Home Buyers: Can You Skip The Agent To Buy A Home?

I Answer This Question On YouTube 📺

What’s On My Mind: Buyers Are Wondering About Skipping Expensive Representation

Those Darned Lawsuits

Regular readers will recall my series last summer called Countdown To Chaos regarding the practice changes in August for residential real estate. If you missed the series, episode 1 can be found here.

August came and went, but with interest rates being what they have been for the last year, there wasn’t a ton of real estate activity and I suspect a lot of people still don’t know about the changes.

Can Home Buyers Buy Without An Agent?

But home buyers who do know are asking themselves whether they can skip the agent and skip the hassle of the new rules, along with saving themselves a chunk of change.

In my video, I outlined five scenarios where a home buyer might get away with skipping the agent, but spoiler alert! I conclude by saying that I, as somebody who could easily skip an agent due to my decades of experience, just wouldn’t do it if I was buying in an area I’m not 100% familiar with. If I wouldn’t, should you? Watch the video and let me know your thoughts.

Introducing My New Learning Center

I’ve been very concerned about recent developments in residential real estate. I’ve been a vocal critic of the class action lawsuits because I think they did a huge disservice to consumers.

I’ve also been struck by the sheer vitriol of consumer sentiment against real estate agents in social media comments regarding the lawsuits. I’ve concluded that there is a huge lack of understanding how to leverage agents for positive outcomes. I’ve also concluded that too many consumers hire the first agent they talk to without doing any kind of homework. What could possibly go wrong with that plan??

But I’m not one to just sit around and complain. I jumped into action and developed my Learning Center for consumers in my local market and beyond. Content developed in the center to date includes a new course - Buyer Agent Game Plan, a step-by-step strategic plan for home buyers to navigate the new rules in residential real estate, starting with hiring the right agent for their circumstances.

I also offer various fast action checklists and workbooks for buyers, including a suite of checklists to determine readiness to buy.

I’m also busy putting the final touches on my forthcoming book - The Secret Handshake (Play The Home Buyer & Home Seller Game Smarter). This has been an exciting project.

I find myself increasingly obsessed with helping consumers understand residential real estate on a deeper level and how to make more lucrative choices, including how to find, hire and vet agents. Join me on this journey? Hop over to the Learning Center and click the follow button under my bio. You’ll be notified when new offerings are added to the Center.

Do You Need Help Finding Agents?

Whether you are in my backyard here in Los Angeles or someplace farther away, I am available to help you find agents to interview. There is a nominal fee for this service, but I will find and vet three agents for you to interview in your local market, as well as provide a list of interview questions and my proprietary strategy for interviewing and comparing multiple agents with ease.

Complimentary Home Buyer Resources

Please enjoy these resources:

Follow Local Trends - Long time readers know I like me some trends! 🤓 This resource explains how market trends impact your home buying and home selling choices and strategies.

Benefits Of A CMA - Wondering how much to offer when buying a home or how much to list for when selling a home? Learn about CMAs. They aren't just for sellers!

15 Tips To Save For A Down Payment - Is the down payment holding you back from buying a home? I've got 15 practical tips to help you save.

Do’s & Don’ts For Property Tours - Are you new to home buying? I've got tips for touring homes that might surprise you.

8 Expensive Home Buyer Mistakes - If you've never purchased a home or haven't purchased in recent years, you might be surprised to learn about these expensive homebuyer mistakes.

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Do You Know About My Office Hours?

I offer Office Hours as a low-key way to get your real estate questions answered without a lot of scheduling and commitment. Twice a week, I hang out on Zoom and am available to answer your real estate questions. Click on tracyonzoom.com during the designated hours and you will land in our waiting room. Tracy will bring you in when the person ahead of you is done. Everything is private. Here are your next opportunities to join Tracy for Office Hours:

• Thursday, April 17, 2025 from 10 am to noon PT

• Sunday, April 20, 2025 from 10 am to 1 pm PT

• April 24, 2025 from 10 am to noon PT

• Sunday, April 27, 2025 from 10 am to 1 pm PT

Alternatively, private 1:1 conversations can be scheduled here.

Find Me Around The Web

Let’s make sure we’re connected in the places you like to hang out. Here’s where you can find me and what I post on those platforms:

• Have We Met? Read my bio

• My YouTube Channels - TracyTalksReal & TracyTalksRealLOCAL

• My Beach Cities LA Real Estate Company - search for homes, save listings, meet the team

• Twitter - mostly housing politics commentary

• LinkedIn - real estate news & insights

• Facebook - local real estate news & insights

• Instagram - local real estate news & insights

• Digital Office Hours - I hang out and you come ask questions 😊

• Schedule a 1:1 meeting for Zoom or IRL

Content Authenticity Statement

100% of this week’s newsletter was generated by me, Tracy Thrower Conyers. No AI here. And if I add any, I will tell you. 😊

Legal Stuff

You are not my client unless we have a written agreement in place. This newsletter is offered for informational and/or entertainment purposes only. Neither I nor Silicon Beach Properties nor eXp Realty, Inc. is responsible for the consequences of how you implement the content of this publication and nothing herein is intended to address your specific situation. Additionally, the information contained herein may be outdated (legally and/or factually) by the time you consume this content, so consult a professional licensed in your jurisdiction for advice.

Advertisements in this newsletter have paid to be promoted and, as a result, I receive direct financial compensation for promoting them. Sometimes I promote people, places and things strictly to show support without compensation. Ask me if you have questions.

My real estate company, Silicon Beach Properties, and I maintain partnerships and affiliate relationships with other companies. Look for asterisks** to signify such a relationship. Assume we are compensated, but that won’t always be the case.

Until Next Week…

Be well and use this link to refer others to The Trendline. Let’s grow a community!