I Can NOT Over-Emphasize How Important Having A "Qualified" Buyer's Agent Working With You Is

Charles Hanes
January 24, 2012

This is sort of a continuation of yesterday's blog where I addressed notable shortcomings that I have observed recently with the "transactional brokerage" concept being employed in Florida.  I am planning on expanding simplycondos.com into Florida and to do so I have to get licensed as a Realtor in the State.

While doing my preliminary research regarding licensing I came across, on the first pages of the educational manuals I was reading, that in Florida, buyers are exposed to a marketplace where Realtors do NOT represent either party!

For three and a half decades now, I've been selling and marketing Toronto condos and for the past decade and a half I've been working exclusively (not totally exclusively as I have some client who insist that I handle all of their affairs personally) as a Buyer's Agent where I accept the legal obligation to represent ONLY THE BEST INTERESTS OF MY CLIENT ("THE BUYER").

It is amazing to me that when people want to get in shape, they will go out and hire a trainer to come in and develop and follow a workout and when people tune into eating healthier, they go out and hire a nutritionist.  They hire accountants to do their bookkeeping and taxes and they hire lawyers to handle even the most basic matters.  They know to hire a roofer when their roof leaks, a plumber when their sink leaks, and a seamstress to alter their cloths.

Yet, when it comes to making the single most significant investment in their lives, many just go out, on their own and do their own thing!  It's no wonder that so many lousy condos get sold in Toronto!  Consumers going out to condo sales sites on their own, without a "qualified" buyer's agent is as foolish as them going out and defending themselves in court!

Many go out to open houses and buy from the Listing ("Seller's") Agent which is paramount to turning your best interests over to the Plaintiff's lawyer after receiving a notice of intent to litigate!

Notice the emphasis on "qualified" as all Realtors are not condo specialists.  I don't buy detached houses as my thirty five years of experience is in condos but when it comes to condos, I can say in all modesty that I am uniquely qualified and the dividends that my clients enjoy as a result of having me on their buying team (I don't list properties often either) are clearly stated on my home page and Linkedin pages.

Condos are a highly specialized niche market in real estate and to deliver the benefits that a buyer needs, the buyer's agent has got to have spent decades in the field, so they know all the buildings and developers or they really don't have anything significant to offer a buyer.  You don't need a chauffeur to get around to condo sales sites or condo buildings.  You need someone who knows the construction quality, finishes, appointments, history of the developer and a complex list of other factors that will lead you to buying into a winning formula when spending you half million dollars!

Watching Florida Realtors play "Let's Make A Deal" instead of fighting for the best interests of their clients has proven offensive to me!  I work very hard insuring that my client gets the best end of the stick every time they buy a condo, loft or townhouse.  That's why I've got clients who have kept in touch and re-used me to buy their condos for over three decades!

Now, you can insist on having your Florida Realtor represent you as your "Agent" and accept full fiduciary responsibility and that's what I recommend that you do.  You don't want the people who are supposed to be able to give you the inside track focusing on anything but your best interests and when their focus shifts to them making their commissions, it's time to find another buyer's agent.

I'm building a network here in south Florida that will be as loyal and dedicated as I have in Toronto with Linda Wheeler and Valentyna.  The challenge is proving substantial but I will not compromise on the quality and/or integrity of the Realtors that represents my global buyers/investors.

Knowing how to go about something is just as important as going about it, and you can rest assured that we'll be here and in Toronto making sure that your best interests are protected and that you come out ahead in the negotiating process.

I'm Charles Hanes