Buying a Home Requires Many Difficult Decisions. Make Sure Your real estate agents are Top Local Experts with the ability to form Accredited Buyer Representative relationships with you. 

The SC Real Estate License Law, in section 40-57-139 (A) (1) and (2), requires a licensed real estate professional to provide you with the Agency Law brochure and a meaningful explanation of agency relationships offered by the licensed realtor's company. Ideally, this is done at the first practical opportunity when you and

Points to Ponder... In 2004, 64% of buyers who bought a home through an agent used a buyer's representative to purchase their home.  Rremember, agents work for clients and with customers. (Source: REBAC, Inc.)

the licensed realtor have substantive contact. 

A real estate company and its licensed realtors can provide buyers and sellers valuable real estate services, whether in the form of basic customer services or through client-level agency representation.  The services you can expect will depend upon the legal relationship you establish with the Company.  It is extremely important for you to discuss the following information with the real estate professional you select and then, decide if your business relationship will be as a Customer or a Client. 

An initial contact with a licensed realtor automatically establishes a customer-level relationship with the real estate company. South Carolina license law defines customers as buyers or sellers who choose NOT to establish an agency relationship.

By law, the licensed realtor is required to perform the following basic services when dealing with buyers (or sellers) as customers:    - Present all offers in a timely manner  - Account for money or other property received on your behalf - Provide an explanation of the scope of services to be provided - Be fair and honest and provide accurate information - Disclose “adverse material facts” about the property or the transaction which are within the licensee’s knowledge

Until you choose to enter into a written agreement with the Company for agency representation, you are considered a Customer of the company and the company CANNOT act as your advocate, advise you on prices or terms, and cannot keep your information secure.  As a Customer, you should NOT expect the Company or its licensed realtors to act in your best interest or to keep your bargaining information confidential.

As a Customer, you are not required to sign a written agreement; you are not committed to the Agent or Company in any way.

The benefits of becoming a Client of a real estate brokerage firm:

More services are provided to Clients than customers.  If client status is offered by the real estate Company, you can become a client by entering into a written agency agreement requiring the Company and its licensed realtors to act as an agent on your behalf and promote your best interests. 

A seller becomes a client of a real estate Company by signing a formal listing agreement with the Company.  For a seller to become a client, the agreement must clearly establish in writing the terms of the agreement and the obligations of both the seller and the Company which becomes the agent for the seller.  

A buyer becomes a client of a real estate Company by signing a formal buyer agency agreement with the Company.  For a buyer to become a client, this agreement must be in writing and must clearly establish the terms of the agreement and the obligations of both the buyer and the Company which becomes the agent for the buyer. 

If you enter into a written agency agreement as a Client you can expect the real estate Company to provide the following client-level services: -Obedience -Loyalty -Disclosure -Confidentiality -Accountability -Reasonable care and skill -Advice -Counsel -Assistance with negotiations

The choice of services belongs to you!

NOW THAT YOU UNDERSTAND AGENCY RELATIONSHIP IN SOUTH CAROLINA

...we highly recommended that you become a Client and hire a Buyer’s Agent to represent YOU! There are several on our team! Call 1-866-BIG-VIEW today!