Home Buying and Selling: Who Works For You?

More often than you’d expect, homeowners refer to the person they bought their insurance from as their agent. It sounds reasonable but it’s definitely not accurate. That person is the agent of the insurance company and they legally represent the company, not the customer. Even an independent agent who can place a policy with different companies is still an agent of the company.

A mortgage officer, in most cases is an employee and represents the company. And the same is true for a title or escrow officer. It’s important to understand the actual relationship to know what you can expect from them. Any business person who wants to stay in business must treat their customers fairly and with a high degree of service. As a customer, you should be able to reasonably expect honesty and accountability. The difference is that employees owe their loyalty to their employer and agents owe their loyalty to their principal.

An agent owes more than just honesty and accountability. The principal can expect complete disclosure, obedience, loyalty, reasonable skill and care and confidentiality from their agent. This advocacy is very beneficial during the buying or selling process to coordinate all aspects of the transaction. The agent can bring valuable experience to your side of the transaction to provide confidence that your best interests are being represented from start to finish.

Most states have a recognized procedure for the real estate professional to create a formal relationship between themselves and a buyer or seller. This requires a fiduciary/statutory responsibility that places the principals’ interests above the agent’s own personal interests.

In Massachusetts real estate brokers and salespeople/agents are required to provide consumers the Massachusetts Mandatory Licensee-Consumer Relationship Disclosure form at the first personal meeting with you to discuss a specific property. The form explains the types of agency an agent can provide. Although, this has been mandatory for years, many buyers who have looked at properties with other agents often tell me they have never seen the form! Consumers have a right to know who an agent represents.


Additionally, while a home seller is required to sign a written agreement in order to list their home for sale with a REALTOR (member of the National Association of Realtors), it is also in a buyer's best interest to have a written agreement with an agent who is going to represent them as a buyer agent. It clarifies expectations so there are no surprises or misunderstanding about responsibilities and makes for a less stressful transaction. More about buyer agency...
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 About the author: Marilyn Messenger  is a local broker associated with Andrew Mitchell and Company, Concord. She has been representing buyers and sellers in Concord, Wayland, Sudbury, Maynard, and the towns west of Boston since 1993. She is a Certified Residential Specialist (less than 4% of Realtors have achieved the CRS® designation), an Accredited Buyer Representative and is an active member of the Real Estate Buyer Agency Council. Messenger is also a Certified Luxury Homes Marketing Specialist and a Million Dollar Guild Member. Visit www.MarilynMessenger.com.  

Millennials Becoming Homeowners!

First-Time homeowners at their townhouse in Maynard

Housing wire magazine recently published and article entitled Realtor survey: Millennials are no longer a renter generation. Well, I guess it's a catchy headline but really what's the surprise? Millennials are smart, hard-working people and they want the same things every other generation wanted when they were establishing themselves as self-sufficient adults - financial security and a comfortable place to live where they can have a great quality of life that to enjoy now and in the future.

These happy home-owners (pictured above) closed in September on their first home, a townhouse at Oak Ridge in Maynard and they are so excited about their move. After renting a similar townhouse for a couple of years at Deer Hedge Run in Maynard, like a lot of smart Millennials, they decided it was time to pay their own mortgage instead of their landlord's. With rents going through the roof, and interest rates as low as they are going to be for a long time (the Fed has said they will start going up again by year-end) a lot of younger buyers are coming into the market and Maynard has some great opportunities for townhouses and single-family homes. See homes for sale at www.marilynmessenger.com.

While headlines are focusing on Millennials becoming home-owners, baby-boomers are a large segment of the housing market and they are moving to down-size/simplify, relocate, or change their lifestyles. I recently worked with a couple who owned a two-family house in the city. Tired of the congestion and of being a landlord, they wanted a smaller, more manageable single-family house and decided Maynard would be the place to move. They had friends in Maynard, love the open space and the thriving arts community; she is an artist. And like many boomers who may be eligible for retirement, he is still works in Cambridge and is finding the commuter rail service from west Concord an easy commute. They closed on a single-family in Maynard this past month and are happy with their choice.

Home-ownership is not about age. It is about making smart financial decisions and being comfortable in a place where you can do the things that are important to you. It's never too soon or too late to make that move!
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About the author: Marilyn Messenger is a licensed real estate broker, a Certified Residential Specialist and Accredited Buyer Representative associated with Andrew Mitchell and Company in Concord MA. She has been representing buyers and sellers in Maynard, Sudbury, Wayland, Concord, Stow, and the towns west of Boston since 1993. Click here to read what her clients say.

Home Buying: Written Agreements Benefit Home Buyers

Most consumers know that if they want to “hire” a real estate broker/agent to sell their home and represent their interests, they are going to sign a contract. Realtors® are not allowed to list a property without one. The contract clearly spells out the terms of the agreement including length of time, compensation, who the agent represents and each party’s responsibility.

While buyer agency is not a new concept - it has been legal in MA for almost two decades and a few years ago the law that governs agent-consumer relationships was updated to further ensure consumer protection - many buyers and some agents still don’t understand the benefits of a written Buyer Agency Agreement/contract.

Buyers often call to ask for help finding a home and many talk about their disappointing experiences with "their buyer agent." When asked if they had a contract with the agent, the answer is almost always “no”.  Well, of course they are disappointed! How did the agent know what the buyer expected? And were the buyer(s)' expectations realistic?

The benefit of a contract is that both the buyer and the agent know what to

Move-Up Buyers in Sudbury

expect and that each is accountable. The buyer knows which geographic areas the agent covers, they know how the agent is going to be compensated, and that the agent is legally obligated to act in their behalf.

Buying a home is a process that takes time, effort and tenacity; it's a long way from finding a house that suits your needs to getting to the closing table. Successful negotiations are based on trust, confidentiality, and mutual respect. Buyers, you are entitled to have a qualified buyer agent on your side to ensure you get the representation you deserve and a written agreement is the first step.

First-Time Home Buyers

While any agent can call themselves a buyer's agent, an ABR, Accredited Buyer's Representative, has additional training and is a member of the Real Estate Buyer Agency Council, the network that provides ongoing education and resources for representing buyers.

Before you start looking for a house find a qualified buyer broker/agent who will listen to you and respect your needs; one who knows the market in the area, knows how to negotiate, has a network of resources - lenders, home inspectors, attorneys, movers, etc.; and who will educate you so you can make the best decisions about your new home. Real estate is about relationships, so make sure you have your own agent who knows and cares about your well-being.

Visit www.marilynmessenger.com for easy homes searches and get the latest real estate news and community information about about Wayland, Sudbury, Concord, Maynard, Stow from your local real estate specialist. 
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Marilyn Messenger is an Accredited Buyer Representative/Buyer Agent and is an active member of the Real Estate Buyer Agent Council (REBAC). She has been representing home buyers and sellers for 21+ years. Marilyn Messenger is a top 1% recommended agent/broker on Trulia.