Having an agent and the Importance of it

[Logan Hartley]

Hello BP,

I'm a wannabe investor looking to enter the real estate game. Having been studying the topic for the last few weeks now, I keep coming across topics that stress the importance of having an agent to buy property. I have a few questions regarding this:

How important is it to find an agent when I don't plan on buying properties in a regular fashion? I feel like this would turn off many agents due to the fact that they wouldn't be generating as much money by having me as a client. Additionally, I've seen that many agents aren't very receptive to newbie investors, so how do I change this mindset? How would I find an agent that best fits my specific needs as an investor?

Also, what innate advantage does an agent offer me that shopping for property on my own won't accomplish? I believe I've read that they are likely to come to with deals that might not be posted on MLS and sites of that sort, but are there any other advantages?

Thanks,

Logan

[Aaron K.]

@Logan Hartley what do you mean by you don't plan on buying properties in the regular fashion?  Many agents don't like new "investors" because they come in saying things like I plan to buy a house every six months, and build a portfolio and then can't qualify for a single mortgage or they want returns that are double what is available in the area.  The easiest way to combat this is to get lender preapproval and have realistic expectations.