After years of trepidation, homebuyers are finally hitting the housing market. But, as they do, many are making the surprising choice to hunt alone, rejecting the assistance of what's known in real estate as a buyer's agent.

 

Many experts say this is a bad move — worse, for example, than trying to sell a house without an agent. For one thing, in most cases, a buyer doesn't pay an agent; the buyer's agent splits the commission with the seller's agent, so the services are essentially free to the buyer. Also, a buyer's agent can usually access historical price data for home sales in the area, which means the agent can recommend a bidding strategy that targets comparable properties that sold for less, rather than the midrange.  I call going through this process alone "a mistake."

 

For free advice from a top buyer’s agent in Oregon, contact David Waite with John L. Scott Market Center at 503-887-5323 or waite-david@msn.com. More info at www.johnlscott.com/davidwa