Albuquerque, New Mexico

[Leah McNell]

Hello BiggerPocket friends, 

My husband and I are moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico (currently living in Italy) and we are looking to do a house hack. We have put offers in on duplexes, but have yet to beat out the competition. 

I am wondering if any BiggerPockets members have experience in the ABQ market and/or know of a better avenue to pursue other than Zillow and calling real estate agents. The market is certainly a sellers market right now, so we are finding that if there is a good multiplex on the market, it will go for over asking price and will be gone in less than a day. 

Thanks for any advice! 

Leah

[Robert Carmody]

I know that I am biased on this topic, being an agent myself, but if I were you, I'd hire my own buyer's agent. You need someone who is working for you and making your goal a priority. Here's why:

• 1) Zillow is a great resource and database of listings, but Zillow isn't able to navigate the logistics of a long distance or overseas purchase/relocation, nor do they offer valuable local insight. You'll need both, especially buying in a new market virtually or sight unseen. 
• 2) Your experience will be more enjoyable, take less of your time, and seem less chaotic if you've got someone experienced in your corner and prepared in advance to assist you. 

• 3) You might not actually be talking to the listing agent. Zillow and other sites sell advertising space to agents and often feature those agents or list them ahead of the actual listing agent. Many consumers think they've contacted the listing broker, but turns out to be another agent with another brokerage who has never seen the property you've called on. 
• 4)  If you contact a listing agent by email or phone, from long distance and overseas, and are wanting to make an offer right away on a property that you haven't seen, or won't be here to see, they may have concerns about your seriousness as a buyer, or worry that it will be challenging to work with you. Those concerns will likely be conveyed to the seller with your offer. By hiring your own broker, you'll be able to have your offer presented based on the terms of the offer alone, and without the question of where you are and how this will work. Some agents are more equipped and able to handle long distance and overseas transactions than others. 
• 5) You will not pay any out of pocket expenses when you hire your own agent. Both agents are paid by the seller, upon closing. The listing agent is hired to represent the seller, not the buyer. 
• 6) A good buyer's agent will have a plan in place for notifying you of new listings. They'll be prepared to write an offer quickly, and will proactively search for other listings not yet listed. Your information will be setup in their system so that a new offer can be prepared, signed and submitted much faster than starting all over each time. This will save you time and energy from having to rush to try and reach an agent, while feeling like other offers are received before you've had the chance.