Author name: CJ Anderson

I see this happen all the time. A buyer walks in my office excited about a house they found, and I ask them, ‘Who’s your realtor?’ Half the time, they say something like, ‘Oh, my cousin knows someone who got their license last year,’ or ‘I’m just working with whoever happened to be at the open house.’ And I cringe a little, because I know what’s about to happen. They’re going to overpay for a house. They’re going to miss negotiation opportunities. They’re going to have a weak offer in a competitive situation. And they won’t even realize it was because of their realtor. Your Realtor Is Your Secret Weapon . Your realtor might seem like a side character in your home buying story. But they’re actually the person who can make or break your deal. And most people don’t understand how much power a good realtor has, or how much damage a bad one can do. Let me explain why your realtor matters so much, and how to find one who’s actually going to fight for you instead of just collecting a commission. What a Realtor Actually Does (That You Might Not Realize) First, let me clarify what a realtor’s job actually is, because a lot of people think it’s simpler than it really is. Your real estate agent is supposed to represent your interests. They’re supposed to find homes that fit your criteria. They’re supposed to help you make an offer. They’re supposed to negotiate on your behalf. And they’re supposed to walk you through the entire process from offer to closing. But here’s what a lot of realtors actually do: They show you houses, take your offer, and hope it gets accepted. They don’t negotiate hard. They don’t fight for you. They just want to close the deal and collect their commission. There’s a big difference. A good realtor is a negotiator, a strategist, and an advocate. A bad realtor is just a middleman. Market Conditions: Why This Matters More Than You Think The real estate market goes in cycles. Sometimes it’s a buyer’s market, where there are more homes for sale than there are buyers. Sellers have to compete and offer concessions to attract buyers. Prices drop. You have power. Then the market flips. It becomes a seller’s market. There are more buyers than homes. Multiple people are competing for the same house. Sellers can list at one price and sell for way more. They have all the power. Right now, in a lot of markets, we’re in a seller’s market. That means the seller gets to set the terms. They get more money. They get to pick which offer they like. They might not even give you an inspection period. They might require you to waive contingencies. This is exactly when you need a good realtor. Because even when the seller has power, a smart realtor can negotiate things in your favor. They can structure your offer strategically. They can find creative solutions. They can get you to the table when other buyers get shut out. I’ve watched good realtors negotiate down sellers who thought they had all the leverage. I’ve watched bad realtors let their clients get steamrolled in deals where the seller wasn’t even that powerful. How a Good Realtor Actually Helps You Let me give you specific examples of what a good realtor does that a bad one doesn’t. Negotiating the Price A good realtor knows the market. They know what similar homes sold for. They know what the house is actually worth. When you want to offer $350,000 on a $380,000 list price, they tell you whether that’s realistic or if you need to go higher. And they help you structure the offer strategically so it’s compelling to the seller without overextending yourself. A bad realtor just takes your offer as-is. They don’t challenge you. They don’t provide market data. They don’t help you think through strategy. Negotiating Terms and Contingencies A good realtor negotiates more than just price. They negotiate inspection periods. They negotiate appraisal contingencies. They negotiate what happens if something’s wrong with the house. They negotiate earnest money amounts. They know which battles are worth fighting and which ones to let go. A bad realtor just accepts whatever the seller puts in the contract and figures it out later. Understanding the Appraisal and Financing A good realtor understands how mortgage financing works. They know that if a house doesn’t appraise for your offer price, there’s a problem. They know how contingencies work. They can help bridge the gap between your lender’s requirements and the seller’s expectations. I’ve had realtors call me saying, ‘The appraisal came in low. Can we do anything on the lending side to make this work?’ That’s a realtor who understands the whole process. That’s someone helping their client. Being Your Advocate in Competitive Situations When there are multiple offers on a house, a good realtor doesn’t just submit your offer and hope. They talk to the listing agent. They understand what the seller cares about. They craft an offer that stands out. Maybe it’s a higher price. Maybe it’s a shorter contingency period. Maybe it’s a personal letter from you to the seller. A good realtor knows the tactics. A bad realtor just submits your offer and waits to hear if you won or lost. How to Choose a Good Realtor So how do you find a realtor who’s actually good? Here’s what I look for when I’m working with someone, and what you should look for too. Track Record and Reviews Look at their reviews. Not just their website reviews, but third-party reviews on Zillow, Google, or Yelp. Do people consistently say good things about their negotiation skills? Do clients say they felt represented? Or do reviews say things like ‘Just went along with what the seller wanted’ or ‘Didn’t push back on anything’? Ask how many deals they close in a year. Are they closing 50 houses a year, or 500?