Once you are prepared to sell or buy your house, the to-dos and decisions you need to make appear to snowball: finding a realtor, narrowing down neighborhoods, evaluating the housing market, getting your finances in order, etc. There are numerous advantages that come with working with a professional real estate agent – along with some important financial and legal details that you need to be aware of.
If you are a buyer
Why should you work with a real estate agent? A professional realtor can guide you through the whole process and have access to the multiple listings directory to help you narrow your choices down. A good real estate agent:
Is familiar with recent selling trends and the local real estate market. Is well informed about common concerns of buyers such as public transportation, tax rates, and schools.
Is experienced with the kids of services that home buyers need.
In tuned into buyer needs and tastes in new properties.
Can easily explain mortgage and real estate terms and also technical processes like the steps involved in loan approvals and financial requirements for your down payment.
If you are a seller
Often this requires your agent to do more work – from setting your home’s sale price, marketing it in print and online, running opening houses, and talking to prospective buyers and negotiating all aspects of a sale. If order to sell your house as quickly as possible at a good price, you need to have a real estate agent who can successfully:
Evaluate your local market effectively to help you get the right listing price set.
Advise you how to stage your home and best prepare it for viewings.
Coordinate the preparation of all necessary documents and forms and review them.
Make arrangements for photographs and create engaging and compelling advertising material.
Place ads consistently on MLS (Multiple Listing Service).
Hold open houses and coordinate showings of your house.
Manage the evaluation, coordination, and negotiation of bids and offers.
Strategize all of the requests that are made while the house is in escrow (e.g. reduce the sales price due to necessary repairs found in the inspection process).
Coordinate, plan and attend the closing on the house.
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How to find a good realtor
It takes a combination of solid business knowledge, technical expertise, and good personal communication skills to be a successful realtor. So whether you are a seller or buyer, if you are wondering what characteristics to look for in a Realtor, the following set of qualities is a great guide for you to use:
The person works in the real estate business full-time – you don’t want a part-timer or dabbler.
Is a person of integrity and has a great reputation within the local community and has good connections with other real estate professionals and those in related fields.
Has a strong sales history.
Licensed by the state, which means the agent meets minimum levels of testing, training, and education. When you hire a “broker” (a person who oversees regular agents) you will have someone who has undergone even more education.
Belongs to a professional trade association like the National Association of Realtors (NAR), which means the agent has access to market information, listings, and other data that nonmembers might not be able to get.
Has undergone additional training and has other credentials (look on their business cards for initials. The NAR, for example, has credentials like Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) or Graduate Realtors Institute (GRI).
How to select a realtor who will work with you and for you
There are numerous benefits to working with a realtor. They can save you lots of headaches, money, and time throughout the entire process.
However, along with their industry accreditations and business skills, you also want to have a real estate agent fort lauderdale who:
Answers your questions, listens carefully to what your needs are, addresses your concerns, and provides you with all the pros ad cons.
Keeps you updated about any issues or changes consistently as they arise during the whole time that you work together.
Keeps your best interests in mind at all times and advocates on your behalf successfully while working with another party.