CONSUMER WATCH
Good agent can help in search for dream home

By Ellen James Martin, 1/28/2001

he was a airline cargo agent; he a US Justice Department official. Approaching the birth of their first child, they were hunting for a home with a floor plan suitable for family living.

Spotting a listing that seemed appealing, they phoned their agent for an appointment to see the house. The agent immediately previewed the place and called them back. His findings were not encouraging.

''The house had two fireplaces but a very cramped kitchen. Plus the floor plan is a maze,'' reported the agent, Kevin Bacon of Century 21.

Based on that call, the couple passed on the chance to see the house. Instead they booked an appointment to visit another property Bacon recommended: a classic white stucco cottage.

''They were thrilled with this house and decided to buy it right away. It had a kitchen that's bright and airy and light hardwood floors throughout,'' Bacon recalls.

By the time the couple found the white cottage, they'd looked at more than a dozen houses over the previous month. Bacon accompanied them every step of the way, but never sought to rush the process.

''Good agents make their living through referrals, not from people off the street. They're very protective of their clients,'' says Ellen Kaluzny, a Re/Max agent who has sold homes for 14 years.

Of course, it's possible to buy a home - especially a brand-new property - without a real estate agent at your side. You can also select a suit without a salesperson hovering nearby. But buying a home is a far more complex proposition.

''Good agents coach, support and recommend. They also preview homes for you, saving you the hassle of visiting the wrong places,'' Bacon says.

One key issue in selecting a genuine advocate is to be sure that the agent you've chosen will serve as a true ''buyer's agent,'' who is legally obligated to serve your best interests throughout the purchasing process, says Leo Berard, co-owner of Buyer Brokers of Cape Cod, a Barnstable-based realty firm.

Under Massachusetts law, an agent who is working with a buyer also could serve as a subagent of the seller. Or he could act as a dual agent, serving as a sort of mediator between buyer and seller.

However, state law requires that buyers be fully aware of the role an agent is playing and that the purchaser must actively agree to the role chosen. That means Massachusetts buyers should be fully aware of their options for representation, Berard says.

A true buyer's agent will stand behind your interests during the negotiating process. Here are several other ways that a dedicated agent can help a buyer. He can:

Provide the most up-to-date information on available homes. One problem with Internet listings is that they're not always kept current, especially on the Web sites of individual agents.

Give insights on the pluses and minuses of the area around a home. Internet listings often are a poor resource for those who know little about the community where a home is located, Kaluzny says.

Add meaning to the report of your professional home inspector.

A responsible real estate agent will not only be present when a home inspector checks a property for clients. He will also help interpret the inspector's findings.

Help you gain the highest quality service from a mortgage lender.

Buyers who are represented by established real estate agents should receive premium help in the processing of their mortgage applications. Why? Because such agents represent the prospect of substantial repeat business for the lender.

Ensure that you're well represented all the way to the closing table.

Because successful agents gain most of their business through word-of-mouth referrals, they're extremely sensitive to customer satisfaction, says Kaluzny of Re/Max.

''A good agent won't just sell you a house and then just dump you,'' Kaluzny says.

This story ran on page H1 of the Boston Globe on 1/28/2001.
© Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company.