Why Hire a Realtor?
For most people, buying a home is the largest financial investment they will ever make. It is the one time you can say you went shopping and spent a quarter of a million dollars (or more).
So shouldn’t you work with a REALTOR® to get the best advice possible for that investment?
REALTORS® Facilitate the Process
A REALTOR® is a client advocate, the market expert and the negotiating tiger all wrapped up into one independent contractor. Because REALTORS® are usually solo practitioners, they wear many hats. They are sales people, but they are also marketing directors, social media managers and data analysts all in one.
A rising number of home buyers are using REALTORS®. About 88% of home buyers purchase their home through a real estate agent or broker—a share that has steadily increased from 69% in 2001, according to the National Association of REALTOR®’s 2013 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.
Homeowners rely on REALTORS® to help them find the most qualified buyer and to navigate the home selling processes. Rules regarding home sales are always changing, and it is the REALTOR®’s job to stay on top of those market dynamics and pass along their expertise to their clients.
REALTORS® direct their home-buying clients to the best financing options for their situation, and they steer all their clients to make better decisions in preparation for the home buying or selling process.
For instance, a homeowner who wants to list their home might be advised to take a home equity line of credit (HELOC) before listing to make necessary repairs—because once the property is listed, a bank will not lend on that property. A buyer might be advised not to buy a car before starting or closing on a home purchase, because such a big ticket purchase would change their debt-to-income ratios and might disqualify them for a home loan.
REALTORS® Offer Great Resources
REALTORS® know the best contractors and can refer them easily to new homeowners and potential sellers. They are the link between all things real estate and the novice.
One of the REALTOR®’s most important roles is as the unbiased voice of reason. The REALTOR® is the objective set of eyes in the transaction. They help sellers see outside their personal connection to a property, and they help buyers stay level when faced with a multiple-bid situation.
A REALTOR® can help a buyer save money and help a seller to make the most money. Because they go through the home buying and selling process daily, they can warn clients of potential dangers and looming changes.
For instance, when Congress threatens to eliminate the mortgage-interest deduction, REALTORS® are at the forefront of the fight rallying to voice their support and save the measure. They are the link between housing policy and the consumer.
A REALTOR® maintains a customer-focused approach. Showing properties and writing offers is just a percentage of what happens in the course of the typical REALTOR®’s day: no two days are alike, and no two transactions are alike.
The REALTOR® is the only constant in the real estate transaction. Can you afford not to have that experience on your side?
