BUYER AGENCY - APPRECIATE THE DIFFERENCE

When buying a home do you want to have the agent working for you or for the seller?
Under a buyer agency agreement the agent can provide you with a wealth of information.  As a buyer customer, the agent's ability to provide that information is very limited.

If I show you, the customer, a property and you ask me questions such as: is this home priced competitively?  I would have to say, sorry, I can't answer that question for you. If I show you, the client (under a buyer agency agreement), a property and you ask me the same question I can answer it and even show you on paper other homes that are comparable.  See my examples below taken from the Today's Buyer's Rep of which I am an ABR (Accredited Buyers Represenatative).

NEEDS ASSESSMENT	NEEDS ASSESSMENT
IF THE BUYER IS A CLIENT	IF THE BUYER IS A CUSTOMER
*Pay full attention to the buyer's needs *Tell the buyer all that you learn about sellers *Keep information about the buyer confidential *Focus on expanding the range of choices to satisfy the buyer's needs	*Maintain loyalty to the seller's needs *Tell seller all that you learn about the buyers *Keep informationabout the seller confidential *Focus on the seller-client's property
PROPERTY SELECTION	PROPERTY SELECTION
IF THE BUYER IS A CLIENT	IF THE BUYER IS A CUSTOMER
*Find the best property for the buyer-client *Promote the buyer's search *First opportunity to view new listings *All properties are available and viewable; the sale price is negotiable	*Get the best offer for the seller-client *Limit properties to listed properties only *View new listings after buyer-clients *Show only properties listed within buyer's affordable range
VIEWING PROPERTIES	VIEWING PROPERTIES
IF THE BUYER IS A CLIENT	IF THE BUYER IS A CUSTOMER
*Okay to give advice with facts *Educate the buyer *Okay to compare competing properties	*Just material facts *Protect the seller *Cannot help the buyer compare competing properties
NEGOTIATING THE PURCHASE	AND       SALES AGREEMENT
IF THE BUYER IS A CLIENT	IF THE BUYER IS A CUSTOMER
*Give advice with facts *Negotiate on behalf of buyer'client *Strengthen the buyer-client's negotiating position *Share all information about seller *Provide price conseling *Negotiate approved purchase agreement to safeguard buyer-clients *Suggest financing alternatives that may be in buyer-client's best interests *Continue services to buyer-client during negotiations	*Disclose only material facts *Negotiation on behalf of seller-client *Strengthen the seller-client's negotiating position *Share all information about buyer *Volunteer a SMA for the buyer only if it supports the seller-client's listing price *Negotiate approved purchase agreement protective clauses to safeguard the seller-client *Suggest buyer financing alternatives that benefit the seller interest *Continue services to seller-client during negotiations
FOLLOW THROUGH AFTER	THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
IF THE BUYER IS A CLIENT	IF THE BUYER IS A CUSTOMER
*Attempt to solve problems to the buyer-client's advantage and satisfaction	*Attempt to solve problems to the seller-client's advantage and satisfaction