So my buyer, strenuously objected with the on site agent, the agent sited Jan 2011 registration a proof. My clients were told, yes of course you can have representation however, you must pay for it yourself. You registered on line, you visited our property.
My clients went else where and purchased a new home. The 2nd site agent agent could not believe what the buyers were telling him. Counting on line registrations as “first time visit” is crazy.

He (the 2nd on site agent) also could, like the 1st agent, site the date Pam and Edward’s profile info was sent to his builder. His builder does not consider this a visit registration.

The idea filling out an online profile, requesting information from maps yahoo real estate site, counts as a buyers “first time registered” was silly. Yahoo sells all these names to builders. Hmmmnn.

Nancy A Bailey Keller Williams So AZ Realty

Not only that, I had shown them some other homes that were better deals (IMHO).

It frustrates me no end, how they give up any protection like that, but to each his own.

The answer is YES! It can make a huge difference dealing with a contractor. Dealing with a contractor goes way beyond the price paid. It involves, guiding buyers through the inspection process, final walk through where additional items are brought to the buyers attention by the agent representing them. We often find things that need to be addressed that the contractor or their representative will not point out. Why? because they don’t represent you, they represent the contractor.

Even in the negotiating the purchase price, often an agent can get further incentives added in the deal because they are aware of what is being offered at another location or by another site. We are in the market and know the various incentives that are being offered and have just been offered. The contractor is going to offer as little as possible to get you to purchase. They won’t make you aware of any more than they have too. We on the other hand get special mailers and flyers from them stating to us various incentives and deals they are willing to offer.

Often when we call the site itself we find out about a home that is a real deal because the purchase fell through and they want to move it right away. This is information not usually available to the public.

It comes down to Knowledge is power to the buyer and their agent provides that knowledge of the local market. The contractor represents the contractor and is going to provide as little as they can to get you to buy.

Here is the final question: “If there wasn’t an advantage to having an agent represent you why do they limit agent representation to only if they come with you on the first visit?”

If there were no advantage to the buyer then the contractor wouldn’t make this stipulation in the first place. : )