It amazes me when buyers choose not to use a Real Estate Agent. A Real Estate Agent is of no cost to the buyer (since the seller usually pays the commission). So why not use a Real Estate Agent to buy a home?
Recently, I assisted some clients with a new construction home. The house was pre-built and read to go. The builder had advertised it for $343,195. My clients decide to buy it. The says guy tells us up front how they do not negotiate. But as we go over the numbers I catch a mathematical mistake of about a thousand dollars. The sales guy agrees to take off the thousand. We leave the sales guy to work on the paperwork and we go to lunch. When we get back he gives us some spill on how he can not take off the thousand dollars. That the builder has insisted on them getting the $343,195 for the home. And that if we ask for less off the builder could increase the price. My buyers agree to not ask for the thousand off and they sign the paperwork to agree to buy the house for full price.
A week later I get a call from the sales guy and he says the builder will not accept the full price offer and that he wants SIX THOUSAND more for the home. The sales guy said he was told to counter on every offer that came in that weekend asking for more money. He says there is nothing he can do.
I call his corporate office and talk to the VP of Sales. I explain the situation. I also explain that this is the second home I have sold for this builder this month and that I have sold their homes for the past eight years.
Long story short he calls back and says that he will help my clients. But is ONLY because of the fact that I am their Realtor. And that because I was selling/showing his homes he would make that consideration for MY CLIENTS ONLY. And that every other offer that came in over the weekend would NOT get that same consideration.
So again, why would a buyer ever think of not using a Real Estate Agent to buy a home?
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