If you are thinking about signing up with a buyers agent to represent your best interest, go ahead and test their negotiating skills first. If the agent that you are thinking about hiring to represent you can't pass your own litmus test, it will only get worse when it comes time to negotiate with another agent to get your home at the best price when that agent has better skills.
I have come across many agents who just really have no clue as to how to negotiate properly. Trust me, I don't care if I am on the other side- their ineptness only helps my client. Harsh, but true.
One of the dumbest missteps from a number of buyer agents that I come across much more frequently than I should is right in the pre-approval letter from the buyer's bank. I cannot tell you how many times that I have seen these letters that say, "The buyer is approved for a specific loan amount". Those pre-qualification or pre-approval letters are not doing the buyer any favors, especially when they put an offer in on a house that's less than the stated amount. The buyer is then in an unnecessary predicament, because the seller's agent and the seller both know that this buyer can afford their house, and then some. Come in with a lower than expected offer with one of these prequalification letters and your negotiations will be stunted. Completely unnecessary, and it will end up costing you money (if not the deal itself) because its worded that way.
Do you know if the agent that you are thinking about hiring habitually dots their "i's" and crosses their "t's? Better figure that one, too. When it comes time to write an offer, that agent will be judged on how properly it is filled out. A few mistakes on that is a red flag to another agent, who probably rightfully would think that the agent is lax in their duties and follow through. Everybody has work to do to complete a transaction. You do not want to lose out on the house of your dreams because of it.
And for heaven's sake, if the buyer agent is pushy, it's just a bad sign all the way around. Not only for you, while you are looking, but if that's the agent's style, it won't fare too well on the negotiating table with the other agent either.
Your buyers agent should be knowledgeable about the market, be a skilled negotiator, and as far away from pushy or combative as possible. and I just happen to know someone that fits that bill in your area. (that's me!)
If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in Fairfield County, and are in need of an Realtor to represent you, I invite you to contact me, and if you have an idea for a topic that you would like to see on The CT Realty Blog, please include it in the "Post a Comment" section link below this post. We appreciate the feedback and look forward to providing you with the best real estate content, advice and service in Fairfield County, Connecticut.