Top 10 Reasons to Hire a Real Estate Agent

With so much information readily available online, clients sometimes ask me, "Why should we hire a real estate agent?" They wonder, and rightfully so, if they couldn't buy or sell a home through the Internet or through regular marketing and advertising channels without representation, without a a real estate agent. Some do OK, many don't. So if you've wondered the same thing, here are 10 reasons why you might want to consider hiring a professional real estate agent.

1. Education & Experience

You don't need to know everything about buying and selling real estate if you hire a real estate professional who does. Henry Ford once said that when you hire people who are smarter than you are, it proves you are smarter than they are. The trick is to find the right person. For the most part, they all cost about the same. Why not hire a person with more education and experience than you? We're all looking for more precious time in our lives, and hiring pros gives us that time.

I work as a full-time REALTOR®. Much of my "free" time is spent thinking and planning for my clients. Every day, I read and study many resources that will improve my knowlege as a professional real estate agent so that I can effectively serve you and protect your interests.

2. Agents are Buffers

As your agent, I take the spam out of your property showings and visits. If you're a buyer of new homes, I will whip out my "sword" and keep the builder's agents at bay, preventing them from biting or nipping at your heels. If you're a seller, as your agent I will filter all those phone calls that lead to nowhere from lookie-loos and try to induce serious buyers to immediately write an offer.

3. Neighborhood Knowledge

As your agent, I make it a priority to possess intimate knowledge about the industry buzz about your neighborhood. I can identify comparable sales and hand these facts to you, in addition to pointing you in the direction of where you can find more data on schools, crime or demographics. For example, you may know that a home down the street was on the market for $350,000, but an as your agent, I will know it had upgrades and sold at $285,000 after 65 days on the market and after twice falling out of escrow.

4. Price Guidance

Contrary to what some people believe, real estate agents do not select prices for sellers or buyers. However, as your agent, I help to guide clients as they make the right choices for themselves. If a listing is at 6%, for example, an agent only has a 6% vested interest in the sale, but the client has a 94% interest! As your exclusive seller's agent, I will ask buyers to weigh all the data supplied to them and to choose a price. Then based on market supply, demand and the conditions, as your agent, I will devise a negotiation strategy.

5. Market Conditions Information

As your real estate agent, I can disclose market conditions which will govern your selling or buying process. Many factors determine how you will proceed. Data such as the average per square foot cost of similar homes, median and average sales prices, average days on market and ratios of list-to-sold prices, among other criteria, will have a huge bearing on what you ultimately decide to do.

6. Professional Networking

As a real estate agent, I network with other professionals, many of whom provide services that you will need to buy or sell. Due to legal liability, agents are restrained from recommending a certain individual or company over another, but we do know which vendors have a reputation for efficiency, competency and competitive pricing. As your exclusive seller's agent, I can, however, give you a list of references that I have worked with and provide background information to help you make a wise selection.

7. Negotiation Skills & Confidentiality

As your exclusive agent, I negotiate well because, unlike most buyers and sellers, I can remove myself from the emotional aspects of the transaction and because my skill has been sharpened by experience and knowlege. It's part of my job description! Good agents are not messengers, delivering buyer's offers to sellers and vice versa. We are professionals who are trained to present our client's case in the best light and agree to hold our client's information confidential from competing interests.

8. Handling Volumes of Paperwork

One-page deposit receipts were prevalent in the early 1970s. Today's purchase agreements run 8 pages or more. That does not include the federal- and state-mandated disclosures nor disclosures dictated by local custom. Most real estate files average a thicknesses of one to three inches of paper! One tiny mistake or omission could land you in court or cost you thousands.

9. Answer Questions After Closing

Even the smoothest transactions that close without complications can come back to haunt. For example, taxing authorities that collect property tax assessments, doc stamps or transfer tax can fall months behind and mix up invoices, but one call to me can straighten out the confusion. Many questions can pop up that were overlooked in the excitement of closing. As your exclusive agent, I will stand by ready to assist and not leave you in the dust to fend for yourself.

10. Develop Relationships for Future Business

The basis for my success as a REALTOR® and continued career in real estate is referrals. Few agents would survive if their livelihood was dependent on consistently drumming up new business. This emphasis gives me strong incentives to make certain that my clients are happy and satisfied. It also means that because I maintain my reputation as an excellent again I will be there for you when you need to hire an agent again!

It's in your best interest to be represented as a buyer or a seller. Usually, the other person in this transaction is represented and you are at a distinct disadvantage if you do not have an exclusive agent looking out for your best interests during this time.

