Multifamily - Should I have a Buyer's Agent?

[John Accardi]

I'm looking at 10-40 unit apartment buildings in the Lansdale, PA area. Should I have a buyer's agent represent me? This will be my first deal. 

When I ask listing agents, they always say that it's not common for a buyer to have a buyer's agent in commercial deals. They say that usually a buyer will work with an attorney and any other 3rd party service they need during due diligence. 

I'm a little skeptical because I'm not sure if the listing agents are saying that so they don't need to share the commission. I want to be sure I don't make mistakes in negotiation and due diligence but I also want to make sure my offers are competitive and maybe having a buyer's agent makes my offers less competitive.

What is standard and what would you suggest?

Thanks a lot,

John

[Russell Brazil]

In my market, most commercial deals do not offer a coop fee or will offer a fee below what an agent will typically work for, so buyers will typically pay their own agent.