In the State of Alaska, the very first thing a Licensee must do, is present to you the agency disclosure form. It states what the relationships are/will be. You can choose to work with that agent or not. If you do, they can be Neutral or assist you. There are very distinct differences.
You may walk in and hand them an offer you have already prepared, and THEY MUST BY LAW present it to their client.
A lot of Licensees wont act in the neutral capacity, nor will they assist. I personally will assist a buyer, as I make everything I DO as transparent as possible. Understand though, that this does not mean i don't represent my sellers. Again, there are distinct differences. But I have had much success in this by being honest, open , and fair.

The sellers pay the commission-not the buyers. At least that is how it works here in Ohio. Buyers do not pay their agent a commission, period. Having an agent makes the entire process so much easier for everyone. Interview different agents and their brokers until you find the right representation! This is a huge purchase, you want all the bases covered-don't go it alone!

I can only speak to how it works in South Carolina. The laws in Alaska may be different.

In SC, all real estate offers must be presented in writing. Did you present your offer that way? Staples has legal documents, and if you don't already have them going down there to get copies of real estate contracts would probably be a good idea. It is possible to present an offer with just certain items of information (again, I can only address what's allowed in SC -- the date, the address, the amount offered, and signatures with witnesses) but the legal forms have protection built in for both sides.

Are you already approved for financing, or are you paying cash? These days, sellers want to see written proof of financing (or funding, if you're paying cash). Attaching that to your written offer makes it more attractive.

Have you considered earnest money? I'll assume you already know what that is, as you've said you do "all of the ground work ahead of time." How much you may offer in earnest money is variable, depending on state laws and local custom. Some states have a minimum requirement. In SC there is no rule, except the buyer should offer whatever amount will make the seller think they are "in earnest." Alaska may be different.

You said the "buyers' agents... failed to represent" you. Did you have a written buyer agency agreement? In SC, without that they don't represent you. They can't. You're a customer, not a client. Until you have one, by extension they all represent the seller, if the seller has listed with a real estate company. So their focus is on the seller's best interests, not yours. That's just the way it works.

I can't speak to why the listing agents wouldn't talk to you or make your offer to the seller. It's possible they're leery of people working on their own (speaking as someone who has been led down the primrose path by people claiming to be something they're not -- not lately, thank goodness, but I'd be willing to bet it's happened to every single Realtor® here and most of them elsewhere). Buyers are rare -- buyers ready willing and able to buy are even rarer -- but people who like yanking other people's chains seem abundant. So perhaps those Realtors® are just gun-shy.

Also, in SC the seller pays the commission. Usually. Perhaps things are done differently in Alaska. I can assure you that agents are earning their commissions, even if you do your own ground work as a buyer. Being a listing agent these days is no fun. No one expects you to be sympathetic, but be aware that just because you don't know what the agent is doing doesn't mean the agent isn't doing anything.

You might be happier going the FSBO route. Caveat emptor.

Good luck!

Good luck......

It sounds as if you are seeking to have the listing agent cut his/her fee for professional services and do the work that would normally be handled by two agents.

This may not be appealing to too many agents. As previously mentioned, you could go the FSBO route.

Good luck

It is difficult you can be taken advantage of .

We dont show homes to many buyers w/o an agent due to liability issues and concerns.

Find an agent who works best with your personality, who is going to do all the leg work on your behalf. Working in concert with an agent your best interest.

We receive so many emails and calls a week where buyer "only wished they had an agent" to late involve a realtor or attorney when lawsuits filed lost your earnest money.

You can confer with a consultant assist in matter of real estate purchase

Lynn911
~ National Featured Realtor and Consultant, Lecturer regarding Credit Repair, Mortgage Loan Officer

You could find a "For Sale by Owner" and work directly with the homeseller. But that will limit your choices. You could get a real estate license and then represent yourself.

I'm sorry you feel that way about real estate agents (I am one). There are some out there that truly will want to represent your best interests and will do research for you. I'm not in your area, but if you were ever interested in buying something in the Phoenix, AZ area, I would love the opportunity to just show you how I'd operate. I think I could change your mind. :)