This page will help you (the potential homebuyer) understand our role in helping you find and buy a home!  Please read this carefully as it clears up quite a few questions that many people have as they begin the process of searching for, and purchasing, a new home!

SEARCH THE MLS

Search for a home.  In Minneapolis, there is only one service that aggregates all the real estate listings of properties for sale.  This is the Regional Multiple Listing Service or RMLS.   Real estate brokers choose whether or not they wish to make their data available to you over the Internet.  In Minneapolis, 95% of all brokers share their listings and make them available for you to view on the Internet.  The MLS data provided on my site is REAL TIME, so all listings are updated every day, as soon as they are posted to the system.   Click HERE to search for "virtually" (95%) all homes for sale in the Minneapolis / St. Paul Metro area (13 counties).

You can also the Automated Home Finder.  Click HERE to use the Automated Home Finder.
 

CONTACT A REALTOR

Statistics reveal that most people will spend four months searching for homes on the Internet before they contact a real estate agent.  When you find a home on my website that interests you, please give us a call!  We are a highly skilled, low pressure, honest team of agents working to find you the best property possible.

BUYER REPRESENTATION AGREEMENT

We primarily represent buyers.  How do we make money?  We always get paid by the seller of the home. The ONLY way we get paid is by successfully finding the homebuyer a home.  In order to do that, the State of Minnesota requires that we ask if you are currently being represented by another agent.  If you are not, then I will ask that you sign a BUYERS REPRESENTATION AGREEMENT.

In most instances, when I reply to your initial email or phone call, we will have a conversation like this:

REALTOR:  Mr. or Mrs. Homebuyer are you currently working with another Realtor? 

MR. / MRS. HOMEBUYER:   No.

REALTOR:  Great!  Would you mind if I faxed or emailed you a Buyers Representation Agreement, so that I may represent you in your quest to find and buy a new home? 

This is where many people freak out, because they think that we are trying to get them to sign their life away.

To help overcome that objection, We are fine with a 30 day Buyers Rep Agreement, which gives you the ability to dump me in 30 days if you are unhappy with me in any way, shape or form.  My goal is get my clients into the best possible home and to make new friends by making the process as easy and informative as possible. If you are unhappy with me, then I don't want to make your life miserable. Additionally, the Buyers Rep. Agreement can be cancelled by either party AT ANY TIME!

MR. / MRS. HOMEBUYER:  Sure that sounds great.  Why don't you email me the Buyers Rep Agreement.  Let's start out with a 30 day trial period, and if it works out well, then we'll extend the agreement to the standard 90 or 120 day period.  I'll read it over and sign it, then either fax it back to you or bring it with me the next time we get together.

REALTOR:  Thanks!  That sounds great.  I'll get that out to you ASAP and we'll go from there!
 

WHAT IS A BUYERS REPRESENTATION AGREEMENT?

The concept of a buyer’s agent is recent. Prior to Minnesota law changing, an agent could work for a buyer and a seller on the same transaction; an obvious conflict of interest. The agent's duty was to the person paying the sales commission (seller), regardless of who first contacted the agent. What that meant was an agent didn’t necessarily represent the buyer’s interest in achieving as low a home price as possible.

Today, a buyer’s agent works exclusively for the home buyer, and cannot represent the seller unless specifically agreed upon by the buyer. The agent for the buyer can freely advise the buyer about all aspects of the property.

When you initially meet with a Realtor to  discuss looking for a home, you will be asked to sign a Buyer Representation Agreement. This Agreement basically states that as a buyer, you are hiring the real estate company exclusively, to locate suitable property and negotiate for it’s purchase. The fee for this service is typically free to the buyer. The fee is paid by the seller of the home you are buying. The agreement does have an expiration date and can be canceled by either the buyer or the real estate company.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON BUYERS REPRESENTATION!
 

Showing Properties, etc..

Once the agreement is in place and all parties on the same page, then we will begin working together. We'll schedule times to go out and view the properties and neighborhoods.  We'll exchange emails and phone calls and we'll both work closely together to make sure that all possible properties are researched!

We may make a few offers, and then one will get accepted and we'll proceed to closing in 30-60 days.  Throughout the process we are there to assist you with such things as title insurance, appraisals, inspections, surveys, property taxes, financing, etc..   We do everything in our power to get you in a house with the least amount of pain possible.