job for a living, not once every 5 to 10 years like a typical homebuyer.
Advise homebuyers on how to best structure an offer.
Provides you with someone that has a day-to-day knowledge and real estate experience which allows you to have the knowledge to incorporate special protective covenants into the sales contract to protect your interest.
Presents the offer in a professional, competent and complete manner to the Seller or Seller's Representative.
Provides you with a complete understanding of the home buying and mortgage financing process which can help protect your best interest and ensures the process flows smoothly.
Assist the homebuyers in acquiring mortgage financing.
Provides you with someone that has the experience to identify potential red flags and solve problems before they manifest themselves into a major stumbling block or a "deal killer".
Provides you with a list of qualified home inspectors, closing attorney's, and mortgage companies to help ensure your best interests are protected throughout the buying process.

For some differences between Buyer's and Seller's Agent Services please click here >>

If you are buying a home, duplex, fourplex, townhouse, condo, apartment in Calgary and area we are here to help you, obtain the BEST possible price. For more information feel free to contact us.

You can also check the following pages for more information regarding the purchase of a home.