Advantages to Using a REALTOR®

Buying or Selling a home can be exciting. You might enjoy searching properties or using the many online tools to guess what your home is worth — maybe you’re even considering not using an agent. After all, what does an agent do other than fill in the blanks on forms and search for properties you can find online yourself? Let me give you a peek behind the curtain!

Real Estate Market Trends and Data

You might have a number in your head that your home is worth or an amount that you want to spend on a new home. Maybe your neighbor got a certain price for his home or you’ve done some research online to try to figure out your home’s value.

REALTORS® have a number of tools that are not readily available to the general public to help identify the right price for your house. Not only that but with their daily experience working with buyers and sellers, they are able to help you determine the best time to put your home on the market or the best time to buy!

Time-saving Marketing Experts

In addition to being able to list your home on HAR.com and other listing sites, REALTORS® already know keywords that buyers are looking for in descriptions and the aspects homes and communities that are huge attractions to your area. Not only do they know how and where your home will get the most visibility, REALTORS® have huge networks of other agents, lenders, inspectors — people who know other buyers and sellers, and what is on the market. Your REALTOR’S® network is your network, and word-of-mouth is great marketing!

Let’s keep going… already having a marketing advantage is not the only way you’ll save time. Talk about showing your house! You don’t have to worry about clearing your schedule and coordinating with prospective buyers’ schedules. Your agent is there to do that for you!

Maybe you’re not selling — maybe you’re buying. Using a REALTOR® can save you time too. You might think you’ve found every home that could possibly be a good fit for you, but REALTORS® have access to houses that are not actively advertised on the MLS and likely know what is getting ready to come on the market through their network. Using a REALTOR® can streamline the process. Tell your REALTOR® what you’re looking for and your agent can filter out homes best suited to what you’re looking for and even preview them if you’re house-shopping from out of town.

Transactions

Even if you’ve done it before, it’s likely that it has been several years since you’ve bought or sold a home. Laws and regulations change over time, but REALTORS® have continuing education requirements that keep them up-to-date on those changes, so you don’t have to — AND you’re REALTOR® will know what new laws and regulations might benefit your unique situation.