Making offers when using the listing agent--how low?

[Bienes Raices]

The subject of REO offers has been covered ad nauseum on here, but when you go directly through the listing agent, how much lower can you offer as opposed to when you use a buyer's agent? Just the buyer's commission amount? (These are listing agents I'm calling cold--I don't have an existing relationship with them, or with asset managers).

[Steve Babiak]

The offers are made based on what you think the property is worth in its existing state / condition. Nothing else.

The advantage you gain is that the listing agent will favor your offer for using them (due to added compensation to the listing agent), and when the listing agent is preferring your offer over some other very similar offer you have a better chance of getting accepted. As well as your offer won't get lost or misplaced. And once you establish that you are a "real buyer" to that agent, the doors to the pre-listing access (call it "exclusive listing", "office listing", "pocket listing", whatever) will now be opened to you.

You were originally thinking you will save money doing this, but it's these other benefits that you will actually gain ...