The Advantage of Brokers and Agents in Real Estate

Using Brokers and Agents in the Real Estate Industry

A knowledgeable and motivated real estate broker or agent should be on your investment team if you are a property buyer or investor. A registered real estate sales agent is qualified to manage real estate listings and transactions under the supervision of a real estate broker, the highest level of a licensed real estate professional. Sales agents typically make up the great bulk of real estate license holders.

While both brokers and agents are capable of carrying out the same tasks, many real estate agents possess greater market expertise and practical experience than the brokers they support. Brokers who are responsible for a large number of agents frequently devote the majority of their time to lead generation, marketing, training, overseeing, and examining the transactions put out by their agents. Therefore, if you have a problem with an agent, call the broker because he / she is ultimately responsible. For example in our Atin Dasgupta one of the partners is the broker. All agents on our team report to Atin and ultimately it is he who heads the agency.

Keep it under Wraps

In most cases when you work with real estate agents, but if you’re involved in larger or more sophisticated deals, the additional expertise and dedication of a broker can be helpful to you. The bulk of real estate transactions, including the usual purchase or sale of an owner-occupied single-family home or condo, can be handled by real estate agents. Many owners of investment real estate do not desire the commotion that can result from an open listing of the property. Tenants worry that rents would go up, and the management business and staff start to worry about their jobs. By quietly speaking with one or two of the top brokers in the region and agreeing that the potential transaction will be kept confidential, these issues can be avoided. The best brokers and their clients benefit from some fantastic opportunities as a result.

Make sure the person you choose, whether a broker or an agent, has a proven track record of handling transactions involving investment properties in your neighborhood. Having a real estate agent on your team is a great tactic that provides you an advantage over the competition.

Realizing the Benefits of Using an Agent

Looking at the properties on a listing website, in the newspaper, or online listings is insufficient in many metropolitan regions. The best offers are frequently those that are overlooked by these sites. Here’s where insider knowledge from real estate sales agents might help you become the bride rather than a bridesmaid. (Of course, many brokers are also interested in investing in homes that generate income, and they often have first dibs on the best deals.)

When the top properties go on the market, you want to be the first person contacted.

Setting Up Your Team

Several investment real estate listing services are already growing in popularity enabling fast access to a vast database of information on all types of properties, including single-family homes, condominiums, and land, as well as a significant market share in massive retail, industrial, and commercial properties. Gupta & Sen’s own website is the most well-known listing platforms for luxury investment homes.

Recognizing the Effects of an Agency

Knowing whom a real estate agent represents is important while working with him / her. Investors in real estate need to comprehend the ideas of a dual agency and a single agency, as well as the effects of each:

When an agent exclusively represents the buyer or seller, this is referred to as a single agency. The opposing party is either represented by her own counsel or by a different agent from the other agent’s broker. A buyer’s agent, for instance, solely has a fiduciary obligation to the buyer. The buyer’s agent has a responsibility to advance the interests of the buyer and maintain the confidentiality of any information unless disclosure is required by law. The buyer’s interest should always come first, and no information should be disclosed to the seller without your knowledge unless it directly impacts your capacity to carry out the terms of the written contract.

We strongly advise working with an agent who acts as a standalone person from the agency. Income property deals entail a lot of money, so you want to have someone looking out for your interests, whether you’re purchasing or attempting to sell an investment property.

2. Dual agency: When one agent works for both the client and both the seller and the buyer, or when two distinct agents from the same business are representing both the seller and the buyer (with the same broker). It is quite hard for one agent to fulfill his fiduciary responsibility of loyalty to every client he represents in any one transaction for an agent who is acting as both the buyer’s and the seller’s representative in the same transaction (and difficult as well if two agents work for the same broker).

Establish a connection with a single agency agent that exclusively represents your interests to avoid the inherent conflict of interest that comes with dual agency. For one agent or two agents working for the same broker, the dual agency makes it incredibly difficult to be devoted to clients with different interests. For instance, an agent may receive private information from sellers regarding their desired minimum price, and the buyers inform the same agent or another agent from the same firm that they are willing to pay more than their initial offer.

Due to the fact that they can earn greater commissions by representing both sides of the transaction, dual agency is preferred by agents and especially by their brokers. Because of this, many agents begin by only showing their clients houses that are listed by their companies. However, there have been some significant conflicts of interest as a result of this drive to obtain a larger portion of the real estate commission.

Getting a Sense of the Pay Scale

Because they are paid when a sale is made, real estate brokers are typically driven to see the deal through. A percentage of the sales price of a property is often used to calculate the compensation for agents. Therefore, the agents have a stake in the property selling for a higher sum. Individual residential properties, such as single-family homes and apartments, carry commissions of 2 to 3 % of the sales price. Commissions vary depending on the property and the size of the transaction. Small multifamily and commercial properties often have a 3 – 5 percent vacancy rate. Commissions for larger investment properties range from 1 to 3 percent. Unless the area is quite big, raw land (land that has not undergone any grading, construction, or improvements) is typically at 10%. Subdivided fully finished buildable lands in suburbia usually fetch a lesser commission.

The company that lists the property for sale and works with the seller splits these commissions with the agent working on behalf of the buyer. Depending on how the commissions are divided, the listing agent may occasionally receive a smaller amount of the total than the buyer’s agent. The commission is actually paid to the broker, and the agent receives his portion in accordance with his employment or commission agreement, which frequently stipulates that the agent must pay a portion of his own costs and overhead.

