Seller doesn’t want to use a realtor

[Zach Sullivan]

Hi BP

I was looking at buying a house to live in one unit while the others are rented out. Seller said I could have an inspection etc, but doesn’t want to pay the realtor fee and he’d pay for whatever lawyer I wanted saying that was is cheaper.

What are the risks of doing it this way and what is the benefit of not using a realtor except for price? Pretty new and the request seemed odd to me

[Brad Hammond]

@Zach Sullivan, the seller is right, if you use a lawyer to write up the contract it will be cheaper.  An agent will be better at negotiating for repairs, another set of eyes on the deal, and making sure all timelines are being adhered to.  You can still use an agent to represent you and you would need to pay them yourself (usually 2-2.5% of the purchase price).  One thing you need to do is still going through a title company.  They will make sure everything is legal and it has a clear title.