St. Louis Home Buyers: Are You Using the Buddy System?

The Buddy System for St. Louis Home Buyers

If you’re one of the millions of people who have seen Toy Story you may remember the theme song “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” Buzz and Woody were always looking out for each other and had each others backs throughout their adventures. They used the buddy system.

What Is the Buddy System?

Wikipedia defines “The buddy system”as a procedure in which two people, the “buddies”, operate together as a single unit so that they are able to monitor and help each other. In dangerous activities, where the buddies are often equals, the main benefit of the system is improved safety; each may be able to prevent the other becoming a casualty or rescue the other in a crisis. The less experienced buddy learns more quickly from close and frequent contact with the experienced buddy than when operating alone.

The New York Times Talks about the Buddy System for Home Buyers

The New York Times article stated: “In this do-it-yourself era of online real estate listings, it is easy to find out what is on the market, visit open houses and even research sales data to come up with a reasonable price to offer for a home.

So why should a buyer bother using an agent?

In a nutshell: to protect his or her interests in an expensive, often complex purchase …

The article went on to highlight the benefits of using your own “Buyer Broker” to help in the home purchase. “When you work with a buyer’s agent, their fiduciary responsibility is to you as a buyer,” said Walter Molony, a spokesman for the National Association of Realtors. Click here for entire article

The Times continued; ” A buyer who relies on the seller’s agent to handle both sides of the deal may not hear about problems with the apartment or the building, or have a real advocate during contract negotiations.”

Did you get that last part?

You may not have a real advocate during the contract negotiations?

The biggest purchase of your life and you end up wondering if your agent is really working for you?

Using a St. Louis Exclusive Buyer Agent as Your Buddy System

You want to buy a home. You don’t want a lot of hassle. You want to understand how things work, and you want someone to tell it like it is and protect your interests at all times. You don’t want to be sold something.

Who You Should Not Call and Why

The agent on the For Sale sign is working for the Seller. They have a fiduciary responsibility to the seller first and typically you, the buyer, can finish in second place. Don’t call the agent on the sign.
The traditional buyer agent who works for one of the big box franchise companies. They could help you, but a conflict can arise when the property you’re interested in is also listed by their company. See Video

Who Should You Call?

Call An Exclusive Buyer Agent to Minimize Your Risks and Avoid Potential Conflict of Interests

An Exclusive Buyer Agent works for a company that does not take listings. They only represent buyers. They never represent a Seller and … do not have a dog in the race! You are their only customer.

What Our Buddy System Will Do for You

Buying a home usually starts with browsing online for properties, visiting potential homes and it ends at the closing table.

There’s a lot of stuff that happens in the in between that we will take care of and “cover your back”.

Here’s a List of What We Will Do for You

Make sure you do not overpay for your home
Share our opinion on potential resale value
Discuss current market conditions and pricing
Provide you with a Comparable Marketing Analysis on the area you are interested in
Conduct a property history report on your potential home
Recommend a pricing opinion on your finalists
Produce a bidding strategy
Develop a negotiating strategy and how we will handle counter-offers and terms
Navigate the building inspection and prepare your response
Get everything prepared for your closing and attend closing with you
Put you in touch with tried and proven local lenders (if needed)
Tell you like it is at all times