For real estate investors, real estate commissions can be a major expense. The majority of listing agreements state that commissions aren’t set by laws and the terms are negotiable. The compensation for the real estate brokers engaged in the transaction is often “paid” by the seller, but both the buyer and seller ultimately pay for the agent’s commissions because they are the ones paying for the property.

The price of buying a home is increased by real estate agents, but an effective agent, like an effective property manager, can justify the cost of her services by introducing you to homes that you might not otherwise have the chance to buy. A good agent makes his / her commissions in additional ways, too – due to his / her skill as a negotiator and other commercial expertise.

Locating a Reliable Broker or Agent

The secret to choosing a reputable broker or agent to help you with the acquisition of investment real estate is to select just the top candidates. Look for people who meet the following criteria:

Full-time professional: Almost every broker or agent will claim to be able to represent you because the commissions collected on the sale of significant income property can be so high. However, you want to get rid of any brokers or agents who are subpar, incompetent, or simply greedy. Despite the fact that many part-time real estate agents offer lower rates you’ll immediately discover that the most qualified real estate investment property agents work full-time.

A local market and particular property type expert: Find someone who is knowledgeable about your market and the particular type of property you are looking for. If you don’t live close by, knowing this information is very crucial.
Avoid agents that lack experience with your particular sort of property. For instance, if you are looking for a sea facing property in Mumbai, find a broker who specialises in sea facing properties or if you are looking for a villa, find an agent who specialises in villas.
Many people including friends and family may suggest contacting each broker or real estate agent who specializes in the area you want to invest in. But – You should only work with one broker or agent at a time in a specific market location, despite the fact that casting a wider net has some natural appeal.
Knowing your local market is advantageous. These agents are familiar with buyers and sellers, and they also have connections for other services and goods that you’ll require as your portfolio of real estate investments grows.

Many common screening approaches can then be used to determine the top three prospects you should interview after reducing the pool of applicants:

Confirm the status of the professional’s license: This stage is straightforward because most states provide an online RERA website where you can check the agent’s RERA number. Verify that they have a valid real estate license that is not currently suspended or revoked due to prior or ongoing offenses. Verify both the agent’s and her supervising broker’s license status if you are working with a real estate agent. If you want to know more about the state’s sanctions against the agent and how they apply to your transaction, ask more questions. Even if it was later reinstated, a license suspension or temporary revocation can cause major problems.
Check your sources: Obtain the names and contact information of at least three previous customers who purchased a property in the region where you are looking within the last 12 months, the agency has worked with. There are typically fewer transactions for investment real estate than for owner-occupied homes, hence you increase your chances of meeting with clients besides the agent’s all-time favorites by speaking with three or more of them from the previous year.
Call the references rather than just asking for them. Do not merely inquire as to the client’s satisfaction with the broker or agent.Find an agent you can work with on assets that are essential to your long-term wealth-building objectives by doing further research. Ask inquiries regarding the kinds of properties and the locations where they are located. Inquire as to whether the broker or agent aggressively represented you and took the effort to start talks and whether you were in command of the transaction.

When Vetting Potential Brokers and Agents, Keep these Qualities in Mind:

A desire to interact with you: The most common criticism of real estate agents in India is that they lose their focus and effort once the deal is done. You want someone with experience, not necessarily the top and most well known agent. You should be ideally looking for someone who will be willing to connect with you frequently.

A broker or agent needs to get along with you as well as the many other people who will be involved in a normal real estate transaction, including other agents, property sellers, inspectors, lenders, and so on. An agent must understand how to prioritize your interests while avoiding upsetting other parties.

Negotiation abilities: Since putting together a real estate deal requires negotiation; you want a broker or agent with strong bargaining abilities and an understanding of larger transactions. Will your agent pursue every option to secure the greatest possible deal for you? Most people employ someone else to conduct negotiations on their behalf because they dislike the sometimes-tense procedure. Ask the agent’s prior clients about the negotiations they underwent on their behalf.

Honesty, integrity, and patience is the key: When brokering investment properties, your representative’s reputation might be quite important. Brokers or representatives with experience in trading and gaining the cooperation of an aggressive seller can be significantly aided by treating them fairly with their clients and coworkers. And in many cases, obtaining such cooperation is necessary to complete a challenging deal. When purchasing investment real estate, some conflict is nearly a given; there are various situations where the deal may fall through and only the real estate experts’ dependability, tenacity, and patience can save the day.

Utilizing your Agent to the Fullest

Timing is essential for obtaining the greatest discounts. Your Broker or Agent should always put you first. To accomplish this, you must establish a strong rapport with your Agent, which you can achieve by demonstrating in the past that you respect the time of your professional team. Agents don’t want to spend time and effort on multiple potential purchasers because they only get compensated for the sales they close and the commission they receive thereafter. All agents seek committed buyers who will complete the transaction. Your name as a property buyer in the market will be ruined and word will spread among the agent network that you are a time waster if you have a history of renegotiating deals or canceling a deal after locking up properties. False purchasers are a time waster for everyone – sellers and their brokers.

Explain your situation and thank you agent for thinking of you if you’re not interested in or unable to buy a house at the time. A small gift or handwritten note of appreciation also shows them how much you value their work and puts you at the front of their minds when the next opportunity arises!

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Chloe Dodd

Real Estate Agent at Gupta & Sen

Chloe is a real estate advisor with Gupta & Sen. With a combined experience of over 15 years in varied industries, she is a vocal and knowledgeable ally for buyers and investors who want to make informed choices when buying a property in India. With superlative communication and marketing skills, Chloe handles our PR, real estate marketing strategy and client management.