Every buyer, especially first time home buyers, want to make a great deal and get as much value for their purchase as possible. If that is you, the best thing you can do when you begin your home search is NEVER CALL THE REALTOR ON THE SIGN.

Your driving down a beautiful neighborhood and you see a house where it is love at first site. You pick up your phone and dial or text that realtor who has the listing. STOP. Every realtor who has a listing, including myself, loves when a potential first time home buyer calls from the sign in front of a listing. It means that there is a potential for the listing agent to get both sides of the transaction. Both sides of the transaction are twice as good as one side of the transaction.

The listing agents’ primary responsibility is to the seller not the buyer. The reason most first time home buyers give for calling an agent off the sign is that they will get a better price and the agent will reduce their commission to make a deal. That is not going to happen. The listing agent’s goal is to get the highest price for their seller. Most brokerages will not allow their agents to reduce their commission once a listing agreement is signed. The listing agent only has to act fairly with the buyer. Acting fairly can be a tenuous interpretation. If a seller does not want to disclose certain information than a selling agent will not disclose it to the potential buyer.

The best way for a first time home buyer to get a great deal is to find that agent that will be their advocate during all phases of the buying process and fight for you like a pit bull. So, when you see that house that is love at first site your next call should go to your buying agent to set up a showing.