Step Four: Find an agent
Most sellers list their homes through an agent but those agents work for the seller, not you.
They're paid based on a percentage, usually 5 to 7% of the purchase price, so their interest will be in getting you to pay more.
Advantages out weigh any disadvantages, because you have representation. Fee's generally are paid by the seller but if you like a property that has not given consideration to paying a buyers agent, you can set one between you and the agent.
You need "exclusive buyer agent." Sometimes buyer agents are paid directly by you, on an hourly or contracted fee. Other times they split the commission that the seller's agent gets upon sale. A buyer's representative has the same access to homes for sale that a seller's agent does, but his or her allegiance is supposed to be only to you.
Benefits of using buyer’s agents
A buyer’s agent will guide you through the home-buying transaction and be at your disposal for any questions or concerns. Here are some of the things a buyer’s agent can do:
Find the right property. After determining what clients are looking for and what they can afford, the agent will schedule appointments to tour homes that fit the bill. The agent can also explain the ins and outs of various properties and neighborhoods to help buyers decide which home is right for them by explaining the pros and cons of various options.
Negotiate the offer. The buyer’s agent will advise clients on an appropriate price to offer and present it to the seller’s agent. “Then they will negotiate on your behalf and write up the contracts for you,”
