Am I unreasonable for expecting my realtor to fight for a lower opening offer, or one with escalators?
I’m a first-time home buyer using an FHA loan on a house with known major systems issues (old roof and ACs).
My preferred strategy in general is to start with a lower offer + strong concessions and use clear tiered escalator language so the purchase price only increases by the actual cost of repairs if the seller agrees to fix the major items. This keeps my leverage and prices the known risks upfront. Especially in this sale (court ordered under special magistrate control).
My realtor strongly prefers the conventional approach: start close to or at list price, get the contract signed quickly, then negotiate repairs during the inspection period. She repeatedly uses lines like “you can’t lowball and ask for concessions — it’s one or the other,” prefers verbal offers on anything below list, and seems irritated when I push back for the structured lower offer.
As a first-time buyer, I expect my agent to act in my best interests and negotiate as if it were her own money — proactively using the known defects as leverage from the very first offer. Instead, she keeps steering higher, which makes me feel like she’s prioritizing an easy close over protecting me from overpaying for known repairs.
Am I being unreasonable or too aggressive? Should a good buyer’s agent be more willing to fight for a buyer-protective opening structure, or is her “start high and negotiate later” method the standard and acceptable way?
I don’t necessarily feel like she’s trying to be in my pockets or maximize her profits but I do feel as though there is an urgency to just close a deal as opposed to making the deal right for me and my family.
Edit: for all of those attacking me, I’m well aware that this is not the most practical approach to getting a deal, signed and done, but I do feel that it is the most practical approach to protecting myself as a buyer, even if it isn’t what a realtor is comfortable doing. If that’s wrong of me then I guess I’m just wrong.
Edit 2: Special Magistrate responded to my realtor. The counter offer was list price and 3% concessions or 3% off the list price. She said he made no further mention of fixing the roof or offering the estimate in seller credits. On to the next one!