Ask O: Can I Contact a Listing Agent if I’m a Buyer?

Ask O: Can I contact a Listing Agent if I'm a Buyer?

Dear Olivia,

I always see that for sale signs say to contact the listing agent for the home to get more information. But shouldn’t my Realtor get details on my behalf? What gives?!

Sincerely,
A Very Confused Buyer

What a great question! I’ve actually been asked this a lot by casual buyers who simply don’t know how to proceed with the home-buying process. And the answer to this question is that it just depends.

First and foremost, if you have a Realtor that’s already helping you look for a home, you need to let them do the investigating about homes in which you are interested. Doing an end-around and keeping your Realtor out of the loop will only cause problems and miscommunications. After all, your Realtor is there to do this kind of work on your behalf, so you’re right – you should relay your interest in the home to your Realtor so they can do the legwork of finding out more.

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Remember that as a buyer, your Realtor is working for your benefit and looking out for your interests, whereas a listing agent has a responsibility to do the same for their clients. By having a Realtor represent you as a buyer, you’re in a much stronger position to find the right home for your needs and get that home at a price that’s right for you (and help ease some of the emotions of buying a home).

However, if you don’t already have a Realtor, you can most definitely contact the listing agent about a home that you like.

If this is the case, be sure you discuss with the listing agent how they are representing you when you are speaking with them. If they are strictly a seller’s agent, you will want to keep your cards close (i.e., your personal information) because they might only be representing the seller. In that case, you would be treated purely as a customer, and though they would still be obligated to disclose information to you, their first priority is the seller.

can i contact a listing agent if i'm a buyer

Also note that if you make an appointment to tour a home, it’s basically the same as an open house – except you’re the only one there. You do not need a Realtor to represent you at an open house, and you don’t need a Realtor to represent you for home tours. But as any Realtor will tell you, it never hurts to have one of us with you!

Chances are that the listing agent might ask for your contact information just to keep in touch with you about the property. It’s perfectly fine to provide that information if you feel comfortable with it (and if they aren’t strictly a seller’s agent), but keep in mind that doing so does not equate to committing to that Realtor to represent you as a buyer. Furthermore, you want to be sure you’re on the same page with the listing agent with regards to your representation.

So, if you have a Realtor, let them do the work for you in terms of inquiring about properties and scheduling private showings. If you don’t already have a Realtor, by all means, contact listing agents about homes you like – you don’t have to have a buyer’s agent to do so.

But, ultimately, our job as Realtors is to work for the best interests of our clients, so though you don’t have to have a Realtor to buy a home, the process will be a much smoother one if you have a buyer’s agent.

Good luck in your home search, and if you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to call me at 307-856-3999!

~Olivia