What It Looks Like When a First-Time Buyer Purchases a Home Without an Agent

You've read the theory. You've seen the roadmap. Now let's talk about what it actually feels like—from the first nervous phone call to the moment you sign the last page at closing.

Because the gap between "I understand the steps" and "I can actually do this" usually isn't knowledge. It's seeing it play out. So here's how it played out for a first-time buyer named Marcus. (Details composited from real transactions. The numbers are real.)

Marcus's Situation

Twenty-nine years old. Software developer. Renting a one-bedroom in Phoenix for $1,650 a month. Pre-approved for $385,000 through a credit union at 6.875%. He'd saved $42,000 for a down payment and closing costs. Never bought a home. Never even made an offer on one.

He'd talked to two buyer's agents. Both seemed competent. Both told him their services were essentially free—the seller would pay the commission. When Marcus looked into it further and realized that "free" meant roughly $9,000 baked into his purchase price (compounding to over $21,000 on his mortgage), he started looking for another path.

Finding the House

Marcus had been watching listings in the East Valley for about three weeks when a townhome in Gilbert came on the market. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, 1,450 square feet, built in 2019, listed at $365,000. HOA of $135 a month covering exterior maintenance and a community pool.

He called the listing agent that evening. "Hi, I'm Marcus. I'm pre-approved through Desert Financial and I'm interested in seeing the townhome on Elliot. I'm self-represented. When's a good time for a showing?"

The listing agent, a woman named Denise, said she could meet him the next afternoon. She didn't ask why he didn't have an agent. She didn't try to talk him into getting one. She just booked the showing.

At the property, Marcus walked through slowly. Checked the water pressure. Opened every closet. Looked at the water heater (2019—same age as the house, so plenty of life left). Noticed the HOA-maintained landscaping was in good shape. The interior was clean and lightly staged.

He thanked Denise, went home, and started pulling comps.

Running the Numbers

Three comparable townhomes had sold in the same community within the past four months. One at $358,000, one at $362,000, and one at $371,000 (that one had a garage conversion adding about 200 square feet). Two other similar units within a mile had sold at $355,000 and $367,000.

Marcus averaged the most relevant three comps (excluding the garage conversion as an outlier) and landed on a fair value of about $360,000. The listing at $365,000 was a little high but not unreasonable.

He decided to offer $355,000. His reasoning: the comps supported a price in the low 360s, and without a buyer-agent commission in play, the seller's net on a $355,000 offer from Marcus would be roughly equivalent to a $365,000 offer from a buyer with an agent (where the seller would pay out $9,125 in buyer-agent commission). The math made his lower offer competitive.

The Offer and Counter

Marcus downloaded Arizona's residential purchase contract from the state association's website. He filled in the fields: $355,000 purchase price, $7,100 in earnest money (2%), inspection contingency of 10 days, financing contingency, appraisal contingency, and a 35-day closing window. He asked for the seller to contribute $4,000 toward his closing costs.

He'd already asked BAIRE's AI consultant for guidance on structuring the offer—specifically, how to balance a lower price with the closing cost request without overreaching. BAIRE's guidance was straightforward: keep the total "ask" reasonable relative to listing price, and frame the closing cost contribution as a benefit to the seller (faster close, fewer fees on their side since no buyer-agent commission). Marcus included a brief note to Denise explaining this.

Two days later, Denise called. The seller countered at $361,000 with a $2,500 closing cost contribution. Marcus checked his walkaway number ($365,000 all-in). The counter was well within range. He accepted.

The Inspection

Marcus hired an inspector recommended by his lender. The inspection was thorough—about two and a half hours. The report flagged a handful of items: a slow drain in the master bathroom, a loose handrail on the staircase, and an HVAC air filter that hadn't been changed recently. Nothing structural. Nothing costly.

One finding caught his attention: the water heater's pressure relief valve showed minor mineral buildup. The inspector noted it wasn't a safety issue now but recommended flushing the system. Marcus asked BAIRE whether this was worth a repair request or just a maintenance item. The answer was clear: maintenance, not a negotiation item. He let it go.

He sent a brief message to Denise confirming he was satisfied with the inspection and was moving forward. No repair request. No drama. Denise responded within the hour: "Great news. Seller is pleased. We'll keep things moving."

