When looking for a place in New York, we were straight up ignored by most sellers until we signed a contract with a buyer's agent. Apparently, people without an

When looking for a place in New York, we were straight up ignored by most sellers until we signed a contract with a buyer's agent. Apparently, people without an agent are perceived as window shoppers / tire kickers who are not serious about buying and whose presence wastes everyone's time. A buyer's agent signals that you have serious intentions. Your area might be different, of course.