REALTOR, Real Estate Agents And Realty
What Do These Terms Mean?
What is Realty?
Realty is an industry term which is the constituent of services offered by real estate agents (or REALTORS®), property dealers and brokerages which are related to sale, purchase and associated duties.
It is originated from 2 parent words that are real and property (taking real as a whole and ‘ty’ of property) that make it realty.
Real Estate Services
In starting, the word “realty” meant the real property. But, over time the term has been modified a bit in its meaning. It now broadly means “real estate services”. ‘Realty’ term serves as a short and quick way to characterize a company.
The term is associated with company names and gives a general description of the services offered by a brokerage.
The services offered under the umbrella of brokerage facilitates both buyers and sellers. Here are some services that are enjoyed by the customers.
Real Estate Services
Facilitating the Seller
When it’s time to move to a new location then selling your current home draws all your attention. Home sellers will then prefer to call upon real estate brokerage to subscribe to the services of an agent.
An agent is a person responsible for getting the client home listed on the local Multiple Listing Service. The database is shared among all the brokerage members who then strive hard to attract the home buyers to the offer. The agent then becomes bound to the client until his home gets sold.
There are a number of tasks which are performed by the Realtor.
- Analyzing current trends and setting a price for the home which is compatible with market values.
- Devising a market strategy to advertise the home location and selling details.
- Facilitating marketing through print and electronic media.
- Supervising home visits and making clients aware of the reviews of buyers who pay a visit to the home.
- Settling negotiable prices with the buyers who want to buy the home and formulating a written purchase and sale document.
- Finalizing the selling process passing through steps of inspections, documentation to closing.
Facilitating the Buyer
As a buyer, there are a number of steps upon which you will be assisted by a real estate agent. MLS allows any other brokerage or working real estate agent to attract a buyer to buy the home.
An agent often works on only one side i.e. either buyer or seller. The duties of an agent to buyer customer are:
- Synchronizing home choices with the requirements of the buyer.
- Analyzing their financial condition and help them to secure a loan.
- Make the customer aware of market trends to have a negotiable price of future home.
- Formulating a purchase agreement while floating an initial offer.
- Communicating to the seller by explaining the buyer’s demands.
- After the execution of the purchase contract, forwarding the transaction process is the duty of an agent.
- Coordinating appraisals, inspections and handling transaction technicalities.
- Facilitating closing prices until getting the keys.
Real Estate Agents Are Advisors
The process of buying or selling a house can be complex. Not only will you be dealing with the property, but also with a number of legal and financial constraints. That is where realtors come in.
Before we delve into why they’re important, let’s first get to know what they are and what they aren’t. Realtors are often mistakenly called real estate agents. However, there is a significant difference between the two and what they do. Both professionals are required to hold a real estate license. However, realtors are further licensed by and must be active members of the National Association of Realtors while real estate agents do not have the licensure by NAR.
Furthermore, they are held under a set of 17 key statues to promote integrity, honesty, and transparency in business standards. Violation of any of the statutes can result in serious legal ramifications.
Now, let’s look at what can a registered realtor do for home buyers or sellers.
Agents Knowledge Of The Market
Realtors are excellent advisors in the buying and selling processes because of the diversity in their training--from analyzing market trends, local laws, assessing the property for needed renovations to niche advertising strategies and more. They are trained to cover all bases in the selling and buying process and ensuring the buyer or sellers are thoroughly informed about and familiar with the process. Likewise, they are excellent sources of knowledge for you to ask critical questions As a client, this is valuable guidance that allows you to make informed decisions. By knowing exactly what you’re dealing with and what to expect as a buyer or seller, you’ll be in a better negotiating position and get the best value for your money.
When purchasing a property, you want to purchase one that is the best deal for your money. Likewise, when selling a property, you want to put a top product in the market in order to attract prospective purchasers. Realtors have excellent eyes and experience to ensure exactly that. A thorough inspection of the home helps them identify hidden problems an inexperienced buyer or seller may miss. For the buyer, they can leverage this knowledge in the negotiation phase while sellers can make needed improvements to maximize the selling price. They draw from their experience in buying and selling property in the local market, economic trends, as well as appraisal values. Although the price they recommend after evaluation may not necessarily become the listing price, it is a good approximation.
Realtors Know How To Negotiate
When buying or selling, you want to have all the information you can get in order to make informed decisions. For instance, you will need to know the trends for selling prices and the quality of properties sold. A realtor has this information ready at hand, thanks to their years of experience in representing clients who are selling and buying. This information helps you to gauge where the market stands and place your property in a favorable position that will help sell in the shortest time possible. Likewise, if you are a buyer, you will need to know the pricing and closing prices of properties similar to the one you are looking to buy so that you make strategic offers.
Real Estate Agents Know How To Complete Paperwork
When selling or buying, you need a representative who will ensure you get the best reasonable offer for your money. With their experience in the market, they know exactly how to maneuver the seller or buyer. Not only are they excellent negotiators in closing, but also in the initial processes. In appraising property value, they are skilled to have difficult conversations with service providers and with potential clients to ensure you get the best possible services and deals. As a client, you want this kind of help on your side as you may not have the upper hand in understanding critical points in negotiation.
It goes without saying that there is plenty of paperwork involved in buying or selling a house. From pre-approval letters to legal documents, you will need a person with experience to help you navigate the loops. Pre-approval letters are critical documents issued by a bank or qualified mortgage lenders. for buyers and they require a long legal process to acquire. Sellers also have a list of documents to be approved for listing. Safety requirements for evaluations and appraisals are just some of the paperwork that must be completed prior to putting the house up for sale. In post-sales, they are critically helpful in closing deals and ensure closing paperwork is done according to legal restrictions.
Realtors Code Of Ethics
Perhaps you may be cynical that realtors are any different from real estate agents. While the two professionals are very closely related by the process of licensure, they differ significantly. Realtors are bound by a code of conduct to keep the client’s best interests at the forefront of their procedures. As a client, this kind of assurance is extremely important in guaranteeing a fair selling or buying process and keep your
Excellent friends for future business
The process of selling or buying may take months to finalize, in addition to being extremely involving. Having a good realtor is like having the best business friend to make your life easier. It’s almost certain that after the process you will have a good working relationship with your realtor and if they’ve done their job right, you will want to keep their acquaintance for future business; whether that be in selling, buying, or referring a friend. It’s a win-win for both you and the realtor. Their interactions with you are driven to offer top quality service which will generate referrals for their business.
Selling or buying a property is a huge decision. A realtor is someone you should consider working with for reasons listed above. They help to make the process clearer and more manageable while giving you insightful information for making key decisions. In your pursuit of getting the best deal for your money, hiring a realtor is probably one of the best investments you can make.
