Many people ask why should they bother to work with a Realtor anyway? Well first, Realtors subscribe to a code of ethics and are members of the National Asssociation of Realtors. They also make the home finding and buying process much easier than doing it on your own. Most Realtors are fun people because they love working with people and helping make their dreams and goals come true. Could you do it without one? Sure, but life is more fun when it's easy, and besides, the Realtor's commission is paid for by the seller, so why not? Lets face it, how many properties have you bought or sold in the state of Georgia in the past year? Realtors here do it all the time and we average about one per month.

        Let's first discuss what the Georgia State Law says you MUST do when working with a Realtor. Georgia Law prohibits agents from representing buyers as a client without first entering into a written agreement (OCGA par 10-6A-1 et seq). NAR Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice require a written agreement between buyers and their agents before performing any real estate specific duties such as showing properties, providing advice, preparing offers or creating CMAs. The written agreement establishes the relationship between the broker and the buyer as either client or customer based.

        The written agreement you choose to sign will either create a broker-client relatioinship between you and the agent/broker, or it will create a broker-customer relationship. The specific duties of the agent to their buyer is different depending on what relationship you choose to create. Simply stated, if you are willing to work with an agent to buy a home, and intend for them to get paid for their work at the end of the process PLUS get the advantage of all their experience, advice, and support along the way, then you should automatically seek to create a client relationship. On the other hand, if you intend to stiff the agent at the last minute and choose one of your friends to receive the commission, or are simply looking to waste someone else's time, never intending to purchase a house 'cause you're just looking for a free sightseeing tour, then you should seek a customer relationship. Most agents are in the real estate profession because they like working with people, enjoy the sometimes challenging environment, and intend to get paid for their efforts. Most are not interested in wasting their time, money and gasoline driving people around who haven't the slightest intention of buying a house with them. There are too many other up-front, motivated buyers who are serious about purchasing a home who would love to have the help of a real estate professional. So your first actions with a Realtor will be to read, understand and sign a Buyer Brokerage Agreement which spells out the duties agents and buyers owe to each other.

        The role of the Realtor is that of a Team Organizer who gets things going, and keeps the process on track from the first meeting until after closing. Your Realtor will be the person who ensures that all the other people in the process continue to work on your behalf and ties up all the loose ends. With their experience in helping so many people every year, they have the expertise to sniff out problems and solve them, many even before they become problems.

        Your Realtor is a source of information for the many funding sources that you may be able to take advantage of. While not a financing expert or loan officer, most Realtors are familiar enough with various loan programs to guide you to the right expert based on your wants and needs. Your role as the buyer is to communicate your wants and needs to your Realtor, and then work diligently with the loan officer to arrange funding. It is imperative that you understand all the conditions and restrictions of the particular loan program that you are applying for, and communicate those program requirements back to your Realtor so that they help you find the right house in the right area of town. Also you should tell your lender that it is ok for them to talk with your Realtor, further confirming the loan program requirements with them.

        While most buyers think the buying process starts with looking at houses, it really starts with getting together with an experienced Realtor. Your first steps will be to discuss your wants and needs, timing, and then financing. Your Realtor will help you find the right lender with the right loan program for you. This is where all the hard work really lies, and many people simply skip this step, thinking they can always get a loan. Nothing can be more troublesome than finding your perfect dream home, at a terrific price, writing a contract, and then finding out you were the victim of identity fraud last year, and your lender wont process your application because your credit file is so ugly.

        Your Realtor is the central point of contact and will keep in touch with everyone throughout the entire process, and is there to solve problems as they arise. Each member of your team is busy doing their job, and frequently will run into a problem that slows them down. It is at that point that the Realtor can jump in, because they have the big picture of everything that's happening. As the buyer, you should reinforce to everyone to keep your Realtor up to date on their progress. The busiest time for a Realtor is the time between signing the contract and the closing. there's a million things to do, and keeping them all going takes a lot of work. But, most Realtors have done this many times before, and are good at it.