Getting The Realtor Guarantee
When you're ready to sell your home, you have many options. But choosing a real estate agent can make all the difference in selling it quickly, at the right price, and with minimum hassle. A REALTOR® is a real estate agent who is a member of the National Association of Realtors. A good Realtor can help you at every stage of the real estate transaction, from setting a realistic price to marketing the home, and eventually to the closing table. They also serve as a buffer between you and the potential buyers, or buyer's agents, answering calls and questions, as well as scheduling and hosting open house showings.
When you choose a Realtor, you can be confident that he or she is committed to your best interests. Brokers and their agents who aren't members of NAR are called real estate agents. Many brokers and agents also belong to local or state associations, which typically require their members to abide by codes of conduct and ethics similar to those practiced by the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). While real estate agents may be experts on residential real estate matters— it's important for consumers to understand the difference between these designations and those held by NAR members: The term "Realtor" identifies an individual who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS.
Agents are supposed to have your best interests in mind, and that can equate to the seller netting even more money. The national average shows that houses sold by REALTORS® sell for over 30K more than houses sold by FSBO(for sale by owner). This is mainly due to the marketing experience and strategies that REALTORS® bring to the table. In addition, REALTORS® increase the level of security between you and the buyers. Their contracts are drafted and created by attorneys, ensuring all parties are legally protected.
Real estate agents also provide a non-emotional perspective. Homeowners who have been living in their homes for many years often get attached to the house. As a result, they may want to price the home much higher than it’s worth to make up for their emotional value. But, with a good objective agent, you can get an objective opinion on the real market value of your home. This will help you sell, and sell faster at a fair price.
Setting the right price for your home is one of the most important parts of successfully selling it. A Realtor knows more about pricing homes than you do, so working with an agent can help make sure that you get a fair asking price and don’t leave money on the table. Your agent will know comparable sales in your area and what other houses are listed at or are sold for. They also have experience talking to potential buyers about why they should buy a particular house and how their marketing efforts make each house stand out from others on the market.
There is no magic formula for how much to list your home at. It really depends on several things: The condition of your property, how desirable it is compared to similar properties around town, putting in repairs or upgrades that could raise its value even higher if done before listing, etc.. You may want to ask friends who recently bought or sold homes in your neighborhood what prices they saw when looking for something comparable to yours.
Perhaps one of the best advantages that REALTOR® can offer is marketing with the home. Most REALTORS® maintain extensive networks and have high-level Web sites. This translates into more buyers seeing and making contact with the home, which can not be equated with the FSBO sales approach. By using the internet, your home receives coverage throughout the country and is marketed to a wide audience. Real estate REALTORS® are also crucial in determining the starting price for your home. One of the best tools in the REALTOR®'s arsenal is CMA or a comparative analysis of the market. This analysis compares your home with others who have been sold in your area and helps you find a fair and reasonable sale price.
In many markets, most of the real estate transactions are cooperative sales; meaning that another Realtor other than yours bring the buyer to the table. An agent will also know when, where and how to advertise—which medium, format and frequency will work best for your home and your market.
Realtors are trained to help you get your home ready for showing. Showings usually happen on weekdays, when other people are at work and there’s less traffic to disturb. To make sure sellers feel safe, agents will generally prescreen and accompany qualified prospects through the property and handle open houses as well. With online tools such as Supra lockboxes, Realtors can even track showings from a computer or smartphone. Security is of the utmost importance, and an agent will ensure that only qualified buyers are entering your home.
Your Realtor knows the deal more than you, and is in a better position to advise you. If something goes wrong, they’re legally responsible for any issues that arise from it. They don’t have time to worry about holding onto your property or feeling sad because they lost a sale; they are going to work as hard as possible to get your house sold at the best price possible. They aren’t emotionally involved, so will be able to give you advice and guidance on what needs fixing up before putting it on the market and how much of an asking price should be placed upon it. When negotiating with buyers, paperwork can seem complicated but your Realtor will know exactly what needs doing when selling or buying a home, including disclosures that need signed off on by both parties.
