Do I Need a Buyer's Agent in the Bay Area?

Purchasing a home in the San Francisco Bay Area is an exciting prospect. 

There are many towns, cities, and suburbs on either side of the bay to choose from. But there is a lot of competition to purchase property in the Bay Area real estate markets.

A booming tech industry, great climate, and access to the outdoors have driven up home prices, making it hard to afford a home. As a result, both first-time buyers and experienced homeowners look for ways to cut costs and corners. 

Many people look at the home buying process and believe they can navigate a transaction on their own. Yet buyers can quickly lose their way without the proper guidance. 

To help answer the question of "do I need a buyer's agent," the team at Prevu Real Estate highlights several of the benefits of working with a dedicated buyer’s agent. 

Local agents have detailed info on pricing, negotiations, and locations

One of the most critical roles of a broker is helping buyers secure the best price possible for their dream home. A close second is sourcing information for buyers. 

Years of living in the bay area can give locals a sense of real estate hubris. You may keep an ear to the ground on local trends in your slice of the Bay Area, but brokers provide deeper context to market movements. 

Real estate agents have access to the multiple listing service tools, providing comparable sales data to unearth price history in an area. This data is invaluable, as agents can use it to pull up properties with similar prices in your budget range. 

A top-notch buyer’s agent will also know each Bay Area city like the back of their hand and can recommend which ones best fit your lifestyle. You may lose out on a coveted East Palo Alto home, but a buyer’s agent with attention to detail can point you towards a Fremont home that puts you within reach of Silicon Valley. 

Negotiations can get tense, and you will want a confident broker equipped with local knowledge. They have comparable sales data to use when trying to get you a favorable deal with the listing agent. And to help cut out the emotion, your agent can represent you in negotiations and act as your buffer. 

An agent advocates for your best interests

People today have more control over searching for homes than ever before, but the finer points of a real estate transaction still require expert guidance. 

Buying a home is an emotional experience and having a buffer between you and a listing agent helps keep the deal moving. Even if you negotiate terms for sales in your day-to-day, it is best to have a local broker advocating on your behalf. 

While the listing agents can provide ample information about the property, they have no fiduciary duty to you. Their loyalty is to the seller and they are obligated to find the best deal for the homeowner. 

Your broker stands between between you and the seller. This way, business remains professional, and there is no information leakage to the seller during crucial negotiations. A dedicated buyer's broker will represent your best interests, helping you craft an offer and negotiating strategy from the get-go. 

Getting the right agent saves you money

You do not get a better deal by cutting out the agent. There is a common misconception that purchasing a home without representation can save money at closing. 

The reality is that even without an agent, you are still the one showing up with all of the money. The listing agent and buyer's agent usually split the commission when a deal concludes, but the listing agent keeps the fee all the same if you don't have representation as a buyer. So if you stand to spend the money anyway, put the time into finding a good partner. 

Finding the right agent in the San Francisco Bay Area can make the difference when looking for a good deal. Their expertise guides your buying journey, helps you negotiate good terms, and the right agent can even give money back at closing through a commission rebate. 

Agents use commission rebates to provide a portion of their broker fee to new homeowners when they get the keys to their new home. Not all brokers offer commission rebates, which is why California buyers need to interview multiple agents and ask if they provide a refund. 

Prevu Real Estate provides the largest commission rebate in California, awarding up to 1% of the purchase price if you use the company for real estate services, or up to 1.5% if you use the company for real estate services and its affiliated mortgage company.

Buyers purchasing waterfront property in the Redwood Shores, for example, stand to save thousands by working with an agent providing a commission rebate.  

Save time and money by buying your home online

Technology has changed the way people interact with real estate, and many homebuyers take pride in their research efforts. 

Homebuyers used to rely on their realtors to provide a laundry list of services. Beyond processing the transaction and helping the buyer connect with inspectors and appraisers, real estate agents were expected to provide a shortlist of listings for buyers to check out. 

Today, many San Francisco buyers come prepared with a list of target neighborhoods and even homes they are ready to see when connecting with an agent. This is why Prevu Real Estate built the Smart Buyer Platform to provide a tool for buyers to streamline their search and collaboration with their agent.

Homebuyers enter their target neighborhoods and home styles, and when a match hits the market, Prevu alerts buyers to the new listings. If the property is of interest, buyers can schedule a tour with the click of a button, and get the advice of a Prevu agent every step of the way through closing. 

By modernizing how buyers purchase homes, Prevu streamlines the transaction process, saving time and money for buyers. 

Interested in buying a home in the Bay Area? Browse listings and see how much you can save with Prevu's Smart Buyer Rebate.

Prevu Real Estate, Inc. is a licensed real estate broker in California, license number 02134758.