Portland Buyer’s Team versus Buyer’s Agent – Which is Better?
Looking to find that next Portland home? There are thousands of real estate agents to choose from. Out of those thousands, you’ll find a few individual agents that specialize in helping buyers and even a few teams that specialize in helping buyers.
Why choose a team over an individual? In Portland the market is hot and home buying is tough business. Some local news outlets are calling it a “home buying war”. The Portland home buyer is faced with countless multiple offer situations (depending on the neighborhood they want) and at a minimum, low inventory and a seller’s market.
In this fast moving real estate market that favors the seller, the buyer needs a few things. First, they need quick and immediate notification when a new home hits the market. Most buyers can find their own decent programs online, or our buyers team can set them up with a stellar program. Second, they need to reach their buyer’s agent. This is where the rubber meets the road. When you’re working with an individual buyer’s agent, you’re not their only client. There is a good chance that individual buyers agent is already showing some homes the day you need to see that brand new listing that just hit the market. There is a good chance that individual buyer’s agent doesn’t have anyone backing them up, there is no other phone number to call, and if you don’t reach your buyer’s agent on the day you need to – you could lose out on that new home without recourse.
With our Portland buyers team, we have a head buyer’s agent specialist, Kami Price, licensed locally since 2004 with hundreds of negotiated sales under her belt, and a Masters Degree in Business. She is our buyer’s negotiator and spends most of her time getting deals done. Then Kami has two showing assistants, agents who have cleared their schedule to make sure any buyer can get into any new listing at any time. If for some unlikely (and very rare) reason the two showing assistants were swamped, Kami (or even myself, the listing specialist Stephen FitzMaurice) can show a home – in a pinch. Basically, you’ve hired a full team for the cost of hiring one individual.
Teams in business mean specialization. Specialization means (at least it should) better performance, better service to the client. Our showing assistants are rock stars at touring, helping buyers compare homes, and keeping track of new homes that hit the market the buyer might be interested in. Kami Price is a negotiations and contractual expert. She will write up the best offer for the buyer, negotiate through repairs, appraisals, and closing issues.
An individual Portland buyers agent might be good at all of the above, but I can assure you, in a hot real estate market they are being pulled hard in a dozen different directions and no matter how good they are individually, they won’t be able to give the type of professional and calm service a good Portland buyers team can.
