You’ve heard the saying, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” Right?
You can find out just how much mightier it is if you happen to casually go see a new
construction house and decide to buy it.
One of the first things a builder or their rep will ask you to do if you visit their
development or model home is to sign in. It sounds fairly innocent, so many people
sign in without thinking twice about doing so.
The problem is, if you do have a real estate agent you’re working with or want to
choose one to work with down the road, you may have just made it close to impossible
to have your own agent involved in the deal. A few strokes of ink from a pen could
cause you a pretty big fight.

By signing in, builders will often use that to cut out any real estate agent you may want
involved from being involved in the transaction. You may not have even realized that’s
what you were causing by signing in.
So, if you want your own agent involved, or at least want the option of having your own
agent involved, here are a few tips:
Always bring your agent with you for at least the first visit to a development, model
home, or meeting with a builder. (You may even want your agent present at all site
visits and meetings.)
If for some reason you can’t or didn’t bring your agent with you on the first visit,
make it known that you are in fact working with an agent, and write your agent’s
name and information when you sign in. (Make sure that will satisfy their policies.
If it doesn’t, refuse to sign in and come back another time with your agent.)
If you don’t already have an agent you’re working with, make note that you reserve the right to use one in the future. (Also make sure that this will be honored by the
builder. If not, don’t sign in. Instead, find an agent you want to work with, and go
back at a later date.)
If you absolutely, positively don’t want your own agent, independent of the builder,
then by all means give ‘em your John Hancock. But most people aren’t that sure or
adamant about not having their own agent...they just unknowingly sign off on it by
simply signing in.