The real estate agent and I sat down at a table to fill out the paper
work for the offer. As we began the agent pulled out a dual agent
disclosure document and explained that she was a real estate agent
working for the seller of the house (a seller’s agent),
meaning that she had the seller’s best interest at heart.
However, she could also work as an agent to represent me in the deal as
well and that she would be un-bias and work on the behalf of both me
and the buyer (a dual agent).

Not knowing what I know now, I agreed and signed the disclosure
document and the dual agent agreement to let her be my real estate
agent as well as an agent for the seller.

That was a big mistake. Even though the she claimed to be a dual agent
and working on my behalf, she really only had one agenda, that was to
make the sale and get her commission. To put it bluntly she was still
working as the seller’s agent.

I made my first offer on the house for my dual agent to take to the
seller. She came back with in two hours and told me the seller had a
counter offer. I looked the counter offer over and it was almost 25%
higher then my offer. I didn’t counter the sellers counter
offer that same day; I needed time to think about it and to crunch a
few numbers. So the next day I called my supposed dual agent and made a
counter offer. Again about two hours later the agent called me to tell
me the buyer was not going to budge but they would pay half of the
closing costs.

Ok so I was a bit numb on this one, but because I really liked the
house and the neighborhood I agreed and sealed the deal.

As the process of buying the house progressed there arose a few
discrepancies. One big discrepancy was the land boundaries.  I
was lead to believe by the property care taker that the land boundaries
extended far past the actual point that they really were after the
survey was done. I called my dual real estate agent and complained
about the issue. She explained that the caretaker’s opinion
and interpretation of the land boundaries were not official and that
was why it was a good idea to have a survey done. She also got a bit
defensive and intimidating and said that if I was unhappy with the deal
we could go ahead and withdraw the offer but I would lose my earnest
money. Of course I went ahead with the deal feeling a bit slighted.

For the most part the rest of the pre sell inspections went well.
However, a few days before the closing I started to notice small things
wrong with the house that appeared to be covered over in a way as to
hide them.

At this point my wife and I began to have some serious second thoughts
about buying the house. So the day before the closing, I contacted the
dual real estate agent and informed her about the problems and told her
that my wife and I had decided not to buy the house. My “dual
agent” became rather agitated and blatantly told me that I
could not back out of the closing, that the seller had flown in from
out of state and that the seller would file a law suit against my wife
and me to collect for the time we had kept someone else from being able
to buy the house, as well as her time from work and travel. So being
backed into a corner and thinking I didn’t have a choice, I
bought the house.

I wish I knew then what I know now. The dual agent was wrong. If I had
not gone ahead with the deal and not bought the house, all I would have
lost was the $1000.00 earnest money I put down. I could have saved my
wife and I a lot of grief had I only known about a buyer’s
agent. I didn’t know what a buyer’s agent was. Let
alone there was such a thing. When I started the home buying process I
didn’t’ know a thing about a sellers agent, dual
agent or buyer’s agent. I know now though, a day late and a
dollar short. I can tell you that I will never buy a house again with
out the help of a buyer’s agent.

Just in case you don’t’ know what a
buyer’s agent is, a buyer’s agent is a real estate
agent that represents you the home buyer. There sole purpose is to
protect you the home buyer to insure that you get the new home and the
deal you deserve.  Remember a seller’s agent
represents the home seller. The dual agent represents the seller and
their own interest. So that leaves the buyer’s agent, they
represent you the home buyer.

Below I have included a list buyer’s agents in your state.
Please do your self a big favor do not buy a house with out a buyers
agent.

Alabama homes for sale

Arizona homes for sale

California homes for sale

Colorado homes for sale

Delaware homes for sale

Florida homes for sale

Georgia homes for sale

Idaho homes for sale

Illinois homes for sale

Indiana homes for sale

Kentucky homes for sale

Louisiana homes for sale

Massachusetts homes for sale

Maryland homes for sale

Michigan homes for sale

Minnesota homes for sale

Mississippi homes for sale

Nevada homes for sale

New Hampshire homes for sale

New Jersey homes for sale

New Mexiao homes for sale

New York homes for sale

North Carolina homes for sale

Ohio homes for sale

Oregon homes for sale

Pennsylvania homes for sale

Rhode Island homes for sale

South Carolina homes for sale

Tennessee homes for sale

Texas homes for sale

Utah homes for sale

Virginia homes for sale

Washington homes for sale

Washington D.C. homes for sale