HOW OUR APPROACH TO BUYING A HOME IS DIFFERENT.
We take on a limited number of buyer clients a month in order to ensure that the buyers we work with have our full attention and access.
Most agents only show homes currently listed on the MLS. In reality, many of the best opportunities in the Midlands never even make it to the open market. We go beyond the MLS by leveraging our direct relationships with homeowners, our database of past listings, direct mail approach, and our network of top industry leaders to uncover off-market properties for our clients. Our reputation, connections, and proven track record give our buyer clients an advantage over other buyers, opening doors to homes other agents can’t.
Our proven off-market campaign for clients includes targeted direct mail, online newsletter (18,000+ subscribers) & social media ad campaign (reaching 40,000+ a month) to uncover opportunities for our buyer clients.
This is a service we only offer to clients who have completed the questionnaire, the full buyer profile below, & are committed to working with us under an agency agreement as required by law. The full buyer advantage profile enables us to convey & present your legitimacy & strength, which will be highlighted in our off-market campaign. The goal is to provide you with inside access & opportunities.
CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUYERS
(Letter Sent to 450+ Homeowners)
STEPS TO WORK WITH US
Complete the questionnaire - LINK (more details in the video below)
Picking the perfect local lender puts you above the rest in the eyes of sellers & local listing agents. Connect with our preferred lender below & ask us why using local puts you ahead of other buyers when purchasing a home:
Joel Wall - Guaranteed Rate Affinity
HOW WE GET PAID
There are 3 common ways a buyer’s agent gets paid:
#1 & the most common - The buyer agent commission is a negotiated rate. When we submit an offer, we will includes a commission agreement requesting that the seller pay a 3% commission to Coldwell Banker at closing based on the purchase price. If the seller agrees, you will not owe any additional commission at closing. This is because the seller’s agreed commission matches the 3% fee outlined in your Buyer’s Agency Agreement with us.
#2 - We request a 3% commission to be paid by the seller and the seller counters with a lower rate (for example, 2.5%). We’ve successfully negotiated the full 3% with sellers in a majority of these situations. If the seller ultimately does not agree to cover the full 3%, the difference between their offered commission and our 3% fee will be your responsibility at closing.
#3 & unlikely - The seller is not offering any commission at all. We have helped hundreds of buyers & never encountered a seller that didn’t offer any compensation to the buyer’s brokerage in our market. This scenario is also unlikely because it puts the seller at a huge disadvantage. If you decide to purchase a home that isn’t offering a buyer brokerage commission & we are not able to negotiate our fee with the seller, the 3% fee will be due from you at closing.
A few things to remember:
Many hire us because we are skilled negotiators & have a proven track record of successfully crafting, presenting & negotiating offer terms that matter to most buyers (purchase price, closing cost, concessions, contingencies, repairs, commission, inclusions, & closing dates to name a few).
It may be possible to cover any balance between what the seller is offering & the fee we charge in your mortgage. Connect with your lender to see if this is possible.
It is important to remember that great representation is not free & bad representation can cost you a fortune.
Experience the difference with us by hiring full time, full service, full fee agents.
ABOUT US
Backed by hundreds of five-star reviews across leading real estate platforms, The Patrick O'Connor Team has established a benchmark for trust and exceptional service in Lexington, SC, on Lake Murray and throughout the greater Columbia area. Client feedback like 'Patrick and his team exceeded my expectations with their professional, knowledgeable approach and perfect strategy to sell my home quickly, his communication made the process smooth and stress-free' underscores The Patrick O'Connor Team’s commitment to delivering advisor-level expertise and care. With over 1,544 homes successfully closed in the greater Columbia area over 11 years, totaling over $500 million in sales, The Patrick O'Connor Team brings proven market mastery to every transaction. Representing 821 sellers and 723 buyers, highlights include homes on and around Lake Murray including waterfront and lakefront properties and single-family homes in Lexington (721+), Columbia, Elgin, Lugoff and Camden residential sales (534+), Irmo, Chapin and Prosperity market transactions (289+), with a significant amount of the families they help purchasing new construction homes across the greater Columbia area (350+). Specializing in family relocations, luxury home sales, Lake Murray luxury properties, and new construction guidance, The Patrick O'Connor Team leverages deep market insights to guide clients throughout South Carolina's communities.