How do you find a qualified agent? That's the easy part. Just CLICK HERE!




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Do You REALLY Need a Realtor®

Why Use a REALTOR® ?

All real estate licensees are not the same. Only real estate licensees who are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® are properly called REALTORS®. They proudly display the REALTOR"®" logo on the business card or other marketing and sales literature. REALTORS® are committed to treat all parties to a transaction honestly. REALTORS® subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics and are expected to maintain a higher level of knowledge of the process of buying and selling real estate. An independent survey reports that 84% of home buyers would use the same REALTOR® again.

Real estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments most people experience in their lifetime. Transactions today usually exceed $100,000. If you had a $100,000 income tax problem, would you attempt to deal with it without the help of a CPA? If you had a $100,000 legal question, would you deal with it without the help of an attorney? Considering the small upside cost and the large downside risk, it
would be foolish to consider a deal in real estate without the professional assistance of a REALTOR®.

But if you're still not convinced of the value of a REALTOR®, here are a dozen more reasons to use one:

1. Your REALTOR® can help you determine your buying power -- that is, your financial reserves plus your borrowing capacity. If you give a REALTOR® some basic information about your available savings, income and current debt, he or she can refer you to lenders best qualified to help you. Most lenders -- banks and mortgage companies -- offer limited choices.

2. Your REALTOR® has many resources to assist you in your home search. Sometimes the property you are seeking is available but not actively advertised in the market, and it will take some investigation by your agent to find all available properties.

3. Your REALTOR® can assist you in the selection process by providing objective information about each property. Agents who are REALTORS® have access to a variety of informational resources. REALTORS® can provide local community information on utilities, zoning. schools, etc. There are two things you'll want to know. First, will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Second, will the property have resale value when I am ready to sell?

4. Your REALTOR® can help you negotiate. There are myriad negotiating factors, including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession and often the inclusion or exclusion of repairs and furnishings or equipment. The purchase agreement should provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your agent can advise you as to which investigations and inspections are recommended or required.

5. Your REALTOR® provides due diligence during the evaluation of the property. Depending on the area and property, this could include inspections for termites, dry rot, asbestos, faulty structure, roof condition, septic tank and well tests, just to name a few. Your REALTOR® can assist you in finding qualified responsible professionals to do most of these investigations and provide you with written reports. You will also want to see a preliminary report on the title of the property. Title indicates ownership of property and can be mired in confusing status of past owners or rights of access. The title to most properties will have some limitations; for example, easements (access rights) for utilities. Your REALTOR®, title company or attorney
can help you resolve issues that might cause problems at a later date.

6. Your REALTOR® can help you in understanding different financing options and in identifying qualified lenders.

7. Your REALTOR® can guide you through the closing process and make sure everything flows together smoothly.

8. When selling your home, your REALTOR® can give you up-to-date information on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms and condition of competing properties. These are key factors in getting your property sold at the best price, quickly and with minimum hassle.

9. Your REALTOR® markets your property to other real estate agents and the public. Often, your REALTOR® can recommend repairs or cosmetic work that will significantly enhance the salability of your property. Your REALTOR® markets your property to other real estate agents and the public. In many markets across the country, over 50% of real estate sales are cooperative sales; that is, a real estate agent other than yours brings in the buyer. Your REALTOR® acts as the marketing coordinator, disbursing information about your property to other real estate agents through a Multiple Listing Service or other cooperative marketing networks, open houses for agents, etc. The REALTOR® Code of Ethics requires REALTORS® to utilize these cooperative relationships when they benefit their clients.

10. Your REALTOR® will know when, where and how to advertise your property. There is a misconception that advertising sells real estate. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® studies
show that 82% of real estate sales are the result of agent contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, family and personal contacts. When a property is marketed with the help of your REALTOR®, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Your REALTOR® will generally prescreen and accompany qualified prospects through your property.

11. Your REALTOR® can help you objectively evaluate every buyer's proposal without compromising your marketing position. This initial agreement is only the beginning of a process of appraisals, inspections and financing -- a lot of possible pitfalls. Your REALTOR® can help you write a legally binding, win-win agreement that will be more likely to make it through the process.

12. Your REALTOR® can help close the sale of your home. Between the initial sales agreement and closing (or settlement), questions may arise. For example, unexpected repairs are required to obtain financing or a cloud in the title is discovered. The required paperwork alone is overwhelming for most sellers. Your REALTOR® is the best person to objectively help you resolve these issues and move the transaction to closing (or settlement).