We’re the Joe Dickerson Group at Keller Williams Realty in Oakland, California serving the wider Bay Area. We believe in real estate as one of the best ways to build wealth, and our passion is to help people do just that! After all, the average net worth of a home owner is around a quarter million dollars, while the networth of a lifelong renter is, on average, only five thousand dollars. 

So when the time is right, one of the best ways to set yourself up on a path of wealth building is to buy your home. And when that time comes, one of the first questions you might ask yourself is whether you need a real estate agent to help you with the process? And if so, how do you find one? In this blog, we’ll cover whether you need an agent to help you with your home buying process, the pros and cons of working with an agent, how to go about finding an agent, and more.

Do You Need A Real Estate Agent?

So, ready to dive in? Let’s start with whether you need a real estate agent to buy a home. 

While it’s entirely possible to represent yourself in a real estate transaction, you can put yourself at legal and financial risk unless you thoroughly understand the process, have time to deal with the various aspects of the process, and have decent negotiation chops. A real estate agent will make sure your contracts are filled out properly, take time to educate you on the various steps of the process, connect you with the right lenders, inspectors, contractors, and any other vendors you need to ensure you’re set up for success, and negotiate on your behalf, which can often result in a better outcome for you.

If you’re represented by a real estate agent in a transaction, that real estate agent becomes your fiduciary. That is, they are legally bound to act in your best interests throughout the course of the transaction. This is a key facet when it comes to potentially tricky negotiations and vague contractual obligations. For example, we recently represented a buyer whose appraisal came in well under the agreed upon purchase price, which put the loan at risk. Rather than throw in the towel altogether, we were able to work together with the lender to reconcile the difference and to get the loan back on track.

On top of all that, keep in mind that real estate agents work in your market and on real estate transactions full time. That means that they are on top of market trends, have existing relationships with other agents in the area, may have access to off-market listings that you can’t find on Redfin or Zillow, can help point out any red flags that are unusual for your market, and much more.

In markets like ours in the Bay Area, understanding market values becomes even more important. We have listings that routinely sell with multiple offers for hundreds of thousands of dollars over the list price. Without the sound data and advice of a good real estate agent, you may end up writing offers on dozens of houses and consistently get outbid and out-negotiated by other buyers who are working with agents. 

And, after getting an offer accepted, there is still much work to be done. A good real estate agent will be there to make sure you’re in compliance with local point of sale ordinances. The right agent will confirm seller disclosures are complete and put you in the best negotiating position as you proceed with your investigations of the property. They’ll also be there to negotiate on your behalf and work to get you the best deal possible given the circumstances.

Plus, the best part, especially if you’re looking to buy a home, is that you don’t need to pay a real estate agent directly, as the agent’s commissions come from the seller’s side, not the buyer’s side. And, if and when you decide to sell your home, you’ll quickly see that those commissions to a professional real estate agent are more than worth it, as the right agent will help you prep, position, and market your home to ensure that you get top dollar. 

How To Find An Agent

So, assuming you’re interested in finding an agent to represent you in a purchase or sale, how do you go about finding one? 

One of the best and easiest ways to find a good real estate agent is to start with people you know. Do you have friends or family who have recently bought a home in your area? If so, ask them about their experience, whether they liked the agent they worked with, and whether they’d work with that person again.

Another way to find a good agent, especially if you’re moving to a new area, is to ask real estate agents you know or have worked with before. Because agents have an extensive professional network, they can leverage their connections to help you find a good agent in any market. 

We’ve done this multiple times for friends, family, and clients who are moving to the Bay Area or are moving from the Bay Area to other markets. We are happy to help interview and find agents on your behalf, in any market, and it’s completely free for you. We want to make sure that you have a good experience, regardless of whether you work with our team or not.

Another great way to find good real estate agents is through open houses. When you visit an open house, don’t just go to check out the home; also take stock of the agent who’s holding the open house. Take some time to talk with them, get their thoughts on the market, tell them about your specific situation, and see how they respond. The best agents will give you sound advice, take ample time to understand your needs and concerns, and direct you to the right resources, without trying to push their own agenda or selling you outright on their own services.

If you’ve asked around your friends and family, checked with agents you know, and have attended open houses, and you still haven’t found a good fit, you can also consider looking on Zillow or Yelp for real estate agents with great reviews. Look for reviews that go into detail on exactly what the agent did to add value to their clients’ transactions. 

Once you create a shortlist of a few agents who might be a good fit for you, get in touch with the top two to three agents. Give them a call, meet up for coffee, or schedule a neighborhood tour to get a better understanding of their experience, their personality, and whether they’re the right fit for you. Make a list of questions to ask them, such as…How long have you been an agent and is this your fulltime job? How many sales have you completed in my target neighborhoods? Do you have experience with multi-unit properties?

Think about what else you may want to ask to determine if the agent is a good fit for your needs. Then, listen carefully, not just to what their answers are, but also HOW they answer your questions. Do they answer your questions openly and honestly, or do they seem to get defensive? Do they seem to have ample patience for your questions, or do they seem to rush you or give you short answers? 

The process of buying a home, particularly in the Bay Area, can be lengthy and sometimes tricky, so you want to be 100 percent sure that you’re working with the right agent who understands your situation, has a strong track record and extensive local network, operates with integrity, and has a long list of happy clients.

Okay! I hope this blog has given you some insight into whether or not to work with a real estate agent, the value an agent brings to a real estate transaction, and how to find the right agent for you.

Of course, we are always happy to chat further and learn more about your real estate and wealth building goals, whether or not you decide to work with us. And if we’re not the right fit, we’d love to help you find the right fit.