Choosing Your Buyer's Agent in DFW

A home purchase brings together lenders, inspectors, appraisers, a title company and the seller's side of the deal. Your buyer's agent is the one person whose job is to represent your interests through all of it. Here's what to expect and how to choose the right fit.

What a Buyer's Agent Does for You

Helps you clarify your goals, budget and must-haves
Sets up property searches and flags homes that fit
Schedules and attends showings, pointing out things worth a closer look
Pulls comparable sales so you can judge whether a price makes sense
Prepares your offer on the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) promulgated contract and negotiates for you
Tracks deadlines, including the option period, financing approval and title review
Coordinates with your lender, inspector and the title company through closing

Questions to Ask Before You Hire an Agent

How well do you know the areas I'm considering?
How do you prefer to communicate, and how quickly do you usually respond?
Will I work with you directly or with a team member?
How do you help buyers compete when there are multiple offers?
How are you paid, and how does that affect my offer?
What happens if I want to end our agreement?
Can you recommend lenders and inspectors -- and am I free to choose my own?

The Written Buyer Representation Agreement

Before you tour homes with an agent, you'll sign a written buyer representation agreement. It's a contract, so read it closely; its terms are negotiable between you and your agent. It should clearly spell out:

The services your agent will provide
How much your agent will be paid, stated as a specific amount, a percentage or another clear method
Whether you could owe any of that compensation yourself, and how a seller contribution toward it would be handled
How long the agreement lasts and which area or properties it covers
How either of you can end it

You can ask a seller to pay some or all of your agent's compensation as part of your offer, but the seller doesn't have to agree. I'll go through the agreement with you line by line and answer every question before you sign.

The Information About Brokerage Services Notice

Texas requires real estate license holders to give you TREC's Information About Brokerage Services (IABS) notice at the first substantive conversation about a property. The IABS explains:

The ways a broker can work in a transaction -- representing the seller, representing the buyer, or acting as an intermediary when the same brokerage represents both sides with written consent
The minimum duties a broker owes a client, such as putting the client's interests first, sharing material information, answering questions and presenting offers, and treating all parties honestly
Contact information for the broker, the agent and the agent's supervisor

Receiving the IABS doesn't create an agreement or commit you to anything. It's there so you understand how representation works in Texas before you decide who to work with. Ask me for a copy anytime.

Why Clients Work with Me

I'm Tarus Monroe, a Realtor with TM Innovated Solutions, partnered with On Demand Realty. I earned a business finance degree from Baker University, worked as a loan officer and mortgage broker, and then invested in real estate myself. Today I help buyers across Dallas-Fort Worth, especially in Tarrant and Ellis counties, and I also work with investors in multifamily, office, retail and other commercial property.

My approach is simple: explain each step before we take it, so you're never guessing what comes next. That includes financing. If a conventional path doesn't fit your situation, I can talk through other structures worth raising with your lender or attorney. You can learn more on my bio page.

Let's See If We're a Good Fit

Choosing an agent is a personal decision, and it should feel like a partnership. Contact Tarus for a no-pressure conversation about your plans. When you're ready, continue to Touring Homes and Making an Offer.