Agents want to close a sale. Typically, that is aligned with the interests of buyers and sellers.
We've found that agents are most useful when we're driving them towards the outcome that _we_ want. That means two things:
* When possible, do our own market research. Form an opinion then compare that to the agent's opinion.
* Ask questions like "what do you typically see", "how have other people handled X", etc, etc. Instead of having your agent simply tell you what to do, leverage their knowledge to inform your opinion.
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With that being said, I've interacted seem to think they can magically make a house worth more than the market values it.
Agents have no duty to be honest, do non anecdotal research. they have every incentive to get a client and close a deal (at the highest price that will close)
Yes, the simplicity of agent incentives is what make them so easy and useful to work with.
They are not finical advisors or investment experts. They simply find a price that will close a deal, and ensure that it closes swiftly. If you want that, perfect.
A good agent will tell you what bid would likely win.
We've found that agents are most useful when we're driving them towards the outcome that _we_ want. That means two things:
* When possible, do our own market research. Form an opinion then compare that to the agent's opinion.
* Ask questions like "what do you typically see", "how have other people handled X", etc, etc. Instead of having your agent simply tell you what to do, leverage their knowledge to inform your opinion.
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With that being said, I've interacted seem to think they can magically make a house worth more than the market values it.