Take a look at the "Value of a Buyer's Agent". Feel free to do all of those tasks for yourself, but I imagine you will come to realize it is a full-time job. So the very means (your full-time job) in which you are paying for this purchase, could potentially fall by the wayside... It's more work than you think!
Please also understand the listing agent will not be serving you with regard to all that is needed to accomplish a successful real estate transaction, you will be on your own. When a Listing Agent represents a buyer too, the transaction becomes "Dual Agency". Dual Agency also applies when the selling and buying agents are different people, but in the same brokerage house. Here's a line from the document you will sign allowing this to occur:
Agent "will provide services to complete the transaction WITHOUT the full range of fiduciary duties ordinarily owed by an agent who represents Buyer alone, or the Seller alone."
So basically, they get the job done but they have no real obligation to give you the information you are hoping for in the end. Here's fantastic example, a dual agent is not getting involved with anything to do with inspections. Do you really think that agent will advise you to your benefit on ANYTHING relating to the home!? When contacting a LA direct, you really do not know their loyalty or relationship with the seller as well.
Check out my blog topic "Real Estate Buyer Representation, 10 reasons to have one!" to understand more.
Now in this market things are moving fast and if you think the LA is going to give you a hand up to find out what the seller really wants. You are correct; they are called OFFER GUIDELINES! They are given to EVERYONE! The next step is probably where you are hoping for the insider info to amend your offer to get the house. NO! In a multiple offer situation all offers go to the Agent's Broker to decide who gets the contract. The Broker and Agent are not going to risk their licenses, to get you a house. The LA will NOT know any details of any other offers.
Choosing to use the LA as the BA, you really get no service or proper guidance in probably one of the biggest transactions you will ever make. Please realize the work that goes behind what we do for our clients as Buyer's Agent; it is a greater role than one is giving credit for, if deciding to use a Listing Agent as their representative. Your buyer's agent will do all of the necessary things for you, and just you.
Let's put the idea that most transactions are reaching the closing table when the deal is done with the LA and BA being the same person, is very incorrect! A client suggested this, so I looked right away at all of the homes that have sold in my area in the past year. Out of 230, 17% had the same agent. That is nowhere near MOST! Also, another noteworthy statistic is that there were only 8 with 0 days on market (sales done off - market).
Do you still think using an Listing Agent is the way to go??? Good luck with that....
