When you’re looking to buy or sell a house, every penny counts and it can be tempting to take any avenue that looks like it could save you a few dollars, but using a real estate agent who isn’t familiar with the local area can work against you in more ways than one. How well do you think agents from the city or suburbs know the ins and outs of local municipal zoning or by-laws? How familiar will they be with wells and septic systems? Can they provide you with referrals to trusted area tradesmen and professionals who can help you work toward ironing out any possible kinks in a purchase or sale? A local agent can do each of these and more in an effort to make sure your best interests are protected.
Why Use a Local Real Estate Agent?
The short answer is the most obvious one, a local Realtor® will get you the most out of your sale and should be able to help you to sell with the shortest time on the market. When you’ve got your property sold, your agent can help you find the perfect new home for your needs in the local market.
Finding the Right Price
A proper asking price is key to selling your property. The best way to sell your home fast and get the best value for it, is to price it properly. Local agents know the market in the surrounding area. They know what other properties have sold that are comparable to yours, and they know what they’ve sold for, so they can help you price your home properly.
Maximum Market Exposure
Market exposure is also a key element in real estate. A real estate agent can get you far greater market exposure than you could ever get on your own. Selling a home? A Realtor® can get your property listed on all the major industry channels that you simply can’t access with a “For Sale by Owner” sign in the yard. Looking to buy a home? A Realtor® has access to resources beyond just an Internet search which can help you to find you the best options to suit your needs.
Neighborhood Expertise
Your local Realtor® knows your area like the back of their hand. Not only do they know the local real estate market, they also know the local communities, important resources that are (or more importantly, are not) available in each community, information about neighbourhood schools, local attractions and other things you may want to consider when moving to or from a given area. This expertise can prove invaluable to both buyers and sellers.
Safely Managing Access to the Home
Have you ever tried shopping for a home without a real estate agent? Especially these days, it can be very hard to get permission to physically enter a house in order to take a good, long, uninterrupted look around. Even in the best of times, sellers don’t want to give just anyone permission to wander around in their home. Viewing properties with a Realtor® lets sellers know that you’re serious about making a purchase and aren’t just being nosy. Your Realtor® is your licensed representative who will make sure you’re noticing the right things in a property and are asking the right questions before making one of the biggest decisions of your life. What about selling a property by yourself? If you don’t use a real estate agent, you’d better be prepared to answer phone and email inquiries promptly (too slow and your potential buyer will move on or lose interest), drop everything to be present to chaperone buyers who want to schedule property visits and spend some time digging up information such as municipal bylaws, setbacks, surveys and zoning details so that you’re prepared for the questions you’ll inevitably receive from potential buyers. When you sell your home through a Realtor®, you don’t have to do any of that – that’s the agent’s job. And, you don’t have to worry about who will be coming and going from your home – licensed real estate agents will only gain entry to your property after a series of confirmations have been completed and the details have been recorded. These days, agents use electronic lockboxes that are Bluetooth enabled, ensuring that all the details about who was in your home and when, and when they left are recorded and kept for safe keeping. All a seller needs to do is provide a yes or no answer when each showing request is made, the Realtor® will handle the rest.
During a busy real estate market, there are those who think “Who even needs a real estate agent with all the info that’s available in today’s world? I bet I can use Google can or YouTube to learn everything I need to know and figure it out on my own. Isn’t there an app for that? It’s all pretty basic, any amateur can do it right?” Well, no. It’s true that the traditional real estate model is changing quickly, but Realtors® still play a critical role in the process and are adapting so they can continue to make the buying or selling process as simple and straight-forward as possible. Buying and selling real estate is still a complex and involved process and there is a lot at stake if people don’t have the right person to guide them through it – peace of mind, potential legal culpability and of course, money. Whether you are planning to buy or sell, finding a local real estate agent should be your first step to ensure your best interests are always protected.
