Should You Have Your Own Buyer's Agent?

If you have your own agent, whose duties to you are listed below, you are welcome to share with the host of the open house that you have an agent and are simply here to learn about the home. You need not share any of your own motivations.

Your agent’s responsibilities to you include: A buyer agent works for the buyer. The fiduciary duties a buyer agent owes the buyer include:

Undivided Loyalty – the buyer’s agent is prohibited from advancing any interests other than the buyer’s.

Obedience – the buyer agent is required to follow the buyer’s lawful instruction.

Reasonable Care and Diligence – the buyer agent is required to protect the buyer from any foreseeable risks of harm.

Confidentiality – the buyer agent must keep confidential any personal information that the buyer does not want shared.

Full Disclosure – the buyer agent must share any information that might affect decisions made by the buyer.

Accounting – the buyer agent is required to safeguard money or property held on behalf of the buyer and to report promptly any transfer of money or property.

Having your own agent has additional benefits

If you decide to pursue a particular home, your buyer agent will should help you with your initial offering price based in part on what similar homes have sold for in the neighborhood. Together you can decide what you think the home is worth, regardless of the asking price.

Your agent will also help you determine if any developments will take place that will affect the value of the property in the future. Your agent is your spokesperson and will highlight the strengths you offer as a buyer for the property you are interested in.

If your agent holds the ABR designation, she has had additional training and experience representing the interests of buyers.