Here’s why you should hire an agent when buying or selling a home.
“Do I truly need a real estate agent to help me buy or sell my home?” This is a question we get all the time. Well, legally, you don’t need an agent to represent you. Many take on the challenge themselves: selling for sale by owner or calling the listing agent on the sign of a house they like. However, we strongly advise you to hire a Realtor when buying or selling.
Most sellers who decide to go the for-sale-by-owner route do so to save on the commission that’s charged by the agent. However, nearly all for-sale-by-owner properties end up leaving money on the table. They don’t know the true value of their home or how to get the most exposure and highest offers. While saving money is important, it shouldn’t be the only factor that goes into the decision.
You need specific skills to effectively market a home, and it can be difficult. There’s prep work involved such as staging, landscaping, taking professional photographs, writing property descriptions, and putting the home on the MLS and all the affiliated sites. Next, we show the home, sometimes navigate multiple offers, and help sellers decide which is best for them. Finally, getting that contract to the finish line involves understanding the paperwork and ordering all the vendor work such as title, termite inspection, septic and sewer inspection, home warranty, and more. The majority of people don’t know that missing something as simple as a lead-based paint addendum could mean tens of thousands of dollars in fines.
“We strongly advise you to hire a Realtor when buying or selling.”
It’s in your best interest to hire an agent as a buyer too. If you decide to represent yourself, the listing agent is legally bound to the seller and can only offer you limited services because they have to be fair to both parties. This is challenging and frequently leads to one side feeling that they weren’t represented fully.
Our current real estate market is especially tough for buyers, so you’ll want an agent who’s fully committed to you and knows what you need. That can involve helping you find an excellent lender for financing, locating and looking at the right homes for you, writing your offers, negotiating your contract, and getting you to a smooth closing.
If you’re considering buying or selling, reach out to us and start a conversation about how we can best serve you. Even if you just have questions about buying, selling, or the market itself, call or email us. We look forward to helping you.