Meet Your Agent

Suzanne Hefni-Pyle, owner of Buyer's Only Coastal Realty, was born and raised along the Southern California Coast and a resident of Coastal South Orange County since 1980. Suzanne has been licensed in Real Estate since 1989. She is a member of the National, State, and Local Board of Realtors as well as National Association of Exclusive Buyer's Agents.

Suzanne is very enthusiastic and considers herself a "One Stop Shop". As a homebuyer, her strength is making you look stronger when it comes time to negotiate, covering all of her buyer's needs from start to finish. Her goal is to help you reach your goal, and protect your privacy.

Read Suzanne's Featured Article about the importance of Buyer Representation as shown on orangecounty.net.

"Suzanne, thank you again. We highly recommend you as a buyers agent for any buyer looking for a home in CA. Your expertise, dedication, and honesty in your dealings were greatly appreciated."    Click here to read more testimonials.

Buying a Home?

How to Find the Right Real Estate Agent for You

EVERGREEN, CO (March 1, 1999)--About 2 million first-time buyers successfully walk the path to home ownership every year in the United States. The right real estate agent – or the wrong one – can have a great deal of impact on not only the outcome, but the entire process.

The most important thing you can do when buying a home is to choose the right real estate agent before you start looking. Home buyers have choices of real estate representation. The traditional agent works in a real estate office that takes listings and usually represents the seller, but would not hesitate to act as a dual agent and also represent a buyer of the same property. Consequently, neither party is truly "represented" due to the conflict of interest. Other real estate agents may work in offices that take listings, but will only represent one client in any real estate transaction.

The Exclusive Buyer Agent (EBA) works for an office that does not take listings of any kind and represents only buyers.

Here are questions a future homeowner should ask before selecting an agent:

• How long have you been representing buyers as a buyer's agent?
• Do you, or the company you are with, take listings? Do you practice dual agency?
• What percentage of your personal business and what percentage of your company's business is representing buyers? Is the balance of that representing sellers?
• Will you try to sell me one of your listed properties before you show me listings from other real estate companies?
• Do you have information about For Sale By Owner properties?
• How many buyers have you successfully represented in the last six months? Can I have the names and phone numbers of three to six of your most recent buyer clients?
• What training have you taken that specifically relates to being a buyer's agent and representing buyers? Do you have any specific buyer's agent professional designations?
• Do you know the six fiduciary, client level duties you would owe to me if I chose to hire you as my buyer's agent? (Confidentiality, Accountability; Reasonable Skill and Care; Undivided Loyalty; Obedience to Lawful Instructions, Full Disclosure)
• What is your commission? Or do you have hourly rates or a set fee?
• Will there be a written contract?
• Do you have a list of home inspectors, insurance agents and reputable lenders for me to consider?
• What clauses will you incorporate in our offer to protect us as buyers?
• How will you help me save money ?
• Specifically, how will you protect my interests and why should I hire you rather than another agent?

"Only an EBA can guarantee to represent you in your home purchase and guarantee to negotiate on your behalf," says Tom Early, President of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (NAEBA). "A listing agent's job is to get the seller the highest price on the best terms. AN EBA's job is to get the buyer the lowest price on the best terms, and provide the true facts as to value, market, neighborhood conditions and obvious physical defects. A listing agent cannot tell you about many things that would be detrimental for the buyer because they work for the seller."

Members of NAEBA are dedicated to promoting the rights of and representing the best interests of the buyer in every real estate transaction. Founded in 1995 to educate the public about exclusive buyer agency, NAEBA is an independent alliance of exclusive buyer agents throughout North America whose real estate companies do not take seller-property listings and who work to preserve the right of consumers to be fully represented when purchasing real estate.

suzanne@coastalbuyers.com