It’s a real estate agent’s job to represent their vendor to the best of their ability and strive to achieve the best possible sales price for them.

But the good news for investors is that not all real estate agents see it that way. Agents are really working for themselves after all and many will ‘manage the expectations’ of their vendor so they can get their commission and move onto the next listing.

They want to do so with minimal hassle to themselves and if you’re smart, you can take advantage of this and score yourself a great purchase deal. 

What’s in it for the agent?

Think about it. Agents do work for commission, but it’s usually somewhere between 1% and 3% of the value of the sale. So if they are selling a $300,000 property, they might be looking at a $3000 commission at best.

Their vendor might be holding out for $310,000, which might make a big difference to that vendor’s finances. But what’s in it for the agent? They may score another couple of hundred bucks in commission, but would that be worth another two weeks of conducting open homes and canvassing interested buyers?

It’s often much easier to simply talk their vendors down to an offer that’s already on the table. 

Make friends with that agent

Don’t look at the agent as the opposition. It’s much more lucrative to get them on your side as a friend. Think about what a lazy agent’s pain points might be and then make a good impression when you contact them. The first example of this is making sure you are easy to deal with.

Don’t be the annoying buyer that has to see every property 10 times, or needs to have the whole family come and inspect, or some friend who used to be a real estate agent.

Instead, contact the agent and explain that you are a dedicated, genuine buyer looking for opportunities in their local area. Identify clearly what you are looking for, as well as your price range and let them know that you are ready to make unconditional deals for the properties on your wishlist.

Make sure your finance is approved and you have researched properties and markets in advance so you are ready at any time to jump on a deal. Ask to be on their buyer database.

All the above actions will bring you to the agent’s mind when suitable properties are set to come to market. One of the best ways to get a deal is to nab the property before it gets listed.

And the best way to do that is appeal to the lazy agent who knows they can make a sale without going through the whole listing and marketing process.

Get knowledge and get help

Engaging a buyer’s agent is a great way to tap into years of relationship building and market research without having to do it yourself.

If a buyer’s agent has dealt with a real estate agent a number of times, they are likely already being presented with off market deals and ‘motivated sellers’ that the rest of the buying market don’t know about.

That buyer’s agent will already have researched the geographic area in question and will have an idea of what constitutes a good deal there, as well as any red flags, such as upcoming developments, or economic factors that may affect a property’s growth or rent potential going forward.

A great example of this is B.Invested founder Nathan Birch, who has built a portfolio of more than 220 properties over a couple of decades, all over the country and in all types of markets. He has helped his clients buy thousands more.

Along the way he has learned all the hard lessons so his clients don’t have to. He is in contact with many agents and has access to countless deals. Often, if agents are looking for a quick sale and need a genuine buyer, they go straight to Nathan. By engaging B.Invested, you will be able to purchase experience, knowledge and access to below market value properties, with good upside for growth and strong cashflow.