Experience and Education
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, all REALTORS® cost the same. So why not hire a professional to represent you in one of the largest purchases in your life!
Intermediary
REALTORS® act as a buffer. If you're a buyer of new homes, your REALTOR® will protect you from the builder's agents, prevent them from biting or nipping at your heels. If you're a seller, your REALTOR® will screen all those phone calls from lookie loos tat lead to nowhere and try to induce serious buyers to write an offer immediately.
Pricing
Contrary to what people believe, REALTORS® do not select prices for sellers or buyers. REALTORS® have valuable knowledge on local market conditions and will help you price your property realistically and fairly. 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. A REALTOR® will also help you from overpaying for a property when buying.
Negotiations and Confidentiality
Top producing REALTORS® negotiate well because, unlike most buyers and sellers, they can remove themselves from the emotional aspects of the transaction. It’s part of their job description. Good REALTORS® are mediators, delivering buyer’s offers to sellers and vice versa. They are professionals who are trained to present their client’s case in the best light and agree to hold client information confidential from competing interests.
Closing or Settlement
Today’s purchase agreements run ten pages or more. Plus, the federal- and state- mandated disclosures or disclosure dictated by local customs. Your REALTOR® will guide you through the complexity of paperwork that ensues during a home sale or purchase. They will also monitor your transaction while in escrow and handle and problems that may arise.
Professionalism
Think of your Realtor as a trained professional who has the ability to represent you in a very complex transaction! In addition, REALTORS® adhere to a strict code of ethics and are held to a higher standard.