BiggerPockets

First off, real estate agents are transaction-based salespeople. If they don't make a sale they don't eat. They need to sell you something so they will take your parameters and find something as close as possible and then tell you it's a wonderful deal even if it's a piece of garbage. Agents who truly knowledgeable in investing are extremely rare and worth their weight in gold. The best deals are not going to be found by your typical agent or listed on the MLS. Since you don't seem to be in a position of being able to hunt for deals yourself, you should think about using wholesalers. Attend local real estate club meetings and find as many wholesalers as you can and give them your parameters. You will probably find that you are presented with much better deals. However, many wholesalers are newbies who have a lot to learn, look for those who have been doing it long enough to have learned the ropes.

:cool:

I'm a real estate investor and Realtor. I've been beyond BURIED with investors. So much so that I don't have time to do hardly any of my own deals...

To take your point a step further, it's equally diluted for the sellers too. What motivation does a Realtor have to keep that price real low (other than a quicker closing, perhaps)? The seller's agent will get paid less, too, when the asking price is too low.

Your exact logic is one of the main reasons I hesitated to become an agent to begin with. It's in both agents best interest to attempt to over inflate the purchase price!

Unless you find a Realtor who is also in rental property business, they will have a misunderstanding about cash flow. The truth is, it's hard to find cash flowing property online. Your going to have to physically talk to people.
"When buying on MLS, your going to pay retail."

Well said!!! :mrgreen:

As a Agent/nvestor-I specialize in finding Buy&hold cash flowing properties for my own portfolio and my Investor clients. My question is: What are you looking for in an Agent. If you just want access to the MLS go to any Realtor website-It's free access. If on the other hand your seeking my advice and want to tap into my network of Investor resources to get your deals done, then keep searching-we're out there! Good Luck!!!

Mathews Realty Associates LLC
Agent/Investor Specialist
Multi-family, Apartments, Commercial

Charlie and Matt - VERY well said.

Yes, the good agents are out there (I like to think of myself as one of them and my track record seems to prove it). Just like anything else, it takes work to find them. But once you do, stick with them and build a strong relationship.

I originally became a Realtor for the very sake of HATING agents. None of them could what I wanted, how I wanted it, when I needed it. So, I found my time was better spent to get the license and do it myself. It's paid for itself by a 10-fold, at least. Now, I'm the one helping other investors.

I've seen buyer agents advertise on Craigslist that they work with investors. They claim to locate cash flow investment properties and great handyman fixer upper flips; Ironically, just as most other agents they don't answer e-mails or return phone calls, but others may find someone who they can deal with this way. - Brandon

Hi all, I am a newly working agent, but I am also an investor working to acquire my first income producing property. Unfortunately I got my license thinking that I would learn about the investing side of real estate, and of course once I did it I realized it was just the opposite. My license was inactive for the past 3 years.

So I decided to go active recently for a couple of reasons: 1. I wanted to network with people, 2. I wanted to learn how to sell, or become familiar with coming into to contact with people and selling or dealing with rejection from people, 3. and also make extra income that I could invest with.

Now at the beginning of both sides of the industry, and all areas in between, I am trying to learn valuable lessons to be a great agent that can work with investors and I want to develop into successful investor so that I can just focus on investing and creating wealth.

So, I find all the comments thus far excellent! Thanks for sharing.

I am an investor and Realtor. I work with a short list (eleven) of other investors that are looking for homes. I'm not there only Realtor. I submit offers for my self on a regular basis. So many offers that I can not buy all of them. I flip one a quarter or so. Some times I hold them as well. If my money is tied up I start going down the list. I call all my clients until some one is willing to take the deal as I have written it. This makes everyone happy because I have the deal structure, bid, and estimated sales price, already put together. All my client just has to do is pull the trigger. If you are trying to find a Realtor in you area I suggest looking for someone who works similar to this.

Masa Don! Nope, you don't need an agent. Like some others have said, the MLS is available to you through realtor websites. Not all the info is there, but enough. Then go to realtor.com with the MLS number to find the listing agent. Submit offer to listing agent directly. Use a property data service like RealQuest or Haines Criss-Cross for your comps. Expensive, but a must have.