Appraisal and Closing Prep

The appraisal came in at $363,000—above his purchase price of $361,000. That meant no gap to worry about, and his lender was satisfied.

The title company (recommended by his credit union) ran the title search and found no issues. Marcus reviewed the preliminary title report and asked BAIRE to help him understand one line item he wasn't sure about—a recorded easement for utility access. BAIRE explained what it meant (the utility company had the right to access a strip of the property for maintenance) and that it was standard and not a concern. That took about three minutes.

Three days before closing, Marcus received his Closing Disclosure. He compared it to his Loan Estimate. Everything matched within the allowed tolerances. No surprises.

Closing Day

Marcus showed up at the title company with a cashier's check for $37,240—his down payment minus the earnest money already deposited, plus his share of closing costs (net of the seller's $2,500 contribution).

The signing took about 45 minutes. The title officer walked him through each document. Mortgage note, deed of trust, settlement statement, tax disclosures. Marcus signed. The deed was recorded that afternoon.

He got the keys at 3:15 PM on a Wednesday. He sat in his new living room with a takeout burrito and thought about the numbers.

The Math

Purchase price: $361,000. Listed at $365,000.

If Marcus had used a buyer's agent and paid the full list price with a 2.5% buyer-agent commission, the seller would have netted the same. But Marcus's mortgage would have been on $365,000 instead of $361,000—an extra $4,000 in his loan. Over 30 years at 6.875%, that $4,000 costs about $9,480 in total payments.

Add the $2,500 closing cost contribution he negotiated. That's another $2,500 he kept in his pocket.

And then there's the buyer-agent commission that was never paid. At 2.5% of $365,000, that's $9,125 that didn't get embedded in the transaction. If it had been financed into a higher purchase price, the 30-year cost would have been roughly $21,560.

Total savings, conservatively: the $4,000 price reduction ($9,480 over the loan), plus $2,500 in closing cost credits, plus the $995 BAIRE fee instead of a $9,125 commission ($8,130 difference). All told, Marcus came out ahead by more than $20,000 compared to the traditional route.

For his first home purchase.

Addressing the Fears, in Hindsight

"What if the listing agent didn't take me seriously?"

Denise treated Marcus like any other buyer. His pre-approval letter established his credibility. His clean, complete offer demonstrated competence. She never questioned his decision to self-represent.

"What if I messed up the contract?"

Marcus used the state-approved form and had BAIRE's guidance on every field. He also paid $750 for a real estate attorney to review the contract before he submitted it. That attorney caught nothing—because there was nothing to catch. The form did its job. But the peace of mind was worth every penny.

"What if I missed something in the inspection?"

The inspector didn't miss anything significant. Marcus used BAIRE to help him interpret the findings and distinguish real issues from maintenance items. The townhome was in good condition—consistent with a five-year-old build.

"Is this really legal without an agent?"

Yes. Arizona, like every other state, permits buyers to represent themselves. Marcus exercised a right that has always existed—the settlement just made it more visible and more practical.

What BAIRE Actually Provided

Marcus didn't use BAIRE because he wanted to prove a point. He used it because he wanted a system. Something that could answer his questions at 10 PM on a Tuesday when his lender was offline. Something that could walk him through the offer form field by field. Something that could tell him whether a pressure relief valve was a deal-breaker or a footnote.

He described it later as "like having a really knowledgeable friend who's done this a hundred times, available whenever I needed them."

That's the product. Not a brokerage. Not a legal service. Not an agent replacement. A knowledge base and a guide, accessible on demand, for $995 and a seven-day free trial to make sure it works for you before you pay.

The Offer

If you're a first-time buyer and you've read this far, you're not the kind of person who needs someone to hold their hand through a transaction. You're the kind of person who wants to understand it. Who wants to be in control. Who'd rather know what's happening and why than trust someone else to handle it behind a curtain.

BAIRE was built for you.

Start your free trial at baireapp.com. Seven days. Full access. No commitment. Cancel anytime.

If it works, it's $995 and you're covered through closing. If it doesn't, you spent nothing and you're better informed for whatever you decide to do next.

Your first home purchase doesn't have to be scary. It just has to be informed.

Start from the beginning: Buying Your First Home Feels Overwhelming → What You Need to Know → The Roadmap