A buyer's real estate agent should not simply help a client buy the house they like. Sometimes our most important job is helping a client recognize when a property may not be a good purchase at all.
I recently worked with buyers who were considering a Scottsdale-area home that initially appealed to them. The property was built in 1980s and had previously been used as a short-term rental.
Before my clients even pursued the property, I had concerns.
The home showed signs of deferred maintenance, but condition was only part of my concern. It also had a step-heavy, multilevel floor plan that I believed could limit its appeal to future buyers.
I advised my clients against pursuing the property.
They liked the home enough that they wanted to investigate it further, so we moved forward. I supported their decision while making sure they understood my concerns.
Looking Beyond Whether You Like the House
When evaluating a property for a buyer, I try to look at it through two different lenses.
The first is obvious: Does this property work for my client today?
The second is equally important: How is the market likely to view this property when my client eventually wants to sell it?
That second question can be easy to overlook when buyers are excited about a home.
Unusual floor plans, excessive interior steps, functional limitations, deferred maintenance and other characteristics may not prevent someone from enjoying a property. But they can narrow the future buyer pool.
That does not automatically make a home a bad investment. It does mean those characteristics should be considered alongside location, condition, price and the buyer's expected ownership horizon.
Then We Received the Inspection Report
Once the property was under contract, the buyers completed their inspection.
The inspection produced an extensive list of findings and provided considerably more information about the property's condition.
For my clients, it confirmed the concerns I had raised before we pursued the home.
They did not need me to convince them to cancel at that point. After reviewing the inspection findings, they wanted to cancel immediately.
We cancelled the transaction during the inspection period.
The Better Property Was Already on Our Radar
There was another important part of this transaction.
During the home search, I had already identified another property that I believed was a better fit for my clients and a stronger long-term real estate decision.
After cancelling the first transaction, they ultimately purchased the alternative property I had recommended.
That outcome illustrates something I think is important about buyer representation.
The objective isn't simply to get a particular house closed. It's to help the client make a sound real estate decision.
Sometimes that means negotiating aggressively to acquire a property.
Sometimes it means solving inspection problems or renegotiating terms.
And sometimes it means recognizing that the better decision is another house entirely.
Why Resale Matters When You're Buying
Buyers naturally evaluate homes from their own perspective. They should. They're the ones who will live there.
But unless a buyer expects to own a property forever, I believe resale should be part of the purchasing decision.
This becomes particularly important with properties containing characteristics that may reduce the number of future buyers willing or able to purchase them.
A feature that doesn't bother you today could still affect marketability later.
My finance background influences the way I approach these decisions. I want my clients thinking not only about whether they can buy a property, but also about condition, risk, marketability and long-term value.
What Should a Buyer Consider After a Home Inspection?
A long inspection report alone does not mean a buyer should walk away.
Instead, I believe buyers should consider the findings in the context of the entire purchase:
- How serious are the defects?
- Are there signs of broader deferred maintenance?
- What could the repairs cost?
- How much uncertainty remains?
- Does the purchase price adequately reflect those risks?
- Are there characteristics that could affect future resale?
- Is there a better property available?
Those questions are often more useful than simply asking whether the seller will make repairs.
What Is the Buyer's Agent's Role During Inspection?
A buyer's agent isn't the home inspector and shouldn't attempt to replace qualified inspectors, contractors or other specialists.
The agent's role is different.
I believe my job is to help clients put the information into the context of the overall real estate decision, identify when additional professional opinions may be appropriate, evaluate negotiation options and help clients think through the consequences of proceeding.
In this transaction, the inspection was valuable not because it changed my opinion of the property.
It gave my clients the additional information they needed to reach the same conclusion.
Sometimes the Best Purchase Is the One You Don't Make
There is nothing inherently wrong with buying an older home, a former short-term rental or a property with an unconventional floor plan. Every property should be evaluated individually.
But buyers deserve candid advice before they make a major financial commitment.
After more than 16 years representing buyers and sellers in Arizona real estate, I have learned that successfully representing a buyer doesn't always result in closing the first property they choose.
Sometimes success is helping them avoid the wrong one.
And in this case, walking away allowed my clients to purchase the home I believed was the better choice from the beginning.
