Find an agent that understands you are going to be making low-ball offers. This is how you can feel-out the market over time. Just keep probing the price sensativity with offers. You’ll get a feel for reality after about 4 months of this. Then you can plan accordingly as to your strategy. This is what I do when I’m serious about an area that I want to own in. You find deals by making offers.

Quite often the person they put in the open house may be a new agent or hungry for new clients. Utilizing this has worked well for me in the past.

Find an agent that understands you are going to be making low-ball offers. This is how you can feel-out the market over time. Just keep probing the price sensativity with offers. You’ll get a feel for reality after about 4 months of this. Then you can plan accordingly as to your strategy. This is what I do when I’m serious about an area that I want to own in. You find deals by making offers.

Quite often the person they put in the open house may be a new agent or hungry for new clients. Utilizing this has worked well for me in the past.

Real estate agent / client relations are like any other relationship in that water seeks its own level. No experienced, capable agent is going to lay it on the line for someone who is likely going to run them around and kick them to the curb. When you get an decent agent , they will listen to you and bring their experience to patiently serve your interests, as if they were their own. Whether you need one or not depends on the level of self representation you are capable of and your interest in doing it.

If you want an agent, ask people you know, who have recent experience with agents, what that person is like to work with. Right now you should be able to find someone who says their agent has been honest about the market and who has applied no pressure. Hooking up with agents randomly probably won’t get you what you would want.

Thinking that a good agent is going to mindlessly write low ball offers is a trap. There is nothing wrong with writing low balls but some properties are better targets than others. Make sure you are ready to take good feedback about that.Don’t trash an agent because they have concerns with writing a lowball on a turnkey property that just came on the market priced around recent comps.

Real estate agent / client relations are like any other relationship in that water seeks its own level. No experienced, capable agent is going to lay it on the line for someone who is likely going to run them around and kick them to the curb. When you get an decent agent , they will listen to you and bring their experience to patiently serve your interests, as if they were their own. Whether you need one or not depends on the level of self representation you are capable of and your interest in doing it.

If you want an agent, ask people you know, who have recent experience with agents, what that person is like to work with. Right now you should be able to find someone who says their agent has been honest about the market and who has applied no pressure. Hooking up with agents randomly probably won’t get you what you would want.

Thinking that a good agent is going to mindlessly write low ball offers is a trap. There is nothing wrong with writing low balls but some properties are better targets than others. Make sure you are ready to take good feedback about that.Don’t trash an agent because they have concerns with writing a lowball on a turnkey property that just came on the market priced around recent comps.

Real estate agent / client relations are like any other relationship in that water seeks its own level. No experienced, capable agent is going to lay it on the line for someone who is likely going to run them around and kick them to the curb. When you get an decent agent , they will listen to you and bring their experience to patiently serve your interests, as if they were their own. Whether you need one or not depends on the level of self representation you are capable of and your interest in doing it.

If you want an agent, ask people you know, who have recent experience with agents, what that person is like to work with. Right now you should be able to find someone who says their agent has been honest about the market and who has applied no pressure. Hooking up with agents randomly probably won’t get you what you would want.

Thinking that a good agent is going to mindlessly write low ball offers is a trap. There is nothing wrong with writing low balls but some properties are better targets than others. Make sure you are ready to take good feedback about that.Don’t trash an agent because they have concerns with writing a lowball on a turnkey property that just came on the market priced around recent comps.

Rustico makes some good points here.

I would also caution the line of thought that you could get a lower price by cutting out a buyer’s agent. The listing contract the seller signs explicitly gives that cut to the listing agent in such a case. In other words, the seller’s advocate gets paid double and you get to work with someone who may not have your interests at heart. I have only ever seen one exception.

Further, I recommend that you have a friend who recently bought a place give you their copy of the complete file. My files typically run to 400 pages or so and so I give them to clients on CD. The forms will help you gain some familiarity with the complex issues that come up.

And really feel free to ask agents for help on an uncompensated basis. Bear in mind though that it is free advice.

Good luck to you.

Rustico makes some good points here.

I would also caution the line of thought that you could get a lower price by cutting out a buyer’s agent. The listing contract the seller signs explicitly gives that cut to the listing agent in such a case. In other words, the seller’s advocate gets paid double and you get to work with someone who may not have your interests at heart. I have only ever seen one exception.

Further, I recommend that you have a friend who recently bought a place give you their copy of the complete file. My files typically run to 400 pages or so and so I give them to clients on CD. The forms will help you gain some familiarity with the complex issues that come up.

And really feel free to ask agents for help on an uncompensated basis. Bear in mind though that it is free advice.

Good luck to you.