Frequently Asked Questions

How do you get paid?

You, the buyer, are the boss, so you decide how we get paid.  Some of our clients want to pay our fee directly, but most of our clients want the seller to pay our fee.  In fact, if you are buying a "listed" property, you are paying a buyer agent's fee even if you don't have a buyer's agent of your own (because it is included in the price)!  So it doesn't cost any more to use us than to use a traditional real estate company.

What do you offer that traditional real estate agents don't do?

We GUARANTEE IN WRITING to work only for you, the buyer, and to put your interests first above everyone else's, including our own.  Traditional real estate agents can't make that guarantee.  In order for you to understand this, you need to understand what "agency" means and why it is important.  In Alabama,  real estate agencies can work in the following ways: for only the buyer in a transaction, for only the seller in a transaction, for both the buyer and seller in the same transaction, or for neither the buyer or seller.  We have written a Special Insider Report that gives further information.  You can download this or any of our FREE Special Insider Reports by going to our Special Reports page.

What areas do you serve?

We primarily serve the following counties:  Montgomery, Autauga, Elmore, Chilton, Coosa, Lowndes, Macon and Tallapoosa.  The communities we serve include (but are not limited to) Montgomery, Prattville, Millbrook, Wetumpka, Coosada, Elmore, Clanton, Slapout, Ramer, Pine Level, Deatsville, Marbury, Billingsley, Hope Hull, Lowndesboro, Lake Jordan, and Autaugaville.

I am a first time buyer.  How can you help me?

One of our goals is to educate you on the home buying process, the local real estate market, how to look at houses to see if they meet your needs, how to find the best deal in a mortgage and in home owner's insurance, and how to develop a negotiating strategy.  All of our buyers find this to be very helpful, but our first time buyers are especially helped this way.

How do you help home buyers save money?

Keep in mind that we put your interests first above everyone else's, even our own.  You are the boss, and we are working only for you.  So it is our job to help you save as much money as possible in this process.  There are many ways we help our buyers to save money, including the purchase price, the mortgage interest rate and fees, repairs and other concessions made by the seller, the homeowner's insurance rates, home warranty commissions, and more.  Each buyer's situation is unique, so the amount of money we are able to help each buyer save is unique to each buyer and each transaction.

Why is it important to know about mortgages?

It is important to know about mortgages because choosing the "wrong" mortgage or the "wrong" mortgage company can be very costly to you.  Most people are not aware that mortgage companies have different interest rates, and that these interest rates can change every day, sometimes even more than once during the day.  They also don't know that, in addition to the interest rate on your mortgage, mortgage companies make money by charging fees at closing.  Finding a mortgage company that has not only great interest rates but also low or even no fees can save you a lot of money.  When it becomes time to lock in your mortgage, we will shop around to find the company with the best rates and fees.

Do you work with sellers?

No.  Since we are an Exclusive Buyer Agency, we never take listings or represent sellers in any way.  We believe there is a built-in conflict of interest for companies that represent both buyers and sellers.  Since we believe that home buyers should have their own independent representation, we represent home buyers exclusively.

What do other real estate agents think about you?

Other real estate agents enjoy working with us, since we work with motivated, pre-approved buyers.  Listing agents (also called seller's agents) can be confident in our buyers' offers and can encourage their sellers to accept them with few, if any, changes.

Should I look at houses on my own first before contacting you?

No.  If you look at a house with the seller's agent, then you may hurt your negotiating power.  The agent named on the real estate sign in front of the house is not working in your best interest.  He or she is working in the best interest of the seller.  Therefore, anything you reveal to that agent, such as how much money you make, how much you like the house, or how much you are willing to pay for the house, must then be told to the seller.  Buyer's Choice Realty, LLC never takes listings or represents sellers.  So the information we know about you remains confidential, unless we are compelled by law to release it, or unless we have your permission to release it.

How many homes should I look at before I buy one?

There is no set number of houses that you should see before you buy one.  The point is that you should see as many houses that meet your particular needs as are on the market, whether it's three houses or thirty houses.

Will you show me foreclosed homes and properties "for sale by owner"?

Yes, we'll be happy to.  Most traditional real estate agents hesitate to show you foreclosed homes and properties that are for sale by owner.  However, we are happy to view these properties with you.

Do I have to sign anything in order to search the MLS through your website?

No.  Please feel free to search the MLS (these are homes listed with traditional real estate companies who are representing the seller) at any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  We do not require any personal information from you in order to do a search.  And we don't use cookies on this site, so we won't pester you later for personal information.  However, if you want to sign up for our free monthly newsletter, our home buying tips, or other subscription products that we offer through our website, you will need to give us a valid email address.

Are you trying to "sell" me something?

No.  Unlike traditional salespeople, we do not have any incentives to show you one property over another or to encourage you to purchase one property over another.  You are the boss, and our job is to follow your lawful instructions and put your interests first over everyone else's, including our own.  Our focus is on your needs, and our goal is to help you purchase the right property for your needs, all the while helping you save as much money as possible throughout the process.

For more information, please call us at (334) 595-9873 - we'll be happy to answer your questions!

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