Where is the value in having a real estate agent?

[Anonymous]

I think the buyer's agent is also a scam. In this modern era, most browse and research on the internet. I feel like if the sellers agent wants 3% they should show the house as well.

[Anonymous]

We were first-time buyers and still went with Redfin. There was one other offer on the property. It worked out fine for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were first-time buyers and still went with Redfin. There was one other offer on the property. It worked out fine for us.

We are first time buyers and are leaning Redfin. We are doing all of the research anyway and have a good handle on the market and comps. There is no urgency for us (we are month to month) and the rebate just makes the option that much more attractive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were first-time buyers and still went with Redfin. There was one other offer on the property. It worked out fine for us.

We are first time buyers and are leaning Redfin. We are doing all of the research anyway and have a good handle on the market and comps. There is no urgency for us (we are month to month) and the rebate just makes the option that much more attractive.

+1. We are buying and selling with Redfin. I interviewed two agents and the Redfin agent was a lot better (and half as expensive). It was a no brainer and the pics their photographer took of my place were great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also disagree with the straight percentage based compensation, but as others have said, a good agent should make your life a lot easier. There are a lot of moderately successful agents, the challenge is finding a really good one who brings value to the process and the actual transactions.

We interviewed a Redfin agent, and then an agent from Washington Fine Properties. The WFP agent blew Redfin away and we ended up selling for $15k more than what Redfin thought we could do (in 4 days). That's not bad on a $500k place and justified her standard commission vs. Redfin.

sure yah did

Who's to say that your place wouldn't have sold for more in a bidding war under the redfin agent?

This was my original comment. Not sure what the "sure ya did" comment was referring to? But, I wasn't knocking the Redfin model. My point was the difference between a mediocre agent and an excellent agent makes all the difference. And it was clear to us the full priced agent was going to do a better job for us. Considering the results, I think we made the right decision. But a mediocre full priced agent might have been a much different story.