Texas Real Estate Agency
If you're thinking of buying or selling a home, it's important to understand how real estate agency works in Texas.
Listing agents represent the seller
If you're buying a home, you may speak to a builder's sales person or the listing agent advertising the property for sale. While he or she will be helpful and provide you with information about the property, it's important to know that a listing agent has his or her employer's best interests in mind. Whether that employer is a homebuilder or the owner of a resale home, the listing agent's goal is to get the highest sale price with the best possible terms for the seller of the home they're marketing.
A buyer's agent works for the buyer
A buyer's agent doesn't have an alliance to any particular builder or seller. Your buyer's agent has a legal obligation to represent your best interests, including getting you the best value on a home that's right for you. You don't pay for buyer's agent services; instead, at closing, the seller or builder pays a fee to the listing broker and the buyer's agent broker as a percentage of the home price.
Dual agency is not permitted in Texas
In some states, real estate agents are allowed to represent both parties in a real estate transaction; however, Texas law does not permit dual agency. With written permission, a Texas real estate brokerage can appoint an individual agent to represent each side in a transaction, but those agents can only represent the seller or the buyer. To be you understand these requirements, Texas law requires that agents provide you with this Information about Brokerage Services.
The Abbas Team on your side
With the complexity of buying or selling a home – especially if it's your first home or one that's being built or sold while you're not living nearby – it's important to have someone on your side. We can help you take care of all the small details that come up during the escrow process, participate in walk-throughs with you, make sure the seller, builder, mortgage, and title companies have everything they need to keep the process moving smoothly, and assist you with the closing process. Call or email us today and we'll help you find a new home that's right for you.
