Buying a home can be an incredibly stressful time, and the process can be even more intimidating when dealing with real estate agents who seem more interested in making a deal than finding you the perfect home.
Luckily, Zara O’Hare, real estate expert at Land of Rugs, has shared seven tricks real estate agents use that you should “watch out for.”
1. They try to sell you a location
Real estate agents often focus on location as the most important thing when selling a home.
While this is an important consideration for many people, buying a home just because you like the area can lead to regrets.
Zara suggested telling a professional you want to find the perfect home first.
2. They create fear of loss
Zara said: “Estate agents may emphasize limited availability, emphasize high demand from other buyers or suggest prices will rise soon, creating a sense of urgency and fear of missing out.”
A real estate expert warned Britons that this could lead to hasty decisions and regrets.
Pro added: “This urgency can lead buyers to make rash decisions without properly considering their options or negotiating a good deal.”
3. They use ambiguous language
Phrases like “has so much potential” or “needs some tender loving care” may sound good, but what they really mean is that the property needs a lot of work.
It is important to pay attention to the words real estate agents use and see if they are hiding something by asking questions when they say something unclear.
4. They suggest you pay more
Real estate agents can tell. buyers may bid more to beat out many other buyers who have also bid.
Zara said: “Estate agents may suggest increasing your offer to improve your chances of buying a property and beating their offers. But stick to your budget.”
5. They suggest skipping the property survey
Many homebuyers may also be convinced that there are no problems with the property, encouraging them to skip the survey.
However, it’s important to do a survey to spot problems, especially if the home has been on the market for a while.
6. They don’t give you a price
The real estate professional continued: “Real estate agents often hold back the asking price of the property, hoping to get the buyers excited and raise the final price.
“This ploy can mislead buyers into offering more for a property than they would if the estate agent had been honest about the price from the start.”
