Buying a home in Rochester, Minnesota in 2026 is not as simple as scheduling a showing online and making an offer. The market moves quickly, and decisions made in the first few weeks can set a buyer up for success or create problems that are hard to undo. Alex Mayer, a Rochester MN real estate agent with eXp Realty and a four-time winner of Best Real Estate Agent in Rochester MN, has identified three mistakes that surface repeatedly, not because buyers are careless, but because the process is widely misunderstood.
“We’re dealing with people’s homes, their finances, and their families,” Mayer says. “That’s the trifecta of things that make people emotional. And when emotions are running high, mistakes happen.”
The first mistake is registering on third-party websites like Zillow, Realtor.com, or Redfin without researching who calls back. According to Mayer, the agents responding to those leads are often less experienced. “When people are registering on these third-party websites, there’s a very good chance the agent calling them is a more junior or less experienced agent in the market,” he explains. “They’re paying for leads. Their goal is to get you to sign with them, fast.” The National Association of Realtors reports the average agent completes just 3.92 transactions per year, meaning even top performers handle only one or two deals a month. Mayer advises buyers to research agents thoroughly before committing, including checking reviews, professional credentials, and having a real phone conversation.
The second mistake is calling the listing agent directly. While some buyers think this might give them an advantage, Mayer warns against dual agency, where the same agent represents both buyer and seller. “That agent is trying to sell that house,” he says. “They do not represent you, even if they technically do.” Dual agency is permitted in Minnesota, but Mayer notes that agents often prefer it because they collect both sides of the commission, a practice called double-ending. This financial incentive does not align with a buyer’s interest in securing the best price and terms. Mayer refers unrepresented buyers to another agent when they inquire about his listings, stating, “It’s better for both sides to have their own representation.”
The third and most foundational mistake is starting the search without understanding the market first. Many buyers enter reactively, looking at homes before financing is in place and making offers without knowing what makes them competitive. “A reactive buyer goes out there, looks at a house, maybe falls in love with it, and then starts trying to figure everything else out,” Mayer says. “A proactive buyer already knows what types of financing are available, understands what makes up a mortgage payment, and knows how to structure a competitive offer.” In the current Rochester market, buyers often compete against other buyers, changing how offers need to be structured. Mayer conducts a 60 to 90-minute overview with clients before any showings, covering financing types, mortgage payment components, property search strategies, and the offer process.
“I tell people I’m going to give them all the bad news first,” he says. “I want them entering the market with their eyes wide open.” This preparation has a measurable effect: “I know there are listing agents who have chosen to work with my buyers specifically because they know I go through all of this with them upfront,” Mayer says. “A prepared buyer is more likely to close. That matters when a seller is sitting down and looking at multiple offers.”
Rochester’s market is shaped by the presence of Mayo Clinic, seasonal buyer influx from hiring cycles, and a community where top agents know each other well. The buyers who do best treat preparation as a prerequisite. “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast,” Mayer says. “You have to slow down at the beginning to actually be ready to move quickly when it counts.”
