Want to buy a house without an agent - the listing agent has cancelled the showing. Any ideas?

[Anonymous]

I just bought a home without a buyer's agent, and I'm just a poor shmo who knows nothing (but I can read, and I know what I want to spend). We worked through our lawyer and the seller's agent who, really, did nothing except (a) open the home and (b) send us blank forms for our attorney to fill out to make the offer (and carry us through closing). I saved the full 3% on this transaction, minus the $1500 or so I paid my attorney.

You do not need a buyer's agent. Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just bought a home without a buyer's agent, and I'm just a poor shmo who knows nothing (but I can read, and I know what I want to spend). We worked through our lawyer and the seller's agent who, really, did nothing except (a) open the home and (b) send us blank forms for our attorney to fill out to make the offer (and carry us through closing). I saved the full 3% on this transaction, minus the $1500 or so I paid my attorney.

You do not need a buyer's agent. Ridiculous.

it depends on the market. it is hard to believe that you can get a house without an agent (and getting 3% rebate) when the market in that area and price range results in 5-10 offers within a day of listing for thousands $$$ over asking and several with pre-inspection done and no contingencies. this has been the norm in some areas and price ranges in the past year in DC. if you buy in less desirable areas, or a home that has been sitting because overpriced or on a very busy street or with some other issue, maybe (but then, having an agent who can advise you would not sound that bad of an idea to me)

[Anonymous]

You absolutely do not need a buyer's agent, unless the seller (or, more likely, seller's agent) has decided that you need one and can afford to avoid you if you don't have one. Since this is a seller's market, and since the seller's agent appears to only want to deal with represented potential buyers, then, OP, you need a buyer's agent. You could also contact the seller directly -- and if you don't mind pissing off the seller's agent, I would do this. The seller's agent is being difficult, IMO. Sadly, many real estate agents act this way which is unprofessional and does give the whole profession a bad name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could also contact the seller directly -- and if you don't mind pissing off the seller's agent, I would do this.

Won't make a difference. The seller is under contract with an agent and has agreed to pay 6% in fees to be split between the seller and a possible buyer's agent. Doesn't matter if OP talks directly to the seller or not -- the contract is still valid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could also contact the seller directly -- and if you don't mind pissing off the seller's agent, I would do this.

Won't make a difference. The seller is under contract with an agent and has agreed to pay 6% in fees to be split between the seller and a possible buyer's agent. Doesn't matter if OP talks directly to the seller or not -- the contract is still valid.

Right, it won't save you the 3% but it could possibly get you heard by the seller, which the agent seems to now be blocking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could also contact the seller directly -- and if you don't mind pissing off the seller's agent, I would do this.

Won't make a difference. The seller is under contract with an agent and has agreed to pay 6% in fees to be split between the seller and a possible buyer's agent. Doesn't matter if OP talks directly to the seller or not -- the contract is still valid.

Right, it won't save you the 3% but it could possibly get you heard by the seller, which the agent seems to now be blocking.

Good point, you're right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I understand what you're trying to do, but realize that a construction like that is more work for the seller's agents, and he/she is thus less likely to "like" your offer.

How much that matters is up for debate. Ideally, it shouldn't matter and the seller's agent should not care and just look out for his/her clients.

Having said that, it's a seller's market right now -- many houses get multiple offers. Your offer, once you're able to put one in, will start at a disadvantage.

Not trying to dissuade you from trying this, but just realize that it's not risk-free, especially if you're trying to buy in a hot zipcode.

OP here. Thanks, PP. The listing agent's attitude goes squarely against her fiduciary duties to the homeowner. I wonder if I should notify the Real Estate Commission.

No, you should not. That would be really presumptuous and annoying and out of line.

[Anonymous]

everyone is forgetting that in the original post the agent that cancelled tried to have one of her co-workers instead show the house. but the OP thought that was fishy and didn't want someone else to show the house. SO the agent tried what she could, and if they buyer never called back to try to schedule something she probably assumed the buyer was not serious.

and OP you say you are serious but if you really were why are you not still trying to see the house? if i really wanted a house in this market i would try to see it ASAP and not sit around blaming an agent for not seeing it... that is no way to buy a house...

anyway, call the agent back and try to reschedule if it is on the market. if she still blows you off she is a bad agent. in that case hire someone else to show it to you and try to negotiate that commission. buying a house is no place to play ego games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:everyone is forgetting that in the original post the agent that cancelled tried to have one of her co-workers instead show the house. but the OP thought that was fishy and didn't want someone else to show the house. SO the agent tried what she could, and if they buyer never called back to try to schedule something she probably assumed the buyer was not serious.

and OP you say you are serious but if you really were why are you not still trying to see the house? if i really wanted a house in this market i would try to see it ASAP and not sit around blaming an agent for not seeing it... that is no way to buy a house...

anyway, call the agent back and try to reschedule if it is on the market. if she still blows you off she is a bad agent. in that case hire someone else to show it to you and try to negotiate that commission. buying a house is no place to play ego games.

OP has already said that he will use a Redfin agent. at least he will be able to get access to the house and should get a rebate on the commission

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just bought a home without a buyer's agent, and I'm just a poor shmo who knows nothing (but I can read, and I know what I want to spend). We worked through our lawyer and the seller's agent who, really, did nothing except (a) open the home and (b) send us blank forms for our attorney to fill out to make the offer (and carry us through closing). I saved the full 3% on this transaction, minus the $1500 or so I paid my attorney.

