Jim Valentine: When to listen to your agent

When you buy and sell real estate you will, undoubtedly, have a lot of conversations with your real estate agent. The topics will include home prices, local weather, sharing of pet stories, tales of children and grandchildren, negotiating tactics, past experiences and so much more.

You are buying or selling a home for you and your family, you end up talking about a lot of personal things so your agent can better understand what it is you want and need from a home. Some buyers enter the relationship with an all-knowing attitude, either earned or imagined.

They may have been told by parents or their uncle Jack how to buy a home, but those conversations often forget to detail that each transaction and situation is unique unto itself and must be assessed and transacted accordingly. Some are defensive and hide things from the agent, keeping vital information from the conversations.

How can they help you if they don’t know what makes you tick? You either trust your agent or you don’t. If you don’t, find one that you can trust… after you determine objectively if it is the agent or you that is the problem. Are you afraid of being taken advantage of? Are you sure you want to do this? To find out, put a few test questions to your agent.

If you can, ask things that you already know the answer to and see what they say. Is the response focused on you or are they working in their own interest. The agent has a fiduciary responsibility to protect and advise you to the best of his abilities.

When you get to the point where you are asking the agent what price to offer, or what they would do about other terms that are the subject of your negotiation, are you listening to your agent? If they tell you a course of action on how to get to the price point you are negotiating to, why would you change it? Do you have enough experience to make a better decision?

You might. We aren’t saying that agents are the end all and know everything, but experienced agents have a vast amount of experience which is really why you are using them. Listen to what they say and why. Sometimes it will be a reasoned and well explained rationale for a course of action. Other times, it might just be a hunch that they are working on. Both are important.

Hunches come from experience and are a combination of a lot of factors that can’t be readily quantified, but they know in their “heart” that it is the right thing to do. We’ve been on both sides of tough negotiations driving 80 mph in the fog hoping for the best outcome.

Continued conversation between client and agent works well to keep a good perspective on things. Sometimes negotiations take an odd twist, and you are pleasantly surprised by an unexpected counter point or outcome. Stay your course for your wants and needs and you’ll get what you need. Ultimately, all decisions in a transaction are yours to make.

Unless you are asking them to do something immoral or illegal your agent should comply with your desires. Make sure you’ve listened to your agent and understand what they are saying before you make a decision. With that information, and your ideas, you’ll have your own hunch and will likely make a good decision. Make a decision and live with it.

A wonderful side effect of this business is that real estate agents get to know people very well and enjoy their time together. Your agent is working for you, talk to them and listen to what they have to say. Are they hearing you right? Do they understand you? They should… it’s their job. Real estate is not a one size fits all business. They should know enough about you to help you get what you want in the largest investment of our life.

When it comes to choosing professionals to assist you with your Real Estate needs… Experience is Priceless! Jim Valentine, RE/MAX Gold Carson Valley, 775-781-3704. dpwtigers@hotmail.com