What a REALTOR® Can Do For You
12 Reasons to Choose a
REALTOR® as your Real Estate Agent
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.
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, radon, 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 understand
different financing options and identify
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).
Copyright
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, used with
permission. |
