How to Work With More Than One Real Estate Agent When Buying a Home

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

It is perfectly within your rights to work with more than one real estate agent when looking for a house to buy. Here are some ways to make these relationships work.

1. Let each agent know that you are working with another agent. Agents make their livings from selling property and have the right to know whether there is another agent involved.

2. Give each agent your objectives and parameters for prospective houses and estimated price ranges.

3. Return all calls promptly. This reduces the chance that one agent will call about a property and, before you return the first agent's call, another agent phones with the same information. (Then with whom do you work?)

4. Avoid viewing open homes on your own, as doing so presents additional problems.

Tips & Warnings

• If an agent has a problem with you working with another agent, you may want to reconsider who you have working for you.
• Letting each agent know that you are working with other agents may get the agents to work a little harder to find you the right property.
• Never talk about one agent to the other. If you have something uncomplimentary to say about an agent, you probably shouldn't be working with that person.
• If you like a property and want to write an offer, you must choose which agent you want to represent you. (This can even include the listing agent who held the open house.)
• You have an obligation to respect your agents and the information they provide. If you see a home you want to buy, you should buy it through the agent who showed or told you about it.
• Don't waste an agent's time by having an agent show you property you have no intention of buying through him or her.

on 11/22/2005 Do not feel odd about working with more than one agent. Loyalty works both ways. I have had experiences when I felt odd about this, only to be bumped when an agent came in with a "better buyer". It all can vary greatly from agent to agent.