You do not need a buyer's agent. Ridiculous.

it depends on the market. it is hard to believe that you can get a house without an agent (and getting 3% rebate) when the market in that area and price range results in 5-10 offers within a day of listing for thousands $$$ over asking and several with pre-inspection done and no contingencies. this has been the norm in some areas and price ranges in the past year in DC. if you buy in less desirable areas, or a home that has been sitting because overpriced or on a very busy street or with some other issue, maybe (but then, having an agent who can advise you would not sound that bad of an idea to me)

In our case, it wasn't a rebate. We just knocked 3% off what we thought the house would go for, and it was within our budget. We did a pre-inspection, too, so we knew what we were buying. The home is in a hot area. We did not dawdle--we moved fast. We described ourselves as serious buyers with a lawyer advising us. We handled the communicating with the real estate agent ourselves. Never encountered any problems.

[Anonymous]

I am one of those horrible listing agents you are writing about. I went to settlement today on a house that was listed at $650K and sold for $700K to unrepresented buyers. They did not know the market and thought they had to bid wildly above the asking price. They did not have an escalation clause but came in at $700,000. The next best offer was $660,000. So they spent $40,000 extra to get a 2% rebate on the commission. Usually unrepresented buyers lowball, but these folks were great! Bring on more of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just bought a home without a buyer's agent, and I'm just a poor shmo who knows nothing (but I can read, and I know what I want to spend). We worked through our lawyer and the seller's agent who, really, did nothing except (a) open the home and (b) send us blank forms for our attorney to fill out to make the offer (and carry us through closing). I saved the full 3% on this transaction, minus the $1500 or so I paid my attorney.

You do not need a buyer's agent. Ridiculous.

it depends on the market. it is hard to believe that you can get a house without an agent (and getting 3% rebate) when the market in that area and price range results in 5-10 offers within a day of listing for thousands $$$ over asking and several with pre-inspection done and no contingencies. this has been the norm in some areas and price ranges in the past year in DC. if you buy in less desirable areas, or a home that has been sitting because overpriced or on a very busy street or with some other issue, maybe (but then, having an agent who can advise you would not sound that bad of an idea to me)

In our case, it wasn't a rebate. We just knocked 3% off what we thought the house would go for, and it was within our budget. We did a pre-inspection, too, so we knew what we were buying. The home is in a hot area. We did not dawdle--we moved fast. We described ourselves as serious buyers with a lawyer advising us. We handled the communicating with the real estate agent ourselves. Never encountered any problems.

sorry, this is not very clear. did you make an offer for the price you thought it was right and then negotiated with the seller's agent a reduction in price of 3%? were there multiple offers? hot areas now in DC get m,ultiple offers even on the first day or two. or you decided what the house would go for and made an offer that was 3% lower of that price? if so, how do you know you did not overpay for the house? I havea close relative that has been looking to buy in NW DC and Bethesda for under 1M, and the situation is really similar to the one described by the condo seller who posted yesterday, multiple offers on the first day or two, it is hard to think that without an agent you would even be considered as a buyer (having the agent opne the house for you and so on). sorry, not trying to be offensive, I am just trying to understand how you did it based on the seller cut-throat market people I know have been experiencing.

[Anonymous]

This thread is really amusing. The power belongs to the sellers and listing agents in the market, buyers may either play according to their rules or suffer (by not getting the house they want). Sure it's great if you think you can do it yourself and get the buyers agents commission, but in a multiple offer situation do you really think the listing agent is going to accept an unrepresented buyers offer above those with buyers agents? (which 95% will be)...
The same goes for redfin agents, sorry but i dont know a good listing agent who will recommend to a seller that they accept one in this market.
No, it's not fair, but working with a good well connected buyers agent (who the listing agent wants to work with) is really in a buyers favor. Maybe you don't save the commission but perhaps you get the house you want instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is really amusing. The power belongs to the sellers and listing agents in the market, buyers may either play according to their rules or suffer (by not getting the house they want). Sure it's great if you think you can do it yourself and get the buyers agents commission, but in a multiple offer situation do you really think the listing agent is going to accept an unrepresented buyers offer above those with buyers agents? (which 95% will be)...
The same goes for redfin agents, sorry but i dont know a good listing agent who will recommend to a seller that they accept one in this market.
No, it's not fair, but working with a good well connected buyers agent (who the listing agent wants to work with) is really in a buyers favor. Maybe you don't save the commission but perhaps you get the house you want instead.

Um, it's not up to the listing agent to accept an offer. As a seller, my agent had better be presenting me ALL offers, or I will have her head on a platter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello.

We are looking to buy a house without an agent. I am an attorney, and I have done quite a bit of real estate work.

We have asked a listing agent to show us one of her listings. Without telling us, she wanted to send another agent, most likely to avoid dual agency. When I told the "designated" agent that we don't need representation, she has cancelled the showing.

Does anybody have ideas on how to proceed? We are pretty taken aback by the situation.

Thanks much.

Go to speak with the owner. Boy would I be pissed if my sales agent pulled this.