Why hire a Real Estate Agent?

"Why should we hire a real estate agent?"

I am often asked this question by many potential clients. If buying or selling a home through the Internet or through regular marketing was easy, I believe everyone would do it on their own. Some have navigated the waters without representation of an agent and have survived, but many do not succeed. Many times, a real estate agent has had to come in to the process to clean things up. Here are 10 reasons why you might want to consider hiring a professional real estate agent.

1. Education +Experience = Expert

 It was once said that when you hire people who are smarter than you are, it proves you are smarter than they are. Do you know everything about buying and selling properties? Hire a real estate professional who does. The trick is to find the right person. Why not hire a person with more education and experience than you?

2. Price Guidance

Agents do not select prices for sellers or buyers. However, an agent will help to guide clients to make the right choices for themselves. If a listing is at 7%, for example, an agent has a 7% vested interest in the sale, but the client has a 93% interest. Selling agents will ask buyers to weigh all the data supplied to them and to choose a price. Then based on market supply, demand and the conditions, the agent will devise a negotiation strategy.

3. Knowledge of Neighborhoods

Agents either possess intimate knowledge of certain communities or they know where to find the industry buzz about your neighborhood. They can identify comparable sales and data, in addition to pointing you in the direction where you can find more information on schools, crime or demographics. For example, you may know that a home down the street was on the market for $350,000, but an agent will know it had upgrades and sold at $285,000 after 65 days on the market and after twice falling out of escrow.

4. Market Conditions and Information

 Real estate agents can disclose market conditions, which will govern your selling or buying process. Many factors determine how you will proceed. 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.

5. Professional Networking

 Real estate agents network with other professionals, many of whom provide services that you will need to buy or sell. They know which vendors have a reputation for efficiency, competency and competitive pricing. Agents can, however, give you a list of references with whom they have worked and provide background information to help you make a wise selection.

6. Confidentiality, Confidence and Negogiating

 Top producing agents negotiate well because, unlike most buyers and sellers, they can remove themselves from the emotional aspects of the transaction and because they are skilled. They are professionals, trained to present their client's case in the best light and agree to hold client information confidential from competing interests.

7. Agents are Managers

 Agents make sense of all your property showings and visits. If you're a buyer of new homes, your agent will control and keep the builder's agents at bay. If you're a seller, your agent will filter all those annoying phone calls that lead to nowhere. They will work with and induce serious buyers to immediately write an offer.

8. Handling Volumes of Paperwork

 In the 1970’s, one-page deposit receipts were prevalent. Today's purchase agreements can run 10 pages or more. Most real estate files average from one to three inches of paper in thickness. One tiny mistake or omission could land you in court or cost you thousands of dollars. Let a professional handle and manage this!

9. Questions After Closing?

Even the smoothest transactions that close without complications can come back to haunt. For example, taxing authorities that collect property tax assessments, doc stamps or transfer tax can fall months behind and mix up invoices, but one call to your agent can straighten out the confusion. Many questions can pop up that were overlooked in the excitement of closing. Good and honest agents stand by ready to assist.

10. Relationships for the Future

The basis for an agent's success and continued career in real estate is referrals. Few agents would survive if their livelihood was dependent on consistently drumming up new business. This emphasis gives agents strong incentives to make certain clients are happy and satisfied. It also means that an agent who stays in the business will be there for you when you need to hire an agent again. Many will periodically mail market updates to you to keep you informed and to stay in touch.

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Tags: pa, wagner real estate, tyler wagner, havertown, havertown realtor