My wife and I are looking to buy a property. I am a real estate appraiser, I have access to MLS and other sales/listing services etc. I have been scouring the area we are interested in and have found a property. Per my profession of the last decade+ I have a very good idea of and support for what the property is worth. I know what I want to/am willing to pay for it.

Our house is the only property we have ever bought and we found it for sale by owner did our own inspections negotiations etc. and the seller paid $500 to have someone we both knew to do the paperwork and closing.

I don't know what to expect out of a buyers agent, and I don't know that I want to get one since I have already found the property etc. Would you try to talk to the sellers agent and see if they want to just handle everything for a 3% commission and hope they will work with you on price more or just F-it get an agent and roll with it?

call that agent and see what they will do................they will take off 1% usually.

The seller pays the agent fees on both sides (buyer and seller) so their commission isn't really a concern to you. I have went around the sellers agent before and just reached out to the seller directly and started a conversation. We came to an agreement and he paid the agent whatever they decided and we closed on the property. I didn't have an agent and didn't need one, he saved the 3% that would have been paid to my agent and it was a win win for both of us.

It never hurts to ask, the worse thing that can happen is they say no or laugh at you. No biggie. Just call the agent and tell them you'd like to take a look at the property. They will probably ask if you have an agent and just tell them no. The sellers agent will show you the property and you can get the talks started.

Dont buy property in Dallas

Its a damn long ways from Dallas.

If a stranger called you and asked you to work for free, how would you react?
When my wife works both sides of a deal she's expects to get paid on both sides but she will sometimes knick off 1%.

As well she should..........otherwise she gonna lose 1.5%

How's that?

And both sides is paid by the seller. So it's really up to the seller and the agent.

If a house is the only property you have every bought, then I would advise you getting an agent. In this case it won't cost you anything. I know a few people who are perfectly fine going it alone but across the board most people would be behooved by having an agent represent them for a multitude of reasons.

But to answer your questions, if you as a buyer came up to me and asked if I would do it for 3% because you don't have an agent the answer would be a very quick no. If the property was into the millions of dollars or the Seller was a friend of mine I would have a conversation with the Seller about a possible discount but I wouldn't do it on a Buyers request.

Finding the property is only a part of the job....most of the agents work comes after the property is selected.


Go find a ( good ) agent and let them help you

I have done a lot of real estate deals....my buyers agent ALWAYS bonuses me back a percentage of his commission.

If the sellers agent won't bonus you back a part of the commission then find a buyers agent who will.

Do you care to elaborate on this? I've always wondered this. If I were to have a buyers agent, you'd only be getting 3% as the sellers agent anyway. So if I find the property, do all the leg work on the qualification and have funds ready, and the title company does all the paperwork/notary. What kind of "work comes after the property is selected"?

Because the buyer can bring on an agent and that 6% for your wife is cut down to 3%.

If a sellers agent wouldn't be willing to cut the commission when bringing their own buyer, I would find another agent. JMHO.

I'm wondering where he's getting 1.5%. Nothing was said about the seller bringing the buyer in the OP.

That's what im looking for. What all does the buyers agent do, what am I getting for my 3%? I found it I know what its worth. Financing isn't an issue. Ive verified water and electric to it. Its been surveyed and newly fenced. Im aware of easements. Its not zoned and its not in an etj.

As far as I am concerned, its my 3% as until I write that check to the seller its my money and mine to negotiate with.

Because your wife is gonna be splitting 3% with the other agent.....................that means 1.5% to each agent. My way your wife makes 2%(instead of 1.5) so its stupid to not give him 1 % back.


3-1.5=1.5............your wife aint good at math
3-1=2...................winner to your wife

The OP doesn't have an agent, the sellers agent would be entitled to 6%. A 1% discount would be 5%.
6-1=5...... You don't understand how real estate commissions work.

I can see your a glass half full kind of person lol.

You are thinking correctly.

If you've done all the legwork, honestly, there isn't a lot for a buyers agent to do outside of writing up the contract and presenting it/negotiation. The title company and lender will walk you through closing.

Do you know anyone who is a realtor?

Exact same I feel about it. My last realtor I had did not deserve the commission she made of the purchase of my house. She did sell my house in 1 week, but I think that was more the market on fire than her. It wasn't until the buying process that I realized how little she actually did. I pretty much did everything. I'd find the house we'd want to see, have to contact the realtor to setup time. Most of the time she'd have to look because I knew the houses were available before she did. Blew my mind... Setup inspections. Did everything with lender. She basically came to closing and collected a check.

Well, its really not your 3%. the 3% comes out of the sellers funds regardless of if you have a buyers agent or not.


I am going to assume this is a residential type transaction. Not all deals are created equal but for me, I do a lot of work after contract is signed, meeting with buyers/sellers, coordinating moves, hiring trades, meeting with contractors, water well guys, inspectors, plumbers, appraisal districts, biologists, etc. I've hauled blinds, feeders, tractors, horses, etc. off. Coordinated deer catches, livestock sales, commissioners meetings, you name it. I do a specialized type of real estate however.

My wife does residential sales and she does a lot of the legwork after contract signing as well. Again, a lot of the same type of stuff as listed above just applicable to residential units.


If this is a lot or some type of open space transaction, then its probably pretty straight forward. In that case go ahead and do the deal without representation and do it yourself and don't worry about the other agents commission. if your unsure of how to handle to contract and are untrusting, then get a agent. its pretty simple. If you have only done one real estate deal in your life, and don't have a good handle on the contracts, I would consider you inexperienced and would def. recommend you getting an agent.

You do understand that seller pays all commissions and that is built into the asking price, right?

exactly

What do you get paid for an appraisal? $5-700? If someone called you and said they had 2 properties they needed appraised but only wanted to pay you for one, would you do it?
Same thing. Twice the work, half the pay.