Why You Need a Real Estate Agent and What to Look For
Why You Need a Real Estate Agent and What to Look For
Are you thinking of buying or selling a property? You may be hesitant to invest in the services of a real estate agent, and you may even believe that you’re better off going through the process on your own. This kind of thinking can be short-sighted and cost you a lot more money, time, and effort than you realize. Working with a talented real estate agent will ensure you obtain what you want without having to compromise. Below we’ll explain a few reasons you need to work with an agent.
Given their years of professional experience and the backing of their brokerage firm, agents will offer you peace of mind during the buying or selling process. When hundreds of thousands of dollars are involved, it’s wise to trust an expert to handle one of the most important transactions of your life. So if you are debating whether to work with a real estate agent, here are some things to consider, which should explain why working with a reputable agent is the right thing to do.
They Know What Makes a Good Deal
Good real estate agents know the local housing market much better than you do, even down to what is “hot” right now and what is happening in a particular neighborhood, city, or region. If you’re looking to buy a home, they can tell you if the listing price for your potential new property is fair in relation to comparable homes in the area and whether the neighborhood you are considering meets all of your criteria. They have the resources to tell you what you need to know about the properties you are looking at, including whether the property has been listed before, its last selling price, and the last time it was sold.
If you are selling a house, a good real estate agent knows how to market it effectively. You can attract more buyers by staging it according to trends that indicate what people want. Your agent can recommend specific investments in the property that you should make before you list it that can provide a maximum return and may even be able to recommend specific vendors who can help you. Your agent can also tell you if a proposed remodel would not be worth investing in. If a buyer comes in with an offer, your agent will know if the offer is strong enough to accept, if you should outright reject the offer as insufficient, or help you craft a counteroffer.
They Are Skilled Negotiators
Speaking of counteroffers, talented agents know how to negotiate. If you are buying, they’ll work with a seller to obtain a lower price for your dream home so it works within your budget. When you’re selling your home and communicating with interested buyers, your agent will know how to negotiate with all interested parties to get you the highest and best offer possible.
They’ll Actually Save You Time and Money
If you are hesitant to work with an agent in selling your home because you will need to pay a commission, you may not be looking at the big picture. Although agents charge a commission fee, this amount pales in comparison to the amount of money and time you’ll save from using their services, and it also ignores the fact that you may get a higher price for your home by working with an agent.
Here are some questions you should ask yourself:
- Does your marketing strategy reach as many potential qualified buyers as your agent’s?
- Do you know what sells and what turns a potential buyer off?
- Do you have the ability to take time off from work to show your home to an interested party?
- Do you know how to qualify a buyer or draft a counteroffer?
- Do you know what steps to take to improve your home’s curb appeal or increase its value for a potential buyer?
- Do you know what is happening in the housing market and what your home is worth?
An experienced real estate agent has the advantage in all of these matters. That advantage translates directly into your ability to sell your home quickly and obtain the best price for your home.
Getting yourself up to speed on these matters will take a lot of time and effort. While you are struggling to ensure you do everything right, your agent is a professional who already knows how to handle these matters. You can concentrate your time and efforts on packing up and finding a new home, which is enough of a chore!
They’ll Take Care of the Paperwork
Changing the ownership of a property requires a hefty amount of paperwork, and that paperwork needs to be done correctly. Unless you have experience handling real estate transactions, you won’t enjoy this chore. You should also be aware that many potential buyers steer clear of private sellers because they worry that the paperwork will not be done promptly or professionally. Remember, it is a major financial transaction for them, and they want to make sure that everything is done right. If there are any mistakes, they want to be sure they will have recourse to some remedy. A real estate agent will handle all paperwork, from counteroffers to inspections to loan approval to closing, all in conformance with applicable laws.
Whether you’re looking to buy or sell a home, working with an agent truly can get you the best outcome. An agent will protect your interests while saving you time and money. Contact Property by Prime to get started working with one of our team of qualified agents.