You can come across anecdotal evidence of friends, family and strangers who have bought or sold a house without the assistance of a realtor, but to every rule there is an exception.
Though many people see a realtor\’s fee (often a percentage of the house sale) as a waste of money, the reality is the opposite. In the real estate market, your realtor is the best weapon you\’ve got, and here\’s why:
They\’ll Give You More To Choose From
The online market place may be flooded with homes for sale but what you don\’t know is that you\’re missing out on incredible opportunities by not chatting with a realtor at least once on your home buying adventure.
Realtors act as liaison between buyers and sellers, and they have access to all other properties that are listed by other agents. Not only will your realtor track down the exact kind of property you\’re looking to buy, they can do it in a fraction of the time it would take you, especially key for house hunters who are on a deadline, or just don\’t have the free time to dedicate to perusing the classifieds.
They Make Arrangements For You
No one likes playing phone tag, but it can be that much more stressful when trying to get in contact with a homeowner about their sale property. So not only does your agent track down the perfect properties, they also get in touch with the sellers\’ agent (or seller) to make appointments for viewings.
On the flip side, if you\’re selling your home, an agent saves you from fielding unsolicited calls from interested parties, answering questions and making appointments. An interested buyer may move on if they can\’t get readily get in touch with you.
They See Past The Paperwork…
One of the touchiest parts of any real estate transaction is asking for repairs. An experienced realtor will 1) advise homeowners on necessary repairs and replacements before the house is listed and 2) be the “bad guy” when a prospective buyer has demands on repairs and replacements they\’d like to see made before or during the offer process.
But Know Their Way Around A Contract
Anyone who\’s ever purchased a house knows how much complicated paperwork can be involved, and with all that paper it\’s easy to lose track and forget something important. A good agent will keep track of all the most important papers, deadlines for submissions and make sure that you initial everything that needs to be initialled and sign on the bottom line.
In addition, an experienced realtor will explain in detail and help you navigate important contracts and clauses, like the offer to purchase contract, which is there to protect you and ensure that you are able to back out of a deal if certain conditions aren\’t met.
The Realtor Code Of Ethics
Though it\’s within a realtor\’s best interests to do a good job for you and all their other clients, it should give any buyer and seller peace of mind knowing that realtors are bound by a strict code of ethics. In place for over 100 years, the Realtor Code of Ethics ensures that consumers who work with a realtor are treated professionally and ethically in all transaction-related matters.
Under the code, the realtor is obligated to put their clients\’ interest ahead of their own, as well as make full disclosures about the problems with a property and be truthful in all advertising.
With expert knowledge, years of experience, and dedication to the client and a job well done, utilizing the services of a realtor will not only save you money in the long run, but they will ultimately save you time as well, and that\’s worth the